FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT’S PROFILE

  • MADAM LEYMAH R. GBOWEE

    FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT’S PROFILE

MADAM LEYMAH ROBERTA GBOWEE - 2011 NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE

2011 Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Roberta Gbowee is a Liberian Peace Activist, trained Social Worker, and Women’s Rights Advocate, a Humanitarian, a fierce Advocate for Justice; who speaks Truth to Power Without Fear or Favor, an outspoken Supporter, an Advisor for numerous organizations, a highly sought-after Speaker Internationally with her Speeches to advance Women’s Rights, and Women, Peace & Security (WPS). In May 2024, she was selected by Melinda French Gates to receive a $20 million grantmaking fund to distribute to charitable organizations and grassroots leaders doing vital and groundbreaking work to women's health and well-being in the U.S. and around the world.
Madam Gbowee serves as a Guest Lecturer at many prestigious universities around the world. She is the current Executive Director of the Gender, Law, and Transformative Peace Initiative now Institute at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law and former Executive Director of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Program at the Columbia University’s Earth Institute. She is the Founder and current President of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa (GPFA) and Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa-USA (GPFA-USA). She also founded the National Peace & Reconciliation Initiative and is the Co-Founder and former Executive Director of Women, Peace, and Security Network–Africa (WIPSEN-A).  Won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 for her leadership of the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace (WoLMAP); bringing together Christian and Muslim women in a nonviolent movement that played a pivotal role in ending Liberia’s civil war in 2003 – chronicled in the memoir; “Mighty Be Our Powers”, and in the award-winning documentary, “Pray the Devil back to Hell”.
Married to Mr. Jay Kesselee Fatormah, a Renowned Independent Corporate Information Communication Technology (ICT) Professional & Management Consultant, and is the proud mother of Nine (9) wonderful children. She is a Christian and proudly calls herself a “Daughter of Glorious Jesus”. She graduated from the Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA in April 2007 with a Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation and holds over twelve (12) international certificates from world-class trainings. She has received twenty (20) Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Prestigious Universities around the world namely the Doctor of Laws (LLD) Honoris Causa, Doctor of Specialty Management and Conflict Resolution Honoris Causa, Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris Causa, Doctor of International Affairs Honoris Causa, Doctor of Justice Honoris Causa from the Eastern Mennonite University in USA, the first-ever recipient of an Honorary Doctorate Degree in the university’s 100 years’ history, Doctor of Arts for Services to Social Justice Honoris Causa & Doctor of Horns Honoris Causa. 
 She has also been awarded over Thirty (30) Honors, Awards, and Recognitions from 2007-2022 that includes the Inaugural International Peace and Justice Award, the Martin and Coretta King Unity Awards, and the Gold Plate Award – Public Service, American Academy of Achievements. She bears over Five (5) Accolades including the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders and serves on over Twenty (20) Ambassadorial/ International Affiliations & Honorary/ Board Membership including the International Higher Committee on Human Fraternity, Carnegie Corporation of New York Board of Trustees, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Humanitarian Prize Jury, Aurora Prize Selection Committee, PeaceJam Foundation Board of Directors, Nobel Women’s Initiative (NWI) Board of Directors. 
 She is the co-owner along with her daughters of the company “Kono’s Tale”, an indigenous African publishing house founded in 2020 she has authored several books namely; “Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War” (translated into fourteen (14) global languages), “Giving”, “A Community of Sisters”, “Ma’s Bed”, most recently “Mondays’ Motivations: Reflections During a Pandemic” several academic & media publications featured in the Newsweek Daily Beast, New York Times & Huffington Post. She has led movements/ campaigns such as the famous Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace (WoLMAP), International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict and European Development Days (EDD), the Davos of Development’s “She is We” digital Campaign (the transformative power on society of an empowered woman) with the tagline “She Stands Up, We are at Peace” and a number of Violence-Free Elections Campaigns like “Sustain The Peace”, “Don’t Touch My Peace” amongst others.

OUR BOARD

  • Cllr. Deweh Gray

    Chairperson

    Deweh serves as the Chairperson for GPFA and has been on the Board of GPFA since 2012. She is a Counsellor-at-Law of the Supreme Court Bar of Liberia and the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Before that, she served as President of Liberia's Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia. She has been actively involved in advocacy campaigns to protect and promote the rights of women and children in Liberia.

  • Dr. Rose M. Jallah McCauley

    Co-Chairperson

    Dr. Macauley is a Physician and Public Health Specialist with more than 25 years of experience in Clinical and Public Health Practice. She has worked in different technical leadership and management roles at JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., Liberia Ministry of Health (MOH), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr. Macauley holds a Medical Degree (MD) from the A. M. Dogliotti College of Medicine, University of Liberia (UL), and a Masters of Public Health degree (MPH) from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America (USA).

  • Madam Leymah R. Gbowee

    Founder and President

    A 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate, Leymah is the Founder and President of GPFA and GPFA-USA. Leymah is a Liberian peace activist, trained social worker, and women’s rights advocate. Her leadership of the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace played a pivotal role in ending Liberia’s civil war and is chronicled in her memoir, “Mighty Be Our Powers,” and in the documentary, “Pray the Devil Back to Hell.”

  • Jay Keselee Fartomah

    Member in Charge of Infrastructure

    Jay has served on the GPFA board since 2012. He is an Independent Corporate Information Communication Technology professional with over 30 years of experience. He is the Business Development and ITSM Consultant at the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation. He strongly advocates for human rights, women's empowerment, peace and security, and equal opportunities in ICT.

  • Sara Elizabeth Buchanan

    Member in Charge of Grant Proposal Writing

    Sara has been on the Board since 2015. She is currently the Director of Administration & HR at Orange Liberia. Before that, she worked as a Strategy Business Analyst at Total Lubrifiants and served on the executive management team. She previously worked as a licensed Stockbroker/ Financial Advisor and Partner in the USA. Sara is a humanitarian and activist for women and children.

  • Seweah A. Massaquoi Snetter

    Member in Charge of Administration

    Seweah is a retired Human Resource Manager. She graduated from the University of Liberia with a Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management and obtained a certificate in Human Resource Management from the University of Connecticut. Before the civil uprising in Liberia, she worked at the National Bank of Liberia for 15 years. Upon her return to Liberia, she started a retail business, which she managed for 6 years.

  • Abigail Urey Miller

    Member in Charge of Finance

    Abigail has served on the GPFA board since 2016. She is an entrepreneur and a certified public accountant, and she is currently co-owner/ Managing Director of Edgail Recycling Inc. After obtaining her degree in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts, she joined Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC). Abigail takes great pride in working in a sector predominantly occupied by men.

  • Bai Sama G. Best

    Member in Charge of Media/Communications

    Bai is experienced in journalism, social media marketing, content creation, and publication writing. He is the Managing Director of Daily Observer Corps.

  • Kouty H. Mawenh

    Member, Infrastructure

    Kouty has served on the GPFA board since 2014. He has considerable experience in marketing, lobbying, and operations management at Eli Lilly and Company. Kouty earned his BA in Political Science and a Master’s in Business Administration from Butler University. A noted athlete, Kouty represented Liberia in the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games. He is involved with many humanitarian and philanthropic societies.

  • Fatu Addy

    Member in Charge of Fundraising (Liberian Helping Liberians)

    Fatu has served on the GPFA Board since 2013. She is an entrepreneur and the general manager of the Liberia Woodwork Construction & Trading Corporation- a Liberian owned family business that has been in existence since 1988. The Liberia Woodwork Construction & Trading Corporation currently offers free training and internships to young people in the field of carpentry.

  • Monie R. Captan

    Member

    Monie brings a wealth of experience in the public, private and academic sectors. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of San Diego. In 2017, he was awarded the Doctor of Humanities by the United Methodist University. Monie is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the IBB School of International Relations and is a published author.

  • Eyvonne Bright Harding

    Member

ADMINISTRATION

  • Melvina O. Bright

    Administrative Director

    Melvina holds a BBA from the University of Liberia and an MBA from Cuttington University. With more than 25 years of experience in Administrative Services in both the public and private sectors, she joined GPFA as our Administrative Director. Before joining GPFA, Melvina worked as the Human Capital and Employee Services Manager at Lonestar Communications. She is an entrepreneur at heart but also a stern supporter of women’s rights and equality.

  • Johnny S. Montgomery

    Administrative Assistant & President & Founder Special Assistant

    Johnny is a trained and certified health practitioner with over a decade of experience. He has worked with the Center for Excellence in Health & Life Sciences, Indiana University, and the University of Liberia. Johnny holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, Physician Assistantship, and Neuro-Nursing from the Narh-Bita College, Ghana. He considers himself a human/youth empowerer.

  • Massina Nula Varpilah

    Administrative Associate

  • Priscilia K. Clay

    Office Coordinator

    Priscilla Kaibiar Clay graduated from the University of Liberia with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Management. She worked with the Quick Impact Project as a Facilitator for the Community Based Enterprise at the Monrovia City Corporation funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2013. She also volunteered as the team lead for the vacation job program at the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Monrovia City Corporation. Her interest in supporting women's rights has inspired her to join the Foundation to contribute to building women's capacity in Liberia.

  • Mandela Roberts

    Logistics Associate

    Mr. Roberts is the longest-serving staff member at GPFA. He spent eleven years at the Foundation and was also the Head of fleet management.

  • Stephen Diggs

    Driver

  • Etty Weah

    Office Assistant

    Etty has worked at GPFA since its founding in 2012. As a founding member of the Liberian Women's Mass Action for Peace, she called for an end to the civil war. Etty is also a member of the Women in Peace Building Network (WIPNET), Christian Women Peace Initiative, and UN Women Civil Society Advisory Group. She believes firmly in using her voice to inspire the next generation of Liberian peacebuilders.

  • Peter Kollie

    Driver

PROGRAM

  • David S. Konneh

    Program Manager

    David is a generalist social work practitioner with Project Management skills and has more than 20 years of experience working in NGOs and the United Nations. He holds a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Liberia and two undergraduate degrees. Before coming to GPFA, David served as Executive Director of Don Bosco Homes, a child protection and youth-serving agency in Liberia.

  • Otis Kollie

    Program Officer

  • Lucia B. Dorley

    Program Assistant

  • Jaymu-Wortehjie Nagbe

    Program Assistant

    Jaymu-Wortehjie Nagbe is a dedicated social worker with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the Stella Maris Polytechnic (Mother Patern College of Health Sciences). With a strong passion for positively impacting her community, Jaymu has made a significant contribution through her volunteer efforts at the Bureau of Correction and Rehabilitation, particularly within the Monrovia Central Prison, between 2017 and 2021. Her work has focused on improving the lives of those in need, and she continues to be a driving force for change in her field.

  • Reuben Rambo

    Program Assistant

    Reuben Rambo has a BS in Environmental Science from Cuttington University. He is an Anant Fellow for climate action at the Anant National University in India and The Points Guy(TPG) Global Impact Fellow.  Reuben has over four years of experience working with GPFA as a volunteer and an intern. He is passionate about addressing the complex environmental and socio-economic challenges affecting post-war Liberia and other developing countries.

  • Nathalyn Zepu

    Case Worker

    Nathalyn has a BSc degree in Criminal Justice from the Wilfred E. Clarke College of Criminal Justice, A.M.E. Zion University. She has always been interested in working for Children protection, inspiring her as a Case Worker. Her passion and dedication to contributing services to child protection, gender equity, and social justice work.

  • Martha S. Dolokolliemah

    House Mother

  • Marion K. Saah

    House Mother

FINANCE

  • Josephine T. Gbanyah

    Finance Officer

    Josephine T. K. Gbanyah is a financial professional with over a decade of cogent Accounting and Finance experience. She holds a BBA in Accounting from Stella Maris University and an MBA in Banking and Finance from the University of Liberia. Josephine worked in high-profile Accounting and Finance positions with corporate institutions and international NGOs, including the Banking Institute of Liberia, John Snow Incorporated (JSI), and an international NGO.

  • Cecelia Thompson

    Finance Assistant

Communications & Media

  • Joshua J. Mensah

    Media Consultant

    Joshua Mensah graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Digital Media from Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia and a Master's degree in Film Production from the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. He has worked as a designer for many years and started a clothing design company in 2012 called The DubLife Co.

  • Dexter W. Bohlen

    Communications Officer

    Dexter holds a BSc in Biology from Cuttington University and a Master of Engineering in Environmental Science & Engineering from Hohai University, China. He has worked for more than nine years, providing support in monitoring & evaluation, data collection & analysis, internet-based communications services, environmental and climate change, research, and mental health. He envisions how women's advocacy can promote environmental sustainability and innovation toward climate change reduction.

  • Avero King

    IT / Media Assistant

    Avero is a young professional and stratified ICT System Administrator. He graduated from Starz University in 2021 with a BSc in Information Technology, specializing in System Administration. In addition to his technical expertise, He is a skilled graphic designer and social media content creator, combining creativity with technical prowess to deliver comprehensive digital solutions. He has experience working with the Western Arts & Humanities (Western University of Canada) and the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS). 

INTERNS

  • Kingsley O. Aaron

    Intern: Program Department

    Cornell University

  • Jaliah Cheyann Smith

    Intern: Program Department

    Cornell University

  • Chinka W. Kpue

    Intern: Finance Department

    Cuttington University

  • Abraham Tamba

    Intern: Program Department

    Cuttington University