Nadine Gauldino
Executive Board of Directors, Founders
Originally from Angola, Nadine is dedicated to providing cultural awareness for the people of Angola living in the United States; Nadine is a founding member of Kudissanga, the association of Angolans in America. She has organized and hosted the Miss Angola United States for the past three years. In Addition she also organizes and coordinates the Angola Peace Conference annually for the past three years. Gauldino has an MBA in business management. She is a banking professional who an Assistant Bank Manager at United Bank. She is also a Co-founder of SACU and currently serves on the board as a Director
Sitinga Kachipande
Executive Board of Directors, Founders
Dr. Kachipande is a professor of sociology with a specialization in Global Political Economy and Africana Studies. Prior to that she worked in the non-profit healthcare sector for several years. She has also worked as a social media and research fellow for “Africa Now!” radio show/Transfrica and Consultancy Africa Intelligence. She served on the board of the Malawi Association in Washington and is a past President of the organization. She was also President of the International Club and African Students Association at Truman University.
She has a BSc in Anthropology and Sociology from Truman State University, a Masters in Pan African Studies from Syracuse University and an MBA in Marketing from Hood College. She received her PhD in Sociology and the Africana studies program from Virginia Tech. She also has a Graduate Certificate in Multidisciplinary Research in International Development and a Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender studies from Virginia Tech.
Kachipande is a blogger who blogs on African issues. She has contributed news analysis and opinion pieces to Pambazuka News, Think Africa Press, Voices of Africa, The Guardian (UK) Africa Network, and other pan-African media.
Lisa Netha
Executive Board of Directors, Founders
Lisa Netha is passionate about Africans accepting each other regardless of the African country they come from. She is contributing to ensuring this happens as a Co-founder of the Southern African Community in the USA. She has been involved in poverty alleviation projects in the USA and in Namibia. Some of her projects include the collection and distribution of clothing for the underprivileged in Namibia and feeding the hungry at two shelters in Washington DC. Lisa is an active member of the Namibian community in the USA. She has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. She also has a Master’s degree from Middlesex University in United Kingdom. She is also a Co-founder of SACU and currently serves on the board as a Director
Rachel Nghiwete
Executive Board of Directors, Founders
Nghiwete is a business woman who was born in Angola by Namibian parents, and raised in England and the USA. She attended American University in Washington, DC, where she attained a Master’s Degree in Health Promotion Management. She is passionate about Southern Africa and is a founder the non-profit organization, Southern African Community USA (SACU). She is also the founder of Southern African News (online newspaper). She hosts the Weekly social event: Southern African Nights in Washington, DC She’s the Producer of Southern African Connection TV Show in the DMV area. She is the author of Valentina: The Exile Child, a historical book about Apartheid in Namibia. More information about Rachel and her work can be found at www.chezadance.com and www.theexilechild.com. She is also a Founder of SACU and currently serves on the board as the Executive Director and Director.
Past Board Members
Siyanda Masiza
Founders, Past Board Members
Masiza received her BA in Studio Art with a concentration in Graphic Arts. Then went on to the University of Maryland University College graduated with a Global MBA degree. While in school she worked as personal assistant and worked at Total Wine & More in Mclean, Virginia as Front End Team Member. She has done some intern and consulting work at; the Embassy of South Africa, Brand South Africa (USA), Total Wine & More Store Support Center and Genpact (India). She is currently a consultant in web-content development. She is also a Co-founder of SACU and currently serves on the board as a Director.
Margaret Perakis
Founders, Past Board Members
Mimmy Polan
Founders, Past Board Members
Polan initiated the establishment of a Botswana community in the USA. For the past six years, she has coordinated various events aimed at bringing the community together. Mimmy’s main achievement was coordinating the 2008 West Coast Conference for the BaTswana in the Diaspora aimed at addressing the scourge of HIV/AIDS that has effected and affected Botswana. Mimmy also organizes the annual Botswana Independence Day celebrations with the purpose of uniting the BaTswana and the friends of Botswana in America. She is also a Co-founder of SACU and currently serves on the board as a Director.
Jeronimo Augusto
Past Board Members
Executive Board of Directors, Advisory Board, Founders, Retired Board Members