| | |  | | Self Help Africa: | board & trustees |
| Self Help Africa is governed by an independent Board of Directors in the United States.
As of April 1, 2010, these board members are:
|  | Norman Sheehan, President
Norman's first involvement in Africa came with his work in Darfur, where he was placed with GOAL during 1985 in a food and health intervention. In the next 20 years, Norman worked in Sierra Leone, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Balkans, Iraq, Pakistan, Jordan, Afghanistan, Iran, Honduras, Peru, Guinea, Angola, Mozambique, Senegal, Mauritania and Chad.
He was Head of Operations for GOAL in the Horn of Africa (1995 to 2001); CEO of Warchild UK (2001-2004) and consultant security advisor, CARE (2004-2008). He is now Global Security Director for the Academy for Educational Development, based out of Washington DC.
|  | Megan Fairlie, Treasurer and Secretary
Megan Fairlie received her BA in English from the University at Albany, and her JD from Washington and Lee University. Professor Fairlie earned her PhD at the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland, Galway, in 2007. She also holds an LL.M. in International Peace Support Operations from the same institution. In 2005, while pursuing her doctorate, she lectured in law at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. Professor Fairlie's work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed and student edited journals in the United States and abroad.
She has also authored a number of book chapters, most frequently as a contributor to a series on the case-law of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Licensed to practice law in New York and North Carolina, Dr. Fairlie is a former prosecutor and has served as counsel in both houses of the New York State Legislature. She teaches criminal law, international criminal law and international criminal procedure at Florida International University in Miami.
|  | Nigel Clarke, Director
Nigel has been a leading figure in the world of government relations and public affairs for over 20 years.
He joined GJW, the UK’s foremost government relations firm, in 1985, becoming one of the three principle partners. In 1991, he set up its Eastern European businesses, providing advice initially to inward investors dealing with the huge changes needed to transform command and control economies to free markets. GJW turnover grew from £750,000 in 1985 to £5.5m by the time of its sale in May 2000. Nigel subsequently became Managing Director of the newly formed Weber Shandwick/GJW, before leaving to set up Learned Lion Partners in September 2003, to invest in and support start-up businesses, especially those derived from University research. He is Chairman of SureCalm Healthcare (supporting patients with long-term conditions), Trufflenet (an internet business), Vidapulse Ltd (a medical research company) and an operational board director of ULTra PRT, a transit systems developer. He has very wide experience of public affairs issues and campaigns, having worked with clients in many sectors, in Europe, North America and the Far East. He currently chairs the UK board of trustees of Self Help Africa.
|  | Tom Corcoran, Director
Tom Corcoran brings a wealth of experience of farming and business to Self Help Africa. A life-long dairy farmer based in County Waterford in Ireland, he holds diplomas in Rural Social Science from University College Cork and in Corporate Governance from University College Dublin.
He is chairman of Self Help Africa in Ireland, and a board member of Self Help Africa in the United Kingdom. A former chairman of Waterford Foods plc, he was chairman of the international dairy food company Glanbia plc from 1997 to 2005, and chairman of Glanbia plc USA from 2005 to 2009.
He currently serves on the boards of the Irish Dairy Board, the NCBC Bovine Genetic Improvement Program, the National Dairy Council, the Irish Co-operative Movement, the Agricultural Trust, and Renmore Port Services. He was formerly a board member of One 51 plc, An Bord Bia and IAWS.
|  | Susan Davis, Director
Susan A. Davis, founder and chairman of Susan Davis International, is internationally known for her expertise in strategic positioning, reputation management, government relations and crisis communications. Susan has provided counsel to government and industry leaders throughout Europe and the Americas, and continues to counsel key public figures worldwide.
A lifelong advocate for social entrepreneurship, democracy building and leadership development for women, she was recently elected Chairman of the Board of Vital Voices Global Partnership, the preeminent NGO that trains and empowers emerging women leaders around the globe. She was the first International President of the International Women’s Forum, the global leadership organization for women of achievement.
Ms. Davis chaired the landmark U.S. Ireland Business Summit which created the U.S.- Ireland R&D Partnership; and has been recognized for her leadership in Ireland and Northern Ireland by Irish America Magazine (Top 100 Irish Americans and 75 Most Influential Irish American Women) and The Flax Trust for service to Northern Ireland. She is past President of the International Women’s Forum; Board Chair of The Irish Breakfast Club; member of Glanbia’s US Advisory Board, and University College Dublin Graduate School of Business Advisory Board; Co-Chair of the Washington Ireland Program Trustees Council, and a board member of Medical Missions for Children; St. Judes Hospital’s Professional Board and the US-Panama Business Council.
|  | Ciara Smyth, Director
Ciara Smyth is Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. In this role she is responsible for global human resources practices and policies for HMH and reports to the Chief Executive Officer.
Under her stewardship HMH has transformed its talent agenda through a strategic and focused approach to realizing employee potential at all levels of the organization.
With Cap Gemini she is a founding member and co-chair of an industry network group for women in media and publishing, a quarterly forum focused on developing women leaders. She is the founder and executive sponsor of the Women’s Leadership Program at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. In 2009 and 2010 she was named one of the 75 Most Influential Women by Irish Voice and Irish America magazine for her outstanding contributions to the field of women’s leadership development.
Ciara is a board member of Self Help Africa. In 2009 she spent time in the field with SHA in Uganda and saw first hand the work being done to empower women through focused savings and loan initiatives. Applying her expertise and passion for women’s leadership, in 2010 Ciara was appointed Self Help Africa Ambassador for Women. Her objective as Ambassador for Women is to underscore the importance of providing women with economic resources to improve lives and drive long-term sustainable change throughout Africa. SHA is committed to continuing to advance the opportunities provided to women as a necessary step on their journey from poverty to profit.
A native of Dublin, Ireland Ms. Smyth holds a B.A. from University College Dublin and a Masters Degree from University of Essex, School of Comparative Studies, in the United Kingdom. She is currently enrolled at the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy for a Master of Arts in International Affairs, with an expected graduation in 2011.
|
|
|
| | Image Gallery | | Click on an image to view West Africa gallery |  |
|
|
|
| | | | Self Help Africa - UK
Second Floor, Westgate House,Dickens Court,
Hills Lane, Shrewsbury, SY1 1QU
Tel. +44 (0) 1743 277170 |
| Self Help Africa - Ireland
Kingsbridge House, 17-22 Parkgate Street,
Dublin 8, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Tel. +353 (0)1 6778880 |
| Self Help Africa Inc.
41 Union Square West, Suite 631
New York, NY 10003, USA
Tel. +1 212 206 0847 |
|
| | Self Help Africa is a non-profit 501(c) 3 organisation in the United States.
Self Help Africa is an international charity registered in Ireland and the United Kingdom Registered charity number: 6663 (Ireland), and 298830 (UK) | | | | | | Powered by go2web
|
|
|
|
|
