GLOBAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

LARA GUREJE-ODERINDE
President/ Chief Executive Director​
(Vice President – Enterprise Data Governance Stewardship,
​ Bank of the West BNP Paribas.)

Lara Gureje-Oderinde is the President and Executive Director of Jewels of Africa Foundations Inc. She was born and raised in Nigeria. She attended public elementary and high school in Nigeria before travelling to the United Kingdom for her Undergradute and Post Graduate studies. Lara is a renowned data and regulatory risk expert in the financial industry. She is currently a Vice President for Data Analytics, Data Governance and Business Intelligence at Bank of the West/BNP Paribas Group.

​Having left the country over three decades ago, she is disheartened by the change and decay in the educational system in Nigeria. Growing up in Nigeria, Lara’s educational journey was made so much easier and interesting by the immense financial support from churches, missionaries and philanthropists that was made available to public schools. The current situation of the educational system in Nigeria is a far cry from what it used to be. She understands firsthand that youths from the rural regions of Nigeria are being disenfranchised as they have no means of accessing quality education. Consequently, the opportunity to use education as a platform to change their families' storylines and transform their own lives is very slim. Not one to sit on the sidelines and lament the decline in the educational system in the country, Lara decided to do something about it and be part of the solution to restore the educational system to what it should be.

Engaging with her alma mater, St. Margaret’s School in Ilesa (Nigeria), she kick-started a multi-pronged strategy to augment teaching and learning experience with after school programs, books and teaching aid supplies. The vision for Jewels of Africa Foundations Inc. was birthed as an offshoot of these initiatives. ​Lara’s passion for youth empowerment is organic. Without doubt, it is her calling to make a difference in the lives of many children in Sub Saharan Africa.  Lara is unwavering in her passion and commitment to raising up a new generation of African leaders. She continues to plug in and forge alliance and partnership with individuals and organizations with similar passion, with the goal of reviving the continent by impacting its present youth and the next generation.​

DEJI HAASTRUP
Executive Board Director
(Retired General Manager for Policy, Government and Public
​ Affairs at Chevron Nigeria.)

Prince Deji Haastrup serves as an Executive Director of Jewels of Africa Foundations (Africa Chapter). He recently retired as the General Manager for Policy, Government and Public Affairs at Chevron Nigeria, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, USA.  In his private life and career, he is committed to the youth and under-served in society. Over the years, his company has supported many educational and health programs, especially in rural communities. He was himself recently recognized by the Sigma Club of Ibadan University for his numerous “contribution to personal, corporate and institutional philanthropy…” Jewels of Africa Foundations is another avenue through which he seeks to further human development.

KEMI MACKENZIE-GUREJE
Board Executive Director
(Data Architect – Aviation & Financial Services)

Kemi Mackenzie-Gureje serves as an Executive Director of Jewels of Africa Foundations (Africa Chapter). She was born and raised in Nigeria by parents who instilled the value of education into her, early in life. She received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Ife in Nigeria before emigrating to the United Kingdom three decades, ago.

She is eternally grateful, foremost to God and to her parents for equipping her with high quality education that has opened doors for her in a foreign country. Kemi has an inconcealable and infectious passion for education. She testifies to the power and benefit of education as her defence through the dark moments of her life.

SOLA ODERINDE
Board Treasurer
(Technology & Systems Architect Manager, 
Port of Oakland & Aviation)

Shola Oderinde serves as an Executive Director of Jewels of Africa Foundations (Africa Chapter). He is a Software Architect in the Silicon Valley area of California (USA). Shola was born in the United Kingdom but raised in Nigeria. Having been a direct beneficiary of community mentoring in his early years growing up in Nigeria, Shola feels it is a natural calling for him to reciprocate the same mentoring and guidance that he once received growing up in Nigeria.

​Shola is passionate about going back to his root to give back to the underprivileged youths. As a change agent, Shola has an unyielding passion to empower youth through education.  Additionally, he is involved in various community programs for youth empowerment and big brother mentor-mentee programs within his local church.

SAMUEL BODE ODEYEMI
Board Advisory Chair

Samuel Bode-Odeyemi is a Technology Architect & Business Transformation Specialist, a serial Entrepreneur, he is a Co-founder of Off-Plan Nigeria Limited a property development company in Nigeria & MTC Limited, an Information Technology company in the UK.

SOJI AKOMOLAFE
 Board Grant/Fundraising Chair
(Professor/Chair Dept of Political Science,
​ Norfolk State University, Virginia Beach, USA)

JOA serves a noble cause. To whom much is given, much is expected. To have the chance to help children is the most noble cause I can imagine. As such, I consider it a huge privilege to have the opportunity to be a part of this organization and it is also why I encourage others to join in the crusade to invest in the 'Best of Africa - It's undeserved & underprivileged youths through Functional Education. Making education their passport to the future to eradicate generational poverty.

CHELSEY KAMSON
Secretary

Chelsey Kamson serves as the Secretary for Jewels of Africa Foundations Inc. She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health, at Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. She is passionate about improving the quality of life of individuals through advocacy, policy, education and research. Her current research focuses on health disparities, community partnerships, and the intersection between public health and technology. Chelsey completed her undergraduate degree at the University of California (San Diego) in Cognitive Neuroscience. She believes that education is the catalyst for real and impactful change. As a first generation African-American of Nigerian parentage, she has a strong desire to make a sustainable and effective change within West Africa, from policy level through education. She believes that everyone should live in an environment where basic needs and necessities are given to all people. Educational development is critical for the growth and strength and provides a platform for sustainable and systematic expansion and improvement. ​