Board of Directors

USA Board • Rwanda Board

Kevin D. Batt, Board Chair, Executive Committee

Kevin D. Batt is completing his career as an attorney in Boston, Massachusetts and looks forward to volunteer work in retirement. He serves on the Board of Multicultural Education Training and Advocacy (META), a legal advocacy group supporting the rights of English Language Learners throughout public school systems in the United States. In the past he helped litigate the rights of same-sex couples to marriage. His interest in human rights has now expanded to projects in East Africa since his journey there in 2015. In addition to his service on the board of Ubuntu Center for Peace, he serves on the boards of Move Up Global (MUG), promoting education and public health in northwest Rwanda and of Sexual Minorities of Uganda (SMUG), which engages in the front line struggle to protect sexual minorities in Uganda.  

William Campbell

William Campbell is an independent producer, videographer, photojournalist based in Livingston, Montana. Bill began his journalistic career in Africa as a communications officer, photographer and filmmaker with the UNICEF based in Nairobi in the mid-1970’s. By the late seventies he was a staff photographer and reporter with United Press International, based in Brussels and in Nairobi covering Africa and the Middle East. In 1982 he joined Time Magazine as a contract staff photographer. Attached to the Time bureaus in Nairobi and Johannesburg, he documented conflict and social issues across Africa and the Middle East.

Since returning to the United States in 1989, Campbell has focused on the dilemmas of poverty, racism, environmental issues and health care in America and Africa. While in Rwanda for NOW on PBS Campbell met Dr. Jean Bosco in Rwinkwavu. In 2017 Campbell returned to Rwanda to assist the Ubuntu Center for Peace with a video about the Community Based Social Healing project. His current projects include documenting environmental and social issues in the US and abroad.

Sue Jones

Sue Jones is the founder and director of the TIMBo Collective, a nonprofit whose mission is to catalyze women to become positive change makers in the world. As over the past decade she has developed an evidence-based curriculum, a methodology, and a theoretical roadmap to bring rehabilitative mind-body practices to female trauma survivors. She is a leading voice on the subject of mind-body practices for addressing trauma, self-regulation and empowerment. She has trained, inspired, and lead hundreds of women who have taken TIMBo into their work as yoga teachers, social workers, psychologists, advocates, medical providers, teachers, mothers and community leaders.

Her work has spanned the globe, empowering women across the U.S., Haiti, Tehran, Iran and Kenya. Her life and work with TIMBo has been profiled by CNN and numerous publications including Time, Self, The New York Times, Yoga Journal and Whole Life magazine and most recently by Rick Hanson for his Foundations of Well-Being Course. Sue has written two books There is Nothing to Fix and From the Flood: A Memoir.

Edmund Robinson

Edmund Robinson is a Unitarian Universalist (UU) minister about to retire, after twelve years, from serving the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House in Chatham, on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He was ordained into the UU ministry in 1999, and served three churches before this one. He has served as Chatham Town Representative to the Barnstable County Human Rights Commission, and has served on the governing council of the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS), the oldest organization devoted to the dialogue between religion and science. He has twice been the IRAS minister of the week on Star Island, NH. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School in 1999.

In addition to ministry, he has also had a career as a trial lawyer in Boston and in Charleston, SC. He received a Juris Doctor degree from Antioch School of Law in 1975, the first year that institution awarded degrees. His undergraduate degree was from Yale, 1970, a B.A. with major in Anthropology. He is married to Jacqueline Schwab, a concert pianist who is most publicly noted for her work on the sound tracks of several documentary films by the American filmmaker Ken Burns. He has two adult children by his previous marriage, one in England and one in Chicago, and two grandsons. His friendship with Kevin Batt goes back to their days at Yale, and Kevin was the best man at his wedding to Jacqueline in 2000.

Katherine J. Klein, Ph.D., Board Secretary, Executive Committee

Katherine Klein is an organizational psychologist and the Edward H. Bowman Professor of Management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Her current research falls into two streams – one focused on the effects of leader succession on organizational change, effectiveness, and employee engagement and turnover; and a second stream focused on the goals, strategies, impact, and performance of impact investing funds.  

From 2012 – 2022, Katherine served as Wharton’s Vice Dean for Social Impact. In this capacity, she led the Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII) with a mission to build the talent pipeline and evidence base to lead business and capital markets in creating sustainable solutions to social and environmental challenges around the world. She is currently the Faculty Director of Wharton’s Impact Investing Research Lab and the host of the Wharton podcast Dollars and Change.

An award-winning teacher and research scholar, Katherine is a fellow of the Academy of Management, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the American Psychological Association, and the Association for Psychological Science.  Her research on leadership, diversity, innovation, team effectiveness, and employee ownership has appeared in numerous top journals including Administrative Science Quarterly, Journal of Applied Psychology, the Academy of Management Journal, and the Academy of Management Review.  

She teaches on social impact, leadership, organizational change, and research methods. Each year, she brings Wharton MBA students to Rwanda for her popular global modular course “Conflict, Leadership, and Change: Lessons from Rwanda.”   

Katherine received her B.A. in Psychology from Yale University and her Ph.D. in Community Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a member of the board of directors of United Therapeutics; a member of the advisory board supporting the creation and start-up of the Aegis Trust International Peace Institute in Rwanda; an advisor for Impact First Ventures; and a former member of the Rwanda-based University of Global Health Equity Vice Chancellor’s Advisory Board.

K. Danae Pauli, Treasurer, Executive Committee

Danae Pauli is a mission-driven business executive leveraging U.S. and emerging markets experience in the Biden-Harris administration, where she works at the nexus of the public, private and international development sectors. She’s currently Senior Advisor, Partnership, Global Infrastructure and Investment

Passionate about leveling the global playing field, Danae joined the new Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment team, where she currently leads a portfolio covering health, gender and agriculture investment opportunities in low- and middle-income countries around the world. Danae initially joined the Biden-Harris administration in 2021, leading policy and organizational transformation at the Minority Business Development Agency in the Department of Commerce. After a detail assignment in the Secretary of Commerce’s office supporting the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework initiative, she transitioned to the Department of State in March 2023.

Originally from Boston, Danae is an experienced operational leader, growing impact-driven companies in the U.S. and Africa, with a particular expertise in organizational culture.

Danae holds an undergraduate degree in Government from Harvard and earned an MBA along with a Certificate in Public Management and Social Innovation from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she was recognized as an Arbuckle Leadership Fellow.

Danae began her career working for non-profit international development organizations across East Africa on issues ranging from post-conflict peace building and health system improvement to empowerment of refugee women and youth. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris administration, she served as East Africa Managing Director for Nova Pioneer, a venture-backed pan-African school network and as a Division Vice President for DaVita, a U.S.-based Fortune 200 healthcare services company.

In 2013, Danae co-founded the Stanford Graduate School of Business Women’s Circles--the school’s fastest growing alumni program--with a focus on supporting female graduates of all ages to thrive personally and professionally, where she continues to serve on the Global Management Board.  She also recently joined Delta Education Collective, a movement to revolutionize rural Uganda public primary schools, as Board Chair.

In her free time, Danae enjoys running, wine tasting and exploring the self-guided walking tours around Washington, D.C.

VIRGILE MAHORO

Virgile Mahoro is a global health and international development professional with over 15 years of project management experience in both sub-Saharan Africa and the United States. He holds a Masters’ degree in International Relations from American University, a Bachelor’s in Communication from Rhode Island College and second Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Rwanda School of Education, formerly known as Kigali Institute of Education.  

Most recently, Virgile worked as a Program Support Officer at the U.S. Department of State’s Global Health Security and Diplomacy Bureau where he was an Executive Assistant to the Senior Bureau Official. 

In his prior roles at Chemonics International, John Snow Inc, Plan International and Pediatric AIDS Treatment for Africa (PATA), Virgile managed from headquarters USAID and other donors funded projects mainly in Francophone West Africa and Rwanda.  

Before relocating to the USA, Virgile was a Pediatric Program Coordinator for Partners in Health where he oversaw the Program at 4 different sites. 

He currently resides in the Washington DC metro area with his family. 

KATE THORSON 

Kate Reynolds Thorson is a seasoned strategist with over 18 years of experience advancing global health, gender equality, and social justice. She currently serves as Director and Gender Equality Lead at Camber Collective, where she advises foundations, nonprofits, and health organizations on strategic planning, investment portfolio design, and systems change. Kate has led over 30 high-impact strategy and implementation projects, including more than 20 with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Her career spans strategic leadership roles with Partners In Health in Rwanda, consultancy for global health and development initiatives, and fellowships focused on innovation and equity. She has deep expertise in reproductive health, gender norms, and trauma-informed care, and has worked with organizations such as Planned Parenthood, Pfizer, the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, and the Ministry of Health in Ethiopia.

Kate holds an MBA from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business and a BS with honors in Psychology and Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin. She is a former board member of Health Alliance International and a committed advocate for equitable healthcare access, currently serving as a funding advocate with the Northwest Abortion Access Fund.

SARA KRANTZ

Dr. Sarah Krantz, MD, FACOG, is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist with a deep commitment to equitable, evidence-based, and trauma-informed women’s health. With over a decade of clinical and leadership experience across the U.S. and East Africa, she brings a unique global lens to reproductive and maternal health care delivery.

Dr. Krantz earned her medical degree from The George Washington University School of Medicine and completed her residency in OB/GYN at Vanderbilt Medical Center, where she also served in leadership roles on wellness and advisory councils. Her career has spanned academic medicine, global health, and community-based care. She previously served as Clinical Director at Jacaranda Maternity in Nairobi, Kenya, and has worked in various locum tenens roles across diverse clinical settings in the U.S. She currently holds a faculty appointment as Clinical Instructor at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

Dr. Krantz began her global health journey with the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative in Rwanda and continues to engage in cross-continental efforts to improve access to respectful, high-quality care for women. She is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a recognized contributor to surgical innovation and reproductive health research, including award-winning presentations at the AAGL Global Congress.

PRIYA KUMAR

Priya Kumar, MPH is a healthcare and healthtech leader with over 15 years of experience driving innovation at the intersection of technology and care delivery. She has held senior roles at startups and nonprofits, including Galileo, Cedar, and Watsi, where she built and scaled technology platforms to improve access, affordability, and efficiency in healthcare. At Galileo, Priya leads Health Plan Strategic Partnerships, managing $20M+ revenue accounts and launching nationwide implementations that bring high-quality primary care to diverse populations. 

Earlier in her career, Priya designed and scaled a tech platform (Meso) to administer National Health Insurance schemes with the Government of Ethiopia and the Clinton Health Access Initiative. During her time at CHAI, she worked extensively in Rwanda on a maternal and child health project, conducting field research and designing an M&E study to measure the impact of CHAI and the Government of Rwanda’s impact of a nutritional supplement for pregnant and lactating women. 

Priya recently relocated to Barcelona, Spain, this year with her husband and two kids. She loves to cook, run, and spend time with her family at the beach.

Norbert Habincuti, Legal REPRESENTATIVE, PRESIDENT, Executive Organ

Mr. Norbert is a social justice lawyer dedicated to advancing grassroots communities’ right to development. With over 20 years of experience, he specializes in local economic development policy, project management, and the promotion of small and medium enterprises. He holds a Master of Arts in Community and Social Development from Bircham International University (Madrid, Spain), a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Institute of Legal Practice and Development (ILPD), a Diploma in Philosophy from the Major Seminary Philosophicum of Kabgayi (Rwanda), and a Bachelor of Laws from the Institute of Lay Adventists of Kigali (INILAK). On the UCP Rwanda Board of Directors, he serves as a member of the Accountability Committee.

Sr. Donatille Mukarubayiza, Assistant Legal Representative, Vice President, Executive Organ

Sr. Donatille is a respected peace and justice activist with more than 27 years of experience in community-based socio-economic development. A member of the Bernardine Sisters for over 35 years, she brings expertise in social work, technical education, and peacebuilding. On the UCP Rwanda Board of Directors, she serves as Treasurer of the Executive Committee.

DR. Jean Bosco Niyonzima, Secretary, Executive Organ

Dr. Jean Bosco Niyonzima is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Ubuntu Center for Peace, where he provides overall leadership, strategic direction, and oversight of fundraising and partnership development. He also serves as President of the Executive Committee of the U.S. Board of Directors.

With more than 12 years of leadership and management experience in international development and humanitarian contexts, Dr. Niyonzima has worked across seven African countries. From December 2016 to March 2020, he served as Global Clinical Governance Advisor at Save the Children International Headquarters in London. Prior to this role, he worked in challenging contexts, including South Sudan, Niger, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Liberia, and Rwanda, with organizations such as Partners In Health, Last Mile Health, and International Medical Corps.

He has also contributed his expertise as a member of the Board of Directors for World Learning, a global organization dedicated to education and international development, and Blenheim CDP, a UK-based organization providing services for people affected by drug and alcohol dependency.

A Rwandan medical doctor, Dr. Niyonzima, earned his medical degree from the National University of Rwanda. He also holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development and a Diploma in the Psychosocial Foundations of Peacebuilding from SIT Graduate Institute in Brattleboro, Vermont, USA.

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François Rwambonera

François Rwambonera brings extensive experience in educational planning, administration, project management, and participatory pedagogy. Now retired, he previously served in the Rwandan Ministry of Education and later with the Protestant Educational Department. He holds a Master’s degree in Mathematics along with additional professional certifications.

Dr. Lucien Nzayirata

Dr. Lucien Nzayirata is a medical doctor since 2016, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Rwanda. He has three years of clinical practice experience in both public and private institutions and more than seven years of public health experience across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Dr. Nzayirata currently serves as a Research Physician with Rwanda Zambia Health Research (RZHRG), where he works as a co-investigator on clinical trials, ensuring compliance with international and local regulations to safeguard participant safety and promote research effectiveness.

Dr. Niyonzima Jean Damascene

Dr. Jean Damascene is a Medical Doctor with over 14 years of combined clinical and public health experience. He has served with Partners In Health, Rwanda Ministry of Health district hospitals, and the American Refugee Committee in Rwanda. From 2013 to 2014, he contributed to the UN Humanitarian Mission in Haiti as a Clinical Officer.

He currently serves as a Senior Officer for Community Case Management at the Rwanda Biomedical Center. Dr. Jean Damascene earned his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the National University of Rwanda.

In addition to his professional role, he is an active member of the UCP Rwanda Board of Directors, where he serves on the Conflict Resolution Committee. 

Alvera Murekatete

Alvera Murekatete is a sociologist with a background in education and more than 20 years of experience working with non-governmental organizations. In the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, she co-founded Noyau Pour la Paix in 2000 and has since served as its Coordinator, promoting peace, fostering family harmony, and supporting the community integration of orphans.

She is also a co-founder of the UCP Rwanda Board of Directors, where she serves as a member of the Conflict Resolution Committee.Sr Marie-Josee Maliboli

Sr. Marie-Josée Maliboli

Sr. Marie-Josée Maliboli holds a University Diploma in Public Health (Epidemiology) from Nancy University, France; a Master’s in Public Health (Health Education and Promotion) from the Faculty of Medicine at Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium; and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a focus on Ethno-psychiatry from the High Institute of Social Education and Communication in Brussels, Belgium.

She currently serves as Senior Officer for HIV-Affected Disclosure at the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC). She brings extensive experience in psychosocial care for people living with HIV in Rwanda, having begun her career as Head Counselor at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Kigali (CHUK). She later served as Deputy Head of the TRACPLUS Clinic, where she oversaw quality improvement, clinical care planning, and the coordination of research protocols.

As a Health Education and Promotion Specialist within RBC’s HIV Division, Sr. Marie-Josée has played a pivotal role in training providers and trainers on psychosocial support, with a particular focus on guiding HIV disclosure to children and integrating mental health services into HIV primary care.

Laurien Ntezimana

Laurien Ntezimana is a theologian, peacebuilder, and human rights advocate with decades of experience promoting justice and reconciliation in Rwanda. He is the founder of the Association Modeste et Innocent (AMI), established in 2000 to carry forward the vision of his late colleagues and to advance a “theology of the clutch”—an approach rooted in dialogue, nonviolence, and communal healing.

Earlier in his career, Laurien co-founded the Theological Animation Service (SAT) in the Catholic Diocese of Butare, where he worked alongside Innocent Samusoni and Father Modeste Mungwarareba to raise awareness of the spiritual and social dimensions of peace. For this work, Laurien and Modeste were awarded the Pax Christi International Peace Prize in 1998.

Throughout his life, Laurien has demonstrated courage in the face of violence and repression. During the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and the massacres of Hutu who opposed it, he risked his life to affirm peace and dignity. His outspoken commitment later led to imprisonment, yet also earned him international recognition, including the Theodor Haecker Prize for Civic Courage and Political Sincerity (2003), the Harubuntu Prize for the Promotion of Humanity in Rwanda (2013), and the Ecumenical Peace Prize in the African Great Lakes Region (2014, awarded to AMI).

Today, Laurien divides his time between Belgium, where his family resides, and Rwanda, where he continues to nurture community resilience and accompany those committed to peace.