Ground Team

Dr. Bonus Caesar (M.D.), Deputy Executive Director and Director of Medical Initiatives

Dr. Caesar graduated from Muhimbili University of Health and Applied Sciences (MUHAS). Following graduation he worked at the university hospital in the HIV clinic. He has participated in a number of medical research projects including MUHAS – Harvard Collaborative Research Programs. Prior to that, Bonus had been contracted by the U.S based organization called Helen Keller International, in 2010, to supervisor a team of surveyors in Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar, to assess the effectiveness of their vitamin supplies and their capacity to reach the end users. Prior to joining ACA Initiative, Dr Caesar was working at Temeke Regional Referral Hospital in the department of Internal Medicine.

Ila Nashon, Field Grant Coordinator

Ila Nashon has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing. She has collaborated with several organizations including the Nabaki Africa Ltd, Business Connexion, Capital Event Ltd and more in Business Development and Program Coordinator for more than 6 years. She also has an extensive experience in communication as well as customer relations. Armed with a friendly personality, she is a high-performing and passionate leader with a drive for success, and a flair for creativity. She is passionate about giving back to the community (with focus on women and children) through organizations such as The Boys & Girls Club of America and various women shelters in Boston, Massachusetts, Worked with Lorna Dadi Foundation Tanzania as the Project Coordinator for It’s All About Me & Nisitiri projects that strive to educate adolescent girl about sexual and reproductive health, and access to sanitary pads.

Shadadi Hamis Mwasharula – Field Education Coordinator

Shadadi Hamisi joined ACA Initiative in 2016. He is a native of Mbeya region of Tanzania. ACA connected with Shadadi, as he is a primary school teacher in the viallge of Chumbi. Since then he has been the primary liaison between ACA and the schools, as he tracks progress, purchases goods and works with the community to ensure deliverables are met.

Victor Mwenda Mutai, Tanzanian Finance Director

Victor has worked as a consultant with PricewaterhouseCooper, Kenya where he held a leading role in a number of projects including an audit on World Bank sponsored water projects, a comprehensive review on the status of the Kenyan government’s records of assets in various ministries, departments and parastatals. Other assignments covered recruitment of directors/senior staff for newly formed parastatals for the Government of Kenya. Victor has also had operational management experience, having worked in a senior role with an investment holding company with interests covering import clearing and forwarding; transport and distribution; and sales and marketing. Victor holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Finance from Makerere University, Uganda with certificates in Project Planning and Management as well as Customer Care.

Volunteer Fundraising Team

Chris Jalinsky, Director of Design and Media Development

Chris has spent the greater portion of the Digital Age studying the development methods of visual, audio, and internet-based communication. An artist at heart, he is fascinated by the structural freedom of design practice therein and awestruck by the beauty of emerging technological innovation. The dreamer at heart hopes to lend imagination and creative thought toward positive change.

Daniel Donovan, Executive Director

As a management trainer and consultant, Dan has spent many years as a project manager, managing multi-million dollar budgets for large clients, as well as training managers and instilling systems to improve efficiency and performance in a variety of industries. Dan graduated with a Master’s degree in International Relations with a focus on conflict resolution and Development in East and Central Africa from Webster University’s Global Program. Dan’s articles and research on African conflict and development have been published in US News and World Report, Foreign Policy, Africa Conflict Monthly Monitor, Consultancy Africa Intelligence and the Journal of International Relations and Affairs. He has also been an expert panelist on Africa Today and SAfm.

Elliott Levett, Executive Assistant and Social Media Manager

Elliott is a recent graduate from Colorado College, with a BA in International Political Economy and a minor in African Studies. He spent a semester in Rwanda studying the genocide. He is also spent time volunteering for the Refugee Assistance Program at Lutheran Family Services in Colorado Springs. Prior to working for ACAI, Elliott managed social media for Colorado Force Women’s Professional Soccer Team. Elliott played three years of soccer at Colorado College.

Emmanuel Tayari, Legal and Risk Strategy Director

Emmanuel Tayari is a strategic leader with a strong delivery track record in both the private and public sectors, as well as in international and non-governmental organizations. He has previously worked in a pensions and investment company at Lloyds Banking Group and is currently working as a Regulatory Risk & Quality Officer at the Care Quality Commission. He is also an editor for the North East Law Review and the Editor in Chief for The Continent Observer, where he brings extensive experience in communications, stakeholder engagement, client relations, and strategic planning. Emmanuel holds a BA (Hons) Business and Finance from Sunderland University, UK and a Master of Laws (LL.M.), International Business Law with specialization in Public Private Partnership from Newcastle University-Law School.

Jeffrey T. Smith, Vice Chair, Board of Advisers

Jeffrey is a life-long Colorado native that attended the University of Northern Colorado and Doane College. He spent that last 14 years as a Financial Advisor and has recently added property and auto insurance products from Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. He is happily married to his high-school sweetheart Cheri. Together they are proud parents of three children, Danielle, Chantelle, and little Miss Kayliana. Jeff is a strong community leader for various children’s based charitable causes. Before joining the ACA Initiative, he has led fundraising campaigns and volunteer efforts for Denver Children’s Home, Helping Hands For Freedom, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Jennifer Koch Donovan, Chair of Board of Advisers

Jennifer Koch is the Executive Director of the Colorado Democratic Party. Prior to working for the CDP, Jennifer worked with several U.S. politicians and political organizations including U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, U.S. Congressman Glenn Nye and the Tidewater PAC. In 2007 she also worked for Obama For America as the Northeast Deputy Political Director. Following the election of President Barack Obama, Jennifer served as the Deputy White House Liaison for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington DC. Jennifer holds a Master’s degree from Webster University’s Global International Relations Program and a Bachelors degree from Michigan State University in Communications Arts and Sciences with a specialization in Public Relations and Political Philosophy.

Kelvin Leshabari, Volunteer Innovation

Kelvin is a practicing medical doctor in the field of geriatrics. He is also the unit head of innovation at ACAI. Kelvin trained in medicine and thereafter was a fellow in clinical research at various institutions in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. He received his MSc degree from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands back in 2015.. He is currently the principal investigator of Cardiometabolic Risk Intervention treatment and prevention Surveillance programme in Tanzania (CRISTA). He is also a member of editorial boards at various peer-reviewed platforms in medical sciences.

Dr Mathew Bosco Mwanjali, Board Technical Advisor

Mathew is a technical advisor at African Community Advancement (ACA-Initiative). He has background in medicine and cardiology. He has over 20 years experience in interventional programmes focusing on community health. Prior to his position at ACA-Initiative, Mathew was a technical advisor at PSI-Tanzania where he oversaw implementation of various community interventional programmes including Water, Sanitation & Health (WASH), Home-Based Care (HBC) in HIV programme, maternal & child health dealing with Intergrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) as well as Behavioural Change Communication (BCC) on all the above named project. He is also a board member to various institutions in Tanzania that mainly deals with community health promotion including the Tanzania’s health ministry-based cholera task force committee. Mathew will be the chief technical advisor at ACA-Initiative on all implementation programmes focusing on community health promotion.

Raul Vazquez, Program Director

Raul has been working in the education technology field for the last five years managing sales teams and scaling departments in fast growing organizations. In his roles, Raul has partnered with academic institutes, fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations to provide educational pathways to prospective students. Raul obtained his Master’s in International Relations from Webster University’s global program. His studies focused on political systems in Latin America and the growing influence of China in African countries like Zambia.