Meet our team
A nonprofit organization is as strong as the community that holds it up. Together, we can do more than we can do alone. Let's bring our abilities and passions together to build a global community.
FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, and ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Yvonne Nsabimana
Yvonne Nsabimana is an educator, a social innovator, and a community leader. She experienced trauma after the war in Rwanda in 1994 and believes that "dance is a conduit of individual and community healing." She holds an MPA & M Ed. She founded NACC with a vision to create a culture learning space about Africa for all.
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER
Deidre Green
Deidre Nicole Green is theologian, philosopher, and athor of Works of Love in a World of Violence. She has traveled to Africa to interview religious women of various countries, including Rwanda and that's how she met Yvonne in 2016. After listening to her vision for NACC, she offered to become a founding board member.
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER
Phoebe Anderson
Phoebe is from Minnesota and mother of 5. She has a degree from BYU in Theater and English education where she took some modern dance classes laying the foundation to join the NGOMA dance team. She loves to learn more about the beautiful music, dance, and languages of Africa and to connect with diverse people.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - FINANCE COMMITTEE
Vimbai Tembo
Equipped with a BSc in Marketing, Vimbai Murisi chose to serve in Non-Profit development work. She is an MPA graduate student with special skills in Resource Development, Project Implementation, Data Analysis and Administration. Her role in various projects has improved many lives in the rural communities of Zimbabwe.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - SECRETARY
Samantha Proffitt
Samantha is an avid lover of nature and dance. She is currently studying at BYU, learning about the world, the mind-body connection, and science. After graduating with her bachelors, Sam will pursue a Master’s in social work and hopes to integrate her love of dance by helping people heal through dance and movement.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - OUTREACH COMMITTEE
Reginald Maonedzo
Reginald is from Zimbabwe. He is a recent MBA-Finance graduate who is passionate about African drumming and African music in general. He enjoys volunteering and bringing his entrepreneurial experience to help move the organization forward.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - FINANCE DIRECTOR
Kofi Bondah
Kofi is from Ghana and has a passion for music, dance and culture. Currently working as a Financial Analyst, he has a MPA degree from BYU with an emphasis in Finance and IS. He loves to serve and contribute to the financial management of organizations. He loves soccer, sightseeing and spending time with his family.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - OUTREACH COMMITTEE
Leslie Hadfield
Born and bred in Logan, Utah, Leslie now a History professor and the Coordinator for Africana Studies at Brigham Young University. Having lived in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, she speaks Xhosa and Swahili. Hadfield earned her PhD in African history at Michigan State, after which she began teaching at BYU.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - GRANT WRITER
Hilary Hungerford
Hilary is a professor of Geography at Utah Valley University with specialties in environmental conservation in West Africa. She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin and a Fulbright-Hays dissertation fellow in Niger, and has also spent time in Ghana, Senegal, Mali, and Burkina Faso. She speaks French
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER - PUBLIC RELATIONS
Annette Knight
Annette has an interest in International Affairs having studied International Public Law, Comparative Constitutions and as a Research Assistant for the International Center for Law and Religious Studies. She enjoys volunteering and bringing public awareness to our organization both locally and internationally.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER - NONPROFIT COMPLIANCE
Moses Cissoko
Moussa is originally from Mali, West Africa. His native language is Mandingo. He also speaks French and is currently learning Spanish. He holds an MPA Degree from Brigham Young University and works in the Finance field. He is passionate about promoting the African Culture. He loves soccer and reading nonfiction books.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER - COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Jerome Currelley
Jerome holds a Bachelors in Sociology & African Diaspora studies and a Master's in Education from Boston College. He currently serves as the Program Director for the African Diaspora Initiative at UVU. His research interests are African history, student leadership/mentoring, community organizing, fundraising, and DEI.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER - COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Leonard Bagalwa
Leonard is the Founder and CEO of Utah Valley Refugees. He is committed to maximizing the positive impact he can make in the world to bless many people including our organization. He holds an MBA from Utah Valley University. His personal and professional experiences empowers the lives of our community.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & NGOMA DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Shakira Smith
Shakira is an afro-futurist cardiac ICU nurse, a novel writer, and an author with a Bachelors in Neuroscience and Nursing. She is married to a captain in the U.S. Army and has lived in Seattle, D. C. and Fayetteville, NC. She enjoys dancing and cooking. She has been performing with Yvonne and others in Utah since 2007.
BOARD MEMBER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Julie Robinson
Julie Robinson studied dance at BYU, the Martha Graham Dance School in NYC,and then earned an MFA in modern dance performance at the U of U in 1998. She studied African dance at the U of U and at the RDT. She believes dance is a powerful tool to build community and to explore our cultural identity and family heritage.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & NGOMA DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Madelaine Lamah
Madelaine Lamah (aka Maddie/Mado) is originally from Guinea West Africa. In addition to English, she speaks French, Haitian Creole, and three other tribal languages from her country. She is learning Korean "Anyeong Aseyo". She graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor's Degree in Finance and Theatre.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & NGOMA DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Sophie Mazimpaka
Sophie was born and raised in Paris, France and studies at Utah Valley University, majoring in Business Management. She loves to dance! She danced modern jazz during all her teenage years. She is also a R&B music addict. She mentors and direct xf s our youth performing team; she helps them build their
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