Our Board of Directors
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Susan T. Monahan
Susan is the Friends of Kpelezo director and founder. She is currently the trustee and manager of several private foundations, including the Thomas Thompson Trust, The Ogden Codman Trust, the John W. Alden Trust and the William B. and Anngenette G. Tyler Family Foundation. Susan lives in Ipswich, Massachusetts and is an active member of the nearby Unitarian Universalist church of Essex. |
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Roger Tyler
Roger has spent his professional career owning and managing residential and commercial real estate throughout New England. He is a Board Member of the Essex Housing Authority (MA), a Trustee of the First Congregational Church of Essex (MA) and a Trustee of The William B. and Anngenette G. Tyler Family Foundation. |
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Michelle Guvendiren
Michelle joined Friends of Kpelezo in 2023. She holds a Masters Degree in Early Elementary Education. For 25 years she had been involved in preschool and Kindergarten programs as a Teacher, Director of Child Care Programs and Home Child Care business owner. She currently works as a Children’s Librarian at the Ipswich Public Library. |
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Tudy Bartlett
Tudy is a retired social worker who has worked in both medical and psychiatric hospitals, then in emergency services and finally in a court room setting. She is now on the Finance Committee in her Unitarian Universalist church in Essex and on the Board for the Association of Great Neck in Ipswich. |
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Christian Jacqz
For 25 years, prior to retiring, Christian was the director of the Geographic Information System (GIS) for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Christian now enjoys time sailing, hiking and doing construction projects on his house Cynthia Washington
Cynthia Washington Atadja is an Engineer by training and a problem solver by passion. She is an Innovations Consultant with a BSc in Engineering and MBA in International Business. Her business helps individuals and small organizations discover creative solutions to diverse problems. She has worked as a primary school teacher, Technical Trainer Telecomunications Engineer, Business Analyst, Network Administrator, and Sales Consultant. Mrs. Atadja has been teaching children since she was a teenager and is always looking for opportunities to feed hungry people with whatever they lack: education, a smile, a word of encouragement, or sometimes just a plate of her popular jollof rice. Ryan Gardent Claudia Bauman Claudia has a background in data science and marketing, and currently works as an English Instructor in Spain. She's an avid traveler, passionate about connecting with people from different communities around the world. She volunteered with Friends of Kpelezo in high school and visited Kpelezo in March 2025. |
Our Advisors on the Ground
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Emmanuel Dzivor - Emmanuel grew up in the village and attended the Kpelezo Primary School. Friends of Kpelezo made it possible for him to attend senior high school and then Teacher Training College. Having graduated from college, Emmanuel is now a junior high school math teacher. Emmanuel cares deeply about the children in the village and the school. He has earned the respect of the Village Chief, the Elders and parents, and serves passionately and attentively as the liaison between Friends of Kpelezo and the school and village. Friends of Kpelezo could not be effective without Emmanuel’s consistent communication and follow-through.
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Delali Benedictus Kwami Agbodza - Until fairly recently Delali was the local Assembly Man for the Afadzato South District where Kpelezo is located. He has coordinated the larger construction projects at the Kpelezo School, including two school blocks, a bathroom and most recently a new bungalow that houses teachers. Delali is well known and respected in the community, and has been a trustworthy facilitator for Friends of Kpelezo.
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Our Partners
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Our Community Partner
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