Our Story

Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa-USA, based in New York City, mobilizes resources to support grassroots organizations that increase access to education and development for women and girls in West Africa, with a particular focus on making strategic investments in the work of Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa in Liberia. Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa-USA also promotes public engagement with the vision and work of our founder, Leymah Gbowee, and seeks to share the lessons of her leadership. 

We know ensuring girls have access to quality education and are seen as valuable participants in society is vital to address inequality and building sustainable peace.

Board of Directors

George Pinto, Board Member & Chair

George is a CPA and Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Silicon Valley Accountancy Corporation. He also teaches philosophy part time at San Jose State University. George is passionate about amplifying the lessons and leadership of Nobel laureates Leymah Gbowee and Kailash Satyarthi.

Angie Wang, Board Member & Vice-Chair

Angie Wang (she/her), an experienced strategist with 25+ years in social change, collaborates with visionary groups to enhance their impact. As Chief of Staff to Abigail E. Disney she brings expertise in strategy and operations to organizations including the Daphne Foundation, Level Forward, and Fork Films. Angie's leadership spans roles at Peace is Loud, The New York Women's Foundation, the September 11th Fund, and Safe Horizon. She serves on the boards of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa-USA, Level Forward, and Peace is Loud, co-founded the Asian Women Giving Circle, and advises the Ellen Frank Illumination Arts Foundation. Her work strengthens organizations through strategic planning, systems building, and partnerships.

Ernest Obubah, Board Member & Treasurer

Ernest Obubah is an Audit Managing Director with over 15 years in the field. He is dedicated to providing audit services to his clients, specializing in sectors such as higher education, not-for-profits, healthcare, and public companies. Beyond his professional career, Ernest is married and takes pride in being a father. He values a healthy work-life balance and aims to foster a supportive environment both at home and in his workplace. As a proud Ghanaian, Ernest is devoted to enhancing education in West Africa through his board service and personal efforts to support the education of young people in his community in Ghana.

Kouty Mawenh, Board Member & Secretary

Kouty is an active board member for both Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa in Liberia (since 2014) and Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa-USA in the United States (since 2016). Currently a District Leader of Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) Southeast SeniorCare Division, Kouty has considerable experience in marketing, lobbying and operations management at Lilly and abroad. He is Partner for the Liberian-based ProSyte entity. Kouty is passionate about Liberians in the US giving back to Liberia.

Leymah Gbowee, Co-Founder and Board Member

2011 Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee is a Liberian peace activist, trained social worker and women’s rights advocate. After winning the Nobel Peace Prize, she established the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa. Leymah also serves as the Executive Director of the Women, Peace and Security Program at the Earth Institute at Columbia University. Leymah is the proud mother of eight children.

Wayétu Moore, Board Member

Wayétu Moore is the author of the novel She Would Be King, and the memoir, The Dragons, The Giant, The Women. She is the recipient of the 2019 Lannan Literary Fellowship for Fiction and the 2022 William Saroyan Prize for Nonfiction. The Italian translation of her memoir, I Draghi, Il Gigante, Le Donne, was awarded the inaugural Inge Feltrenelli Literary Prize in 2023. Her novel, She Would Be King, was named a best book of 2018 by Publishers Weekly, Booklist & Entertainment Weekly. The novel was a Sarah Jessica Parker ALA Book Club selection, a BEA Buzz Panel Book, a #1 Indie Next Pick and a finalist for the Hurston/Wright Award. Her sophomore book, The Dragons, The Giant, The Women, was a 2020 New York Times Notable Book, Time Magazine 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2020, Publishers Weekly Top 5 Nonfiction Books of 2020, was longlisted for the ALA Andrew Carnegie medal for excellence in nonfiction, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Moore is a graduate of Howard University, University of Southern California and Columbia University.

Staff

Richelle Todd-Yamoah, Executive Director

Richelle Todd-Yamoah is highly experienced in program management, delivery, and evaluation, with over 20 years of experience in philanthropy, government, and the non-profit sector. She has a proven track-record of ensuring that diverse organizations achieve programmatic excellence through the development and implementation of standards and resources which measure programmatic effectiveness and efficiency. Throughout her career, she has led agencies towards realizing and articulating sustainable and measurable impact.

Isabella Louis, Development & Communications Associate

Isabella Louis is an artist with an extensive background in community organizing. She’s worked with high net worth Americans to lobby for policy changes in the US tax code, as well as led domestic workers in fighting for labor rights and protections. In her current role, Isabella manages fundraising, social media, and communications. Isabella holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Women Studies and Africana Studies from Goucher College.

 Leadership Circle