Who We Are

Founder & Advisory Board

Evelyne Keomian

At the age of 26 she moved with her young son to the United States, in hope of a better future for both of them. Her very first task was to gain an education that will allow her to integrate society. Today, Evelyne holds a bachelor’s in psychology and hopes to obtain her master’s degree in special education. Her son is currently attending college.
By U.S. standards, Evelyne is a low-income single mother. Even so, she has financed herself most of the KSP fundraising efforts. She is on a mission to give back to her community, and become the help she wished she had when she was younger.

Marie-Yvette Guy-Tiéoulou

Marie-Yvette Guy-Tiéoulou is a PhD candidate in sociology and Economy at University Felix Houphouet Boigny of Abidjan. With a Master in Sociology, Mrs Guy-Tieulou has been leading our Ivory Coast team as the director of the Karat School Project Yopougon, Allokoi campus since September 2019. She transitioned from her position as a community outreach director for the KSP into this new role where she gets to oversee all levels of operations including our women’s programs. Before joining us she worked at Orange, Cote D’Ivoire.
She is a mother to an amazing young girl, passionate about girls’ education, and enjoys creating programs to improve women’s life quality.

Grace Nze

Grace is an international development consultant who joined the Karat School Project team. With a Bachelor of international development and policy, she has gained experience in monitoring and evaluating the sustainability of programs with different organizations working in Kenya, Ghana, and in her home country of Ivory Coast. She believes the Karat School is a labor of love and aspires to live in a world where every child can be empowered with a great education.

Judith Kramer

Judy Kramer has had a longtime interest in international issues regarding women and children. She attended the 4th UN Conference on Women in China in 1995 and spoke locally about her experiences. In 2014-15, she was West Coast coordinator of the Eliminate Project, a KIwanis/UNICEF campaign to eliminate the tetanus that kills newborns and mothers in the developing world. She has long supported the Global Fund for Women and was Board President of the YWCA of the Mid-Peninsula. In her local life, she is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto and a nature photographer based at Gallery House in Palo Alto.

Natalie Heerema

Natalie has had an interest in spending time on the African continent since she was a very young woman. When she was in college, she planned to join the Peace Corps and was hoping to serve in West Africa. She majored in Women's Studies and what was at the time called Third World Studies. Her particular area of focus was on West Africa and the African Diaspora. When she had the medical exam for the Peace Corps, she was recovering from a bad case of bronchitis. She failed the lung capacity exam. She was told she could wait and reapply. However, her life took her in a different direction. She had my daughter when she was 23 years old and motherhood became her main focus until a couple of years ago (Aminata is now 21 years old). When she met Evelyne, she knew immediately that she wanted to get involved with KSP. She has a particular interest in traveling to Cote d’Ivoire and supporting KSP in its goals of educating girls. She also wants to help provide the tools for women to be more financially independent in order to provide for their families so that their children can stay in school. She is interested in sustainable agriculture methods for their long term benefits to the planet and the economic benefit to the people who practice these methods.

Sherry Auerbach

Staff & Volunteers: Cote d’Ivoire

Marina Keomian

Marina is child number 6 in a family of 7. Just like her sister Evelyne, Marina had to pay her way through school because as a girl her father thought it will be a waste of money to pay for her education. She put herself in secretary school. She later used that skill to land a position with the UN during the civil war.
As a mother of three young children and as a girl who once was not given a chance to a better future she was happy to join and make a difference when her sister asked her to help. Now she directs the weekly reading and writing programs of the Karat School Project. She said there is no greater joy than to see children learn their first letters and see door of possibilities open for them.

Diane Bado

As one the staffs who is wearing multiple hats, Diane comes to us with background in HR and Communication. She Currently our administrative assistant and Teaches in our 1st Grade classroom. She enjoys traveling to new destinations.

Cedrick Yoman

With a BA in Sociology from Universite Felix Houphouet Boigny of Abidjan, Teacher Cedrick has been wearing multiple hats with the KSP since inception.
From computer skill classes, to English lessons, to PE classes, to assisting with administrative task, Cedrick has steeped in a leadership role to help improve and empower the community.

Gisele Blinssi

Gisele was born in an extremely poor family in the Ivory Coast and never went to school because she was a girl. Later on in life she put herself through beauty school to make a living for herself and her family. As a mother of 3 children she has managed to open two small businesses that she is successfully running.
She has one beauty salon and one yogurt manufacturing business where she employs other illiterate women to help them provide for their family. When she is not running her production operation Gisele is in church teaching young children the basics of reading which she taught to herself.

Léonie Vanh

Léonie Vanh is the cook, who also teaches cooking and baking to the KSP children. She enjoys cooking, baking, culinary exploration and discovery, and listening to music.

Jocelyne Hoin

Teacher Jocelyne, is an avid cook with an outstanding singing voice. She has been putting all these skills at the service of the KSP children since 2018. From overseeing menu to ensure that children are being served nutritious meals, to music lessons, and cooking classes, Jocelyne has been enjoying putting her training and skills available to the community.

Obrou Cynthia

Komoin Pamela

Avissey Lea

Tieoulou Synthia

Kamè Yeli Alice

As a mother of a KSP’s students, Alice as spent the last 2 years learning, growing, and serving the community through the mission of the KSP Côte d’Ivoire. She was first enrolled in the Alphabetisation program, she quickly learned & join the financial literacy and training program. She now leads weekly gathering for community women at the KSP center in Allokoi.

Esraa Adel

Esraa is an Egyptian medical student and also a freelance graphic designer. She uses her skills in painting and graphics to raise money to study medicine abroad. Her dream is to become a good surgeon.
When she volunteered with the KSP, she was so happy, because she was able to use her skills to help the world community. She believed in the KSP’s mission to educate girls and women, because she can relate to the obstacles many girls face in getting a good education. She’ll always be proud to be even a small part of the KSP.

Staff & Volunteers: USA

Jeannie Stivers

Jeannie is a Web Designer who is passionate about leveraging design to make the world a better place. She manages the website and social media accounts for The KSP as well as other clients.

Erika Snow O’Connor

Erika is a social worker by training with over ten years of experience in the nonprofit and social services sector. She has worked directly with various underserved communities as a mentor, wilderness therapist, case manager, and community development volunteer as well as more indirectly through program design and development, advising, grant writing, and other "macro" social work roles. Along with a master’s in social work, Erika holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy with a minor in professional writing for civic engagement and she has had the privilege of traveling, studying, and/or working in 15 countries. She enjoys being able to combine her passions for women rights, homeless advocacy, and international social work with her love of writing in her role as KSP’s lead grant writer. In her free time, Erika can be found curled up with a good book at home, taking a yoga class, or planning her next travel adventure.

Nicole Brand

Nicole is a communications and marketing professional with over three years of experience in digital media, campaign management, and brand storytelling. She has worked across both B2B and B2C sectors, managing content strategies, paid media, and social platforms for global clients in industries ranging from technology to fashion. With a degree in Communication and a minor in Marketing from Saint Louis University-Madrid, Nicole brings a multicultural lens to her work, shaped by her Colombian roots and international experiences. She is passionate about using strategic communication to elevate diverse voices and foster meaningful engagement. At KSP, Nicole looks forward to blending her creativity and analytical thinking to support mission-driven organizations through compelling digital narratives. Outside of work, she’s likely discovering a new café, recording her podcast about life abroad, or planning her next city escape.

Aminata Daffeh

Barbara Weinstein

Barbara has been volunteering with the KSP since early 2020. She works with the grant team and helps out with whatever else is needed, from planning and budgeting to food card distributions and events in the RV community.
Barbara recently retired from her work as a technical communications consultant. She enjoys hiking, reading, exploring ideas, and spending time with her grandson. She sees herself as a bridge builder in the local community and beyond, helping to bridge differences and bring people closer together.

Anais Sahores

Anais Sahores is a French native who has spent the last 18 months in the United States as an au pair. She has a degree in law, focusing on human rights, and is looking forward to pursuing her masters in business management when she returns to France. Anais is excited to put her French and English language skills to use volunteering to translate materials for KSP and to help as much as she can. Anais enjoys spending time outdoors, being active, seeing friends, learning news things and exploring the world.

Michel Ange Siaba

Michel-Ange is currently in his third year at Stonehill College, majoring in Criminology with a double minor in Sociology and German. He is the Volunteer Coordinator at the KSP and is keen on reaching out to out those willing to help the cause. He believes education is a human right and an invaluable tool in creating a brighter future. He is passionate about the work KSP does because it will contribute to the development of the Ivorian future: “within each student, I see is an ingenuity waiting to be awakened, a heart eager to learn and grow, and the future of our nation.”