Board Members
David Sangree
Board President
president and founder of Hotel & Leisure Advisors, a hospitality consulting firm that conducts feasibility studies, appraisals, impact studies, and other market research for hotels, resorts, waterparks, and other leisure properties throughout North America. He has a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and professional certifications as a CPA, MAI, and ISHC (member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants). David and his wife Laura worked in Malawi between 1989 and 1991 through the US Peace Corps. David worked for the national credit union system (MUSCO) and Laura taught at the Polytechnic while they lived in Blantyre. They have two children and live in Cleveland, Ohio.
Bina M.W. Kakusa
Treasurer
Works at the World Bank HQ, Washington DC, in the Budget Performance Review & Strategy Vice Presidency unit. Prior to that, he worked in Malawi for OilCom, the Malawi College of Accountancy, Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC), and the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA). Then worked for Oxfam-GB in Angola and South Africa. Bina has a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Malawi University of Business and Applies Sciences (MUBAS), a post graduate in Accounting & Finance from University Sterling in Scotland, and professional certifications as ACCA-UK and CPA-USA.
Bina has multi-dimensional connections with the University of Livingstonia. His maternal grand-mum came from Luzi at the foot of the plateau in the Henga valley, his sister was at Livingstonia secondary school, and he has sponsored three nieces at UNILIA, one of which will graduate 2023. Having started his career as lecturer at MCA, he currently is the learning coordinator for his Vice Presidency unit at the World Bank, and has co-authored a book to mentor the youth, titled ‘Stories of our lives’ published by Color Planet Ltd (12/2011) and Xlibris (8/2012).
Chiku Ellen Kankhwende
Secretary
Has degrees in Associates in Applied Sciences in Allied Health Physical Therapist Assistant, Bachelors of Science in Health Systems Management and a Masters in Healthcare Administration. Ellen has worked in a variety of geriatric facilities including a psychological facilities as a Director of Rehabilitation and also as an owner of a residential service agency providing home health nursing and therapy services as well as a developmental disabilities group home. Ellen is a mother to a wonderful 14 year old boy and lives in Olney, MD.
Bob Maleta
Assistant Treasurer
Works at the National Education Association, Washington DC, in the Office of Chief Financial Officer as a Senior Financial Analyst and Accountant. Bob has spent over 15 years in public accounting – Deloitte in Malawi and KPMG in Botswana and GRF CPAs & Advisors in the U.S.A., where he specialized in audits of not-for-profit organizations and international NGOs. Bob has a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Malawi University of Business and Applies Sciences (MUBAS), and professional certifications as ACCA and CIA.
Cromwell Msuku
Is a retired psychiatrist, but still does consulting. Although now living in Buffalo, New York, Cromwell was born in South Africa and raised in Malawi. He attended Livingstonia Primary School before going on to Blantyre Secondary School, and he well remembers the days of climbing up to the plateau. He was Chairman of the Stewardship and Finance Committee at MacAlpine Presbyterian Church.
Patricia Erdmann
received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Webster College. She spent 28 years involved in education, mostly as an elementary school teacher and principal. She retired in 2013 to pursue her interest in training teachers in Africa. Patricia volunteered at the University of Livingstonia Laws Campus, teaching Educational Leadership to senior education majors and English Grammar to all first-year students for one semester/year for seven years. She also volunteered to co-teach at the local primary school and created a girls group at the secondary school to encourage girls’ empowerment. Patricia started the UNILIA Women’s Fund in 2014 to provide tuition support for women students. She greatly misses being in Malawi, maintains connections with UNILIA students, graduates and staff.
Elisa Munthali
is the global public health consultant for Health and Rights Education Programme (HREP), Malawi, which promotes good health and equal rights for all Malawians through civic education, advocacy, and data-driven policy. She also consults with US-based organizations on healthcare quality and patient safety. Elisa previously served as Senior Vice President, Quality Measurement of the National Quality Forum, a not-for-profit organization in the US that works to catalyze healthcare improvement through quality measurement and reporting. She has a deep connection to Livingstonia; her late Grandfather was a minister at the Mission and her father and mother attended and completed primary school there.
Elisa received her Master of Public Health degree in global health promotion from The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC.
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Donna Chirwa
Former Board President:
grew up in central Wisconsin. She has lived and worked in Malawi, Zambia, and Kenya. Donna has a Masters degree in Public Policy with an emphasis in Financial Management from The Ohio State University. She had a lengthy career working in Accounting and Management with the Department of Veterans Affairs, from which she retired as Director, Business Operations in 2010, and then spent five years working for World Vision as a Senior Financial Officer. She believes strongly that education at all levels is the best gift we can give.
Phil Gerskovich
Phil worked in the computer and technology fields for over 40 years, He received a degree in Computer Engineering. He began his career working as an engineer at a supercomputer company, then moved into roles in marketing and management in both consumer and industrial areas. He grew up in the Midwest and his career took him and his family to live in many regions around the country.
Mwinji Isabel Mtonga
was born and raised in Zambia. Both of Mwinji’s parents are from Malawi, and her great grandfather was a reverend for the Livingstonia Synod. She has a deep passion for helping the University of Livingstonia, because she feels that it is her way of giving back and keeping her family’s legacy — the high value of education. She believes that education in Malawi will greatly help the country and future generations. Mwinji attended school at the University of Zambia before coming to the United States. She currently works as a Staff Accountant in Washington DC, and attends St. Matthew Presbyterian Church.
Marvin Kaulembe
is a professional photographer and videographer from Malawi. He has worked with various organizations in Malawi as a media consultant, producing documentaries, websites, news and magazine content. He is well known for wedding and portrait photography as Marvin Photography. Marvin graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Community Development at DMI – St John the Baptist University Malawi in 2015. He is currently studying Web Development.
Ruth Anna Skowronski
received a Master of Arts in Economics, Master of Science in Accounting and a Graduate Certificate in TESOL. She spent five years working for Department of the Treasury as an Economist and over 23 years in education. She currently works for Montgomery County Public Schools in the Office of Special Education Division of Business, Fiscal, and Information Systems as an Instructional Specialist. She lives in Maryland and attends the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Gaithersburg. Ruth Anna believes that lifelong learning through education and experience fosters self-fulfillment. She hopes to visit Malawi one day.