African Gifted Foundation

African Gifted Foundation (AGF) is a UK-registered charity focusing on STEM education for gifted African girls. AGF is also registered as an NGO in Ghana (African Gifted Foundation Ghana) and the United States (African Gifted Foundation, US) - all working together to mobilize support for AGF's flagship project, the African Science Academy, and its outreach projects.

  • Tom Ilube CBE is the Chair of the British education charity, the African Gifted Foundation, and launched the African Science Academy (ASA). He is also the Chair of the King's Trust UK, (formerly The Prince's Trust) and is the former Chair of the Rugby Football Union (RFU).

    Tom is a technology entrepreneur and educational philanthropist. He is a Non-Executive Director at WPP, the world’s largest advertising group, and has previously served on the Board of the BBC and has founded several technology companies

    He is an Honorary Fellow of both Jesus College, Oxford, and St Anne's College, Oxford. His extensive contributions to education include founding and leading several schools, including Hammersmith Academy as its Founding Chair and ADA College, the UK’s National College for Digital Skills, among others.

    In 2017, Tom was recognised as Britain’s most influential Black person. He was honoured with a CBE in 2018 for his services to technology and philanthropy and has received Honorary Doctorates from several universities.

  • Sandra Stash is a seasoned non-executive director and chair; Sandra (Sandy) has over 40 years of international executive and non-executive experience. Her board experience includes publicly listed, private equity, and government businesses in the UK, USA, and Canada. Her professional career spans executive leadership positions in engineering and operations, commercial negotiations, mega capital projects, supply chain management, ESG, and government and public affairs in the energy, manufacturing, and hard rock mining sectors. Through oversight of several very public and controversial issues in these sectors, Sandy is recognized for her unique capabilities in bridging the extractive sector to external stakeholders - in government, civil society and at the community level. She has deep business and operations experience on six continents: North and South America, Southeast Asia, Australia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe.

  • Matthew Ilube is a media planning account manager with a global advertising agency. He studied geography and urban planning at Newcastle University and worked in insurance in Australia and with a social mobility charity in London before entering the advertising and media world. Matthew has been actively involved with the African Gifted Foundation as a volunteer for the past ten years. Matthew has supported African Gifted Foundation events in London, Kampala, Uganda and Accra, Ghana and is passionate about seeing young people develop across Africa. Matthew is also an international rugby player, having been selected to represent Nigeria in rugby sevens competitions in Mauritius and Zimbabwe.

  • Cecilia Harvey is a visionary leader who has left an indelible mark on the world of technology. As a senior executive, entrepreneur, and author with over two decades of experience in the industry, she is a game changer who is committed to fostering diversity and changing the face of technology to catalyze innovation and inclusive thought.

    Cecilia's illustrious career began on Wall Street, where she quickly made a name for herself as a tech trailblazer. She has held senior positions at some of the world's largest financial institutions, including Morgan Stanley, Barclays, HSBC, and IBM. She also served as the COO of Citigroup Markets and Securities Services Technology.

    Today, Cecilia is the Chief Operating Officer at City and Guilds, based in the UK and is on a mission to be a force for positive change in the tech sector. She is also the founder of Tech Women Today, a global digital platform that showcases women in technology and serves as a resource for female entrepreneurs who want to leverage technology to grow and scale their businesses.

    Cecilia's passion for promoting diversity in tech is rooted in her deep understanding of the industry's challenges. With her fiery determination, Cecilia is opening doors, smashing ceilings, and helping underrepresented and marginalized communities thrive.

    Through her work, Cecilia has challenged the norm and recognized the power of her own path. Her profile is unmatched in the sector, and she is a shining example of what can be achieved when you combine talent, tenacity, and a commitment to making a positive difference in the world.


Kymberlie Andrew FRSA,
Trustee

  • Rosalind Kainyah MBE is a Non Executive Director currently serving on the boards of discoverIE plc (a London-listed FTSE 250 company), Gem Diamonds Limited (a London Stock Exchange listed company), BTE Renewables, (a private equity owned renewable energy company), WE Soda, the world’s largest producer of natural soda ash and TheBoardroom Africa (TBrA), a private membership network of women executives in Africa. She is also a Senior Advisor to Actis LLP.

    Rosalind Kainyah is a speaker and advisor to business leaders on Sustainability with over 30 years of combined international legal, executive and board-level experience in companies and organisations including De Beers, Tullow Oil, Linklaters, Anglo American and the United Nations Environment Programme. She has worked in and on projects across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North and South America, and Asia.

    Rosalind holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Ghana, a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of London, and a Master of Laws degree from University College, London.

    She is a member of the Bar of England & Wales and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

  • Dr. Rashada Harry FRSA is a proven and experienced business leader who leverages the power of technology to support business transformation. Rashada holds 20 years of technology sales experience and has a record of accomplishment in delivering growth, supporting innovation and delivering value to global organisations and is a keen advocate for inclusion, diversity and equity practice.

    In a professional capacity, Rashada is an Enterprise Technologist at Amazon Web Services, where she seeks to take enterprise Customers on a digital transformation to the cloud. Before joining AWS, she worked for organisations including Vodafone Global Enterprise and Cisco. Whilst at Cisco Rashada, was the only Black female on the highly competitive Sales Academy Programme, which spanned across Europe. This experience led her to believe more needed to be done to bring more diverse talent into the organisation and broader industry.

    Rashada went on to co-found and launch the award-winning YFYA initiative in 2012 as a vehicle to help organisations and students connect and bridge the diversity gap in STEM. She is also part of other initiatives, including UKBlackTech and the AWS BLACK Council. Rashada presently sits on the board of Engineering UK and Off The Curriculum as a trustee.

    In acknowledgement of her work in the Technology industry, Rashada Harry has been listed in the Financial Times UK’s 100 Most Influential BAME Leaders in Technology, EMpower’s Top 100 Ethnic Minority Executive List, as well as being acknowledged by ComputerWeekly as a Female leader in Tech 2023. In recognition of her contributions to the industry and encouraging more diversity in STEAM, Rashada was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy for her alma mater, London Metropolitan University, in 2019 and graduated alongside the School of Computing and Digital Media.

  • Stuart Hopper is a knowledge and service delivery innovation expert; Stuart has thirty years experience as an international corporate lawyer and in senior management and consulting roles in the legal industry.

    Born in Ethiopia, with dual British/Nigerian heritage, Stuart has a lived experience of diversity and a passion for understanding how culture influences behaviour. He has been an active champion of education and inclusion in various roles. Currently, he is the Chair of the industry mentor group at Oxford University’s Law & Computer Science Programme, a member of the City of London Corporation’s LawTech Sounding Board, Vice-president of his undergraduate college’s alumni association and a former Chair of the Advisory Board to the Social Mobility Foundation. He holds an MA in Jurisprudence from Oxford University, an MBA from Henley Business School and has just submitted his third Masters’ dissertation (on Economic Anthropology in Sub-Saharan Africa) at SOAS, University of London.

  • Andrew Alli is an accomplished business leader and institution builder with 35 years of experience, of which 25 years have been investing in and managing businesses in Africa. He is a trained engineer, successful institutional banker and investor involved in well over USD 10 billion worth of investments in Africa.

    Andrew started his career in management consulting and investment banking in the UK. He joined the International Finance Corporation in 1996, where he worked for 11 years, gaining experience in energy and telecommunications investments at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. In 2002, Andrew was chosen to lead the IFC’s operations in Nigeria. Four years later, he was appointed to lead the institutions’ operations in Southern Africa.

    In 2008, after a stint as the co-founder of a private equity fund, Andrew was appointed President and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), which he led for ten years. Under his leadership, the AFC delivered over $4.5 billion in investments across 30 countries, becoming a leading African financier of infrastructure.

    In 2019, Andrew joined SouthBridge Group, a pan-African investment bank, as Partner and Chief Executive Officer of the firm.

    Andrew also has extensive directorship experience, serving on the board of a number of prestigious companies in various jurisdictions across two continents.

    Since 2009, Andrew has been an angel investor, supporting many well-known startups in their earliest stages of growth.

    Andrew is a ferocious reader, avid traveller and music lover with a particular interest in classical music and opera.

    Andrew Alli’s academic credentials are summarised below:

    Degrees:

    -B.Eng. in Electronics and Electrical Engineering, King’s College London

    -MBA, INSEAD Business School

    -Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

  • Bunmi Adeyemi-Wilson is a finance professional with extensive experience across business finance and corporate treasury. She is employed as Head of Global Cash Management by Shell Plc.

    Bunmi has worked on four continents in both public and privately owned corporates in industries including energy, financial services, manufacturing and aviation. In the course of her career, she has provided financial oversight and guidance on large capital projects.

    She holds an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, an MSc in Financial Management from Middlesex University and MBBS from the University of Lagos. She is a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) and has a Certificate in Treasury from the Association of Corporate Treasurers.

  • Charlotte Dewey is a financial services professional whose career has focussed on innovation in payments and improving standards in consumer protection. She currently works in the fintech sector at Wise, where she is a regulatory product manager. Before Wise, Charlotte advised major banking institutions as a part of EY’s financial services consulting practice and supervised regulated firms at the Financial Conduct Authority. Charlotte holds degrees in Economics and International Development Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles.

    Charlotte is an advocate for improving educational access for women and underserved communities. She has served in numerous mentorship programmes with this aim, including the Girls’ Network in London and UCLA Mentorship for students in North Hollywood. Charlotte has also led Diversity and Inclusion initiatives within her professional network since moving from the US to the UK in 2016. Charlotte is wholeheartedly supportive of the mission of the African Gifted Foundation and is honoured to join the UK Board.

  • Tina studied Computer Science at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa where she worked as a developer before moving into Education. She moved to the UK in 2003 to teach and she joined Ada, the National College for Digital Skills when it opened in 2016 and has been Principal at Ada since 2020. She is keen on the intersection of Technology and Creativity and enjoys sharing her enthusiasm with others.

  • David Chisholm is Canadian and British technology executive, currently based in London. David’s 25-year career in technology includes eighteen years at Apple, two at Research in Motion, and several years in new media and telecom start-ups.

    At Apple, David led the first phase of its Telecom business in the UK and Ireland, from the iPhone’s launch in 2007 to its market leadership in 2013. He then moved to Dubai, where he developed Apple’s emerging business in the Middle East from 2013-2024. Africa was added to his region in 2017, and through this work, among many amazing experiences, he first learned of the inspiring mission of the African Gifted Foundation.

    David was awarded an MBA from the London Business School in 2000 and recently returned there to participate in the Senior Executive Programme. David also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada, and the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. David is married with four daughters.

African Gifted Foundation Ghana
Board of Directors

  • Tom Ilube CBE is the Chair of the British education charity, the African Gifted Foundation, and launched the African Science Academy (ASA). He is also the Chair of the King's Trust UK, (formerly The Prince's Trust) and the Rugby Football Union (RFU).

    Tom is a technology entrepreneur and educational philanthropist. He is a Non-Executive Director at WPP, the world’s largest advertising group, and has previously served on the Board of the BBC and has founded several technology companies

    He is an Honorary Fellow of both Jesus College, Oxford, and St Anne's College, Oxford. His extensive contributions to education include founding and leading several schools, including Hammersmith Academy as its Founding Chair and ADA College, the UK’s National College for Digital Skills, among others.

    In 2017, Tom was recognised as Britain’s most influential Black person. He was honoured with a CBE in 2018 for his services to technology and philanthropy and has received Honorary Doctorates from several universities.

Abna Agyeman
Board Member

  • Dr. Thomas Amatey Tagoe is an award-winning science communicator and Neuroscientist at the  University of Ghana where his research focuses on understanding how the brain changes in response to experience. He is also the co-founder of G.H.Scientific and Regional president of the Ghana Science Association, working in both roles to build the capacity of people in STEM.

  • Adenrele Adesina, FCCA is a graduate of Accounting and Finance from the University of Brighton, United Kingdom and has an extensive footprint in both Financial Services and Government. She worked as a credit research analyst in the UK and ultimately as the head of research at Stanbic IBTC Bank in Nigeria. After a 20 year private sector career, she entered public service in Ogun State, Nigeria serving as the Commissioner for Budget and Planning from October 2015 - May 2019. In this capacity, she was responsible for the annual preparation of the state’s $1bn budget and the monitoring of its execution.

    She was also responsible for Development Partner relationships and led the Ogun State team that successfully designed and negotiated the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project with the World Bank, which came with $250m of funding.

    Adenrele was appointed the Executive Director, Finance and Administration at the Nigeria Ports Authority in April 2022 and served until January 2024.

    She headed the Directorate responsible for Finance, Administration, Human Resources, Medical, Superannuation and Investments and Enterprise Risk Management.

  • Rosalind Kainyah MBE is a Non Executive Director currently serving on the boards of discoverIE plc (a London-listed FTSE 250 company), Gem Diamonds Limited (a London Stock Exchange listed company), BTE Renewables, (a private equity owned renewable energy company), WE Soda, the world’s largest producer of natural soda ash and TheBoardroom Africa (TBrA), a private membership network of women executives in Africa. She is also a Senior Advisor to Actis LLP.

    Rosalind Kainyah is a speaker and advisor to business leaders on Sustainability with over 30 years of combined international legal, executive and board-level experience in companies and organisations including De Beers, Tullow Oil, Linklaters, Anglo American and the United Nations Environment Programme. She has worked in and on projects across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North and South America, and Asia.

    Rosalind holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Ghana, a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of London, and a Master of Laws degree from University College, London.

    She is a member of the Bar of England & Wales and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

  • Helen has broad experience working and volunteering with small-scale grass-roots charities including in Madagascar, Nepal, Thailand, and Ghana.

    Helen worked in Ghana for 3 years with the African Gifted Foundation Ghana. During the first year she was the Project Manager leading the team on the ground in setting up the African Science Academy and then worked the latter two years as their Finance and Admin Manager. Helen continues to be involved with the work of the African Gifted Foundation Ghana, now sitting on the Board.

    Prior to working with the African Gifted Foundation, Helen’s experience in Ghana included volunteering with GlobalGivingUK as an Impact Assessor, visiting eight charities across Ghana to assess the work they were doing and write an audit report on the projects. Helen has also worked as Head of Partnerships for EduSpots, a community-led network of education spaces located across Ghana.

    Helen currently works as Senior Programme Manager with the Academy of Medical Sciences in the UK, supporting biomedical and health researchers globally through career development events and workshops.

  • Pearl Gborglah (ACCA, MIoD) is a finance professional with over thirteen (13) years of experience in accounting and corporate governance. She is a multi-facetted entrepreneur with a demonstrated history of doing business in Ghana.

    Pearl practiced with KPMG in Ghana and UK for nine (9) plus years and moved on to pursue her passion in building high growth companies. She is a Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Directors.


    Pearl currently serves as Executive Director of Agro Crown West Africa Company Ltd, a company she co-founded. She has full responsibility for leading the company to achieve its strategic growth agenda. 

    Pearl has a considerable track record of strong performance and leadership achievements and possesses an acute understanding of the dynamics of doing business in Africa having provided services to businesses across a variety of industries. She has led various companies to commence business operations, launch products and services and to achieve strategic growth in Ghana. 

    Pearl also serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Savvy Securities Ltd. She is passionate about STEM and hosts a robotics club for preteens.

African Gifted Foundation US
Board of Directors

  • Erika D. Robinson is a skilled education attorney specializing in legal strategy and counsel for K-12 school districts, higher education institutions, and school leaders. She has extensive experience developing and implementing legal strategies that support educational priorities while ensuring compliance with laws and regulations. Ms. Robinson earned her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law, a Master of Education from Ohio University, and a Bachelor of Political Science from Agnes Scott College. Her expertise includes navigating complex legal issues, policy development, and risk management, helping clients achieve their goals while minimizing legal exposure. Known for her strategic mindset and collaborative approach, she works closely with educational leaders to craft practical, legally sound solutions. With a strong foundation in law and education, Ms. Robinson is dedicated to providing insightful, strategic advice that advances institutional success and legal integrity.

  • Princess Olatorera Majekodunmi-Oniru is a transformational executive dedicated to sustainable developments, ethical governance, and humane leadership. With over two decades of high-impact achievements across finance, technology, and global trade, she has driven strategic growth for multinational organizations and entrepreneurially. An incorruptible force for visionary humanity, she remains unwavering in her commitment to raising the standard of living with no citizen left behind.

    As President of The Office of Princess Olatorera Majekodunmi-Oniru, she leads critical work in governance and policy development. She advises global institutions as an Independent Board Member, serving as Chair of Fundraising for The African Gifted Foundation, as Vice President of International Development at Casa Privée, and as Strategic Advisor at The Central Bank of Nigeria, among other roles.

    She is the former CEO and founder of Dressmeoutlet.com – acquired in 2021 – named by Forbes as one of Africa’s top e-commerce ventures championing the global export of high-quality fashion, beauty, home and art products. In 2018, she was recognized as one of the Top 7 Women Who Have Made Their Mark on E-Commerce. Foundationally, she developed her expertise at General Electric, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Ericsson Global.

    Olatorera earned her MBA from Emory University with merit scholarships and completed Executive Leadership programs at the Harvard Kennedy School (Women & Power), Stockholm School of Economics (Financial Modeling & Innovation), and IMD Switzerland (Leadership).

    Her work has earned numerous accolades, including the World Leadership Congress Award, Commonwealth Leadership Award, HRM Ooni Royal Award and Queen Moremi Leadership Award. She has delivered keynote addresses at global forums such as The Economist Growth Crossings, Women in Leadership Dubai, the Toronto Global Economic Forum, AfricaCom and Youth Connekt Rwanda. Olatorera is most passionate about Progressive Leadership, Ethical Governance and Happy People.

  • Sandra Stash is a seasoned non-executive director and chair; Sandra (Sandy) has over 40 years of international executive and non-executive experience. Her board experience includes publicly listed, private equity, and government businesses in the UK, USA, and Canada. Her professional career spans executive leadership positions in engineering and operations, commercial negotiations, mega capital projects, supply chain management, ESG, and government and public affairs in the energy, manufacturing, and hard rock mining sectors. Through oversight of several very public and controversial issues in these sectors, Sandy is recognized for her unique capabilities in bridging the extractive sector to external stakeholders - in government, civil society and at the community level. She has deep business and operations experience on six continents: North and South America, Southeast Asia, Australia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe.

  • Tanya Ellis is a communications strategist with a knack for turning big ideas into compelling stories. From executive messaging to media relations and content strategy, she’s spent her career helping organizations connect with the right audiences in the right ways.

    For over 15 years, she’s worked across industries, nonprofit, entertainment, public sector, developing content that informs, inspires, and drives action. Whether crafting thought leadership, managing internal engagement, or shaping brand narratives, Tanya knows how to make communications work smarter.

    Born in Liberia and raised in Massachusetts, Tanya brings a global perspective with a New England edge. She holds a B.A in Africana Studies from Wellesley College, an M.S. in Television from Boston University’s College of Communication, and an M.P.S. in Public Relations, Corporate Communications from Georgetown University.

    A natural storyteller and lifelong learner, she thrives on new experiences—whether traveling to a new country, perfecting her Kizomba dance moves, or keeping up with Bravo, her adorable Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy.