CHAIRPERSON (NIGERIA)
Teleola Olarewaju is an experienced architect based in Lagos, Nigeria, specializing in Sustainable Design, Construction Drawings, and Residential Design. She holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Architecture and a Master's in Environmental Design and is certified by the Nigerian Institute of Architects and the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria. With over fifteen years of practice, Tele has worked with Private Architectural firms in Ibadan, Kano, and Lagos, where she acquired a wealth of experience before establishing her own company in 2014. She has a distinguished track record in entrepreneurship. Outside of her professional commitments, she has contributed to the UR4Africa community as a Public Art Africa mentor and board member, promoting public art initiatives across the continent.
CHAIRPERSON (USA)
Orlando Taylor was born in St. Louis, MO. He spent 11 years volunteering for St. Paul Saturdays Manhood and Leadership Development Program, helping African American males navigate life and go on to college (www.stpaulsaturdays.com). Growing up, he was fascinated with writing, science, and reading, and this interest led to some early exposure to reading comic books, poetry, and literature. This lead to the forming of the media company Kuumba Concepts, LLC dedicated to creating relevant content from the African Diaspora. He developed a passion for ideas that could be transformed into scripts for TV and film. In his books of poetry, My Scars Are My Birthmark and Black Music, Politics, and Word Bombs, Orlando explores the issues one might face in life and those common to the African American community and diaspora.
SECRETARY
Sarafadeen Bello is an Architect, Artistic researcher, and Creative based in Lagos, Nigeria. He holds a degree in Architecture and he is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Architects. In 2016, he won the Ships and Ports Essay Competition and was shortlisted for the Ken Saro Wiwa Book Review Prize at the Lagos Book and Arts Festival in 2019. He participated in the Remote Research Residency “Memory and Memoricide of Land” – Reimagining Alternative Models of Museums by Co.iki (Japan) in 2021 as part of “Project The Great Museum”. He is a recipient of a Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation Fellowship Award in 2022 and a Pro Helvetia Swiss Art Council Residency in 2024. He strongly believes in the power of volunteerism and the arts as a tool for social inclusion and societal change. His writings and contributions can be found in the African Union ECHO digital magazine 2017, Lagos Development Envision Lab 2017 Publication, How Can We Obey the Law Against War essay collection in 2020, The Great Museum website, etc.
TREASURER
T. Jamal Lee is a Financial Advisor building his practice Oladele Financial. Oladele is a Yoruba word meaning “wealth has come home”. He was previously employed as an Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the college of Mount Saint Vincent during his graduate studies. Prior to this He served as a Public Health and Community Development facilitator for Peace Corps Guinea. He excelled in that position because of the emphasis on human-centered design and grassroots development which are applicable to the methodology employed by Peace Corps. He has led educational forums informing people of best practices in Malaria prevention and Child nutrition. He also trained youth in Guinea on entrepreneurial principles. He primarily worked in the administrative region of Haute Guinea wherein which he was trained and worked primarily in French and Malinke/Bambara. In his service with T.E.E.M.S AmeriCorps, he had been able to exude his passion for education and community development through a career building avenue. He learned so many lessons in patience and the acceptance of others’ differences during his service. He is a strong proponent of leaders first being great followers to succeed in positions of authority. This aspect of leadership was most definitely honed and increased incredibly during service with TEEMS AmeriCorps. He created projects that engaged urban youth in activities such as urban gardening, environmental awareness campaigns, and food security projects.
Loveth Igbo is a Mass Communication graduate from the University of Lagos, where she also has her master in Broadcasting in 2012. She began her career as an IT intern with The Nation Newspaper in 2010, she moved to Mutual Benefits Ass Plc as a marketer in 2011 and rose to become a unit Manager. She is a registered insurance agent of Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), a member of Association of Registered Insurance Agent of Nigeria (ARIAN), a certified make-up artist with Makeup Designory (MUD). She has a certificate in leadership/ business from Daystar Leadership Academy and a certificate in leadership/business, entrepreneurship with American Corner a program of US Consulate. Loveth has worked with various NGOs and community development organizations on leadership, skills empowerment and training. She has also been a mentor and a volunteer with IBA Foundation on eradication of malaria in Nigeria/ Africa campaign, UR4AFRICA a pan-Africa media organization where we mentor secondary school students on how to create African content and share it with the world, awareness on Rape, Abuse, waste management, climate change etc, work as a trainer with Pure- Creativiti to teach youths crafts, entrepreneurship skills and marketing skills. She is dynamic, purpose- driven, innovative, a goal setter/ getter, an initiator of social change, passionate about making a difference in her community and in Nigeria/ Africa at large. Her passion is to see people become better, independent hence the need to create a platform to develop micro entrepreneurs and create a brand that will capture the imagination of Nigerians/Africans across the globe. Her entrepreneurship spirit is born out of the growing need in Nigeria/Africa to create a niche of relevance in the global sphere.
Funmi Odushola is an accomplished C-level business leader and a distinguished researcher, specializing in strategy, data science, and sustainability. With over 15 years of experience in research and marketing, Funmi has built an impressive portfolio of clients. Her expertise extends to managing projects and contracts across sub-Saharan Africa, covering countries such as Benin, Togo, Chad, Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Senegal, Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa. Throughout her career, Funmi has led a wide array of projects, demonstrating a commitment to delivering results. Her projects have encompassed public opinion polling, economic development mapping for cities such as Cotonou and Calavi, the successful launch of digital products for a leading merchant bank and asset manager, Intelligence for payment terminal service providers, feasibility studies for student housing projects at federal universities and UI/UX insights for tech companies. Beyond business, Funmi has a deep passion for community development. Through the LofeLofe Foundation, she is actively engaged in efforts to improve healthcare access in underserved communities. Her work involves upgrading the facilities and skills of traditional birth attendants, with the ultimate goal of reducing infant mortality rates.
Tricia Frazier works as an Arts Administrator in NYC. Her background in the arts is that of a Choreographer, Dancer, and Storyteller. She hails from San Francisco, California and has an undergraduate degree in Dance & Theater from University of California in San Diego, with graduate studies in Dance Education at Hunter College. While in New York she has worked as a Teaching Artist, Program Director, and now as a Managing Director for youth programming in a non-profit organization.
Praise Apampa is PEN America’s chief financial and administrative officer, having joined in 2018. He comes with more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit accounting and finance. Most recently, he was the director of finance and administration for Pro Bono Net, a nonprofit membership organization serving pro bono attorneys and the wider legal aid community. In that position, he was responsible for managing the annual operating budget and tasked with the establishment of a sustainable financial model for future planning. He has also held finance director and controller positions with the Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation, the Asbury Park Housing Authority, and other organizations. In addition to being a certified nonprofit accounting professional, Apampa holds a doctoral degree in transformational leadership, an MBA in international business from the Lubin School of Business at Pace University, and a BS in international business from the City University of New York.
Rotimi Olawale is the co-founder of YouthHubAfrica, an online platform to engage young people in social change. He has more than 10 years experience in youth advocacy and development work. Rotimi was recently named a Gulmakai Girls Education Champion by the Malala Fund in support his work in advocacy for passage of the Child Rights Act in Nigeria.
Temitope Fashola is a dedicated Administrative officer with over seven years of experience in office administration, executive support, customer relations, and operations. I have consistently delivered exceptional results and contributed to the success of the organizations I have worked for. Throughout my career, I have honed my skills in various areas, such as administrative support, client relationship management, and operational efficiency.
Hosea Johnson is a photographer, director, and educator. He graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1986. During the late 80’s Hosea Johnson worked as photographer’s assistant for his mentor, The great still life photographer Christopher Hawker. In 1989 Hosea moved to New York City to continue his photography career, during the early 1990’s Hosea journeyed to Milano Italy to expand his fashion portfolio. In 1992 back in New York Hosea began shooting portraits, for Fanzines such as Word Up! The Source Magazine and celebrity black hair magazines these magazines were the media birthplace of the hip hop genre in America and Hosea photographed many of the new black celebrity class in America. Hosea Johnson began his teaching career in 2003 at the Harlem School of the Arts. Having a natural passion for teaching photography gave way to many opportunities to teach photography throughout New York City and Lagos, Nigeria. His philosophy on teaching photography is to liberate and expand the self, through perspective and appreciation for the environment.
