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.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE 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.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - BOARD-CHAIR, PRESIDENT
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
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 - MARKETING DIRECTOR, ART TEACHER
Annette Campbell
Annette grew up in Jamaica, graduated from BYU Hawaii, and studied art in Florence, Italy. Her artwork has been exhibited in several cities in Utah (Salt Lake City, Bountiful, and Ogden), in Hawaii, and in Italy, including Rome, Florence, Milan, and Venice. She enjoys traveling, networking and teaching art.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS - DANCE TEACHER, CHOREOGRAPHER
Julie Robinson
Julie studied dance at BYU, the Martha Graham Dance School in NYC, and then at the University of Utah, where she earned an MFA . After performing with Repertory Dance Theatre , she started teaching dance. She currently works at Creative Arts Academy where she organizes an annual Utah Dance Festival.
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 -FINANCE DIRECTOR, SECRETARY
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
Marie Hansen
Marie's Bio is Coming.
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.
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.
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 & ADULT 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.
YOUTH COORDINATOR & DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Sophie Mazimpaka
Sophie was born and raised in Paris, France. She studies at Utah Valley University majoring in Business Management. She loves to dance and did modern jazz during all her teenage years. She is also a R&B music addict. She mentors and directs our youth performing team; her greatest passion is to build their self-esteem.
Register for FALL 2024 CLASSES now!!!
Our Fall Classes 2024 are filling up quickly. Register TODAY to secure your spot! Come learn French, Swahili, African Dance, African Drumming, and Youth Arts & Crafts at our Orem and SLC locations!