Our Team

Georgina Adongo brings over a decade of deep-rooted experience in the NGO sector. A seasoned leader in programme management and delivery at scale, engineers’ sustainability.

She is renowned for her ability to build high-performing teams and drive transformational change and architects impact. Most recently serving as Deputy Country Director, Georgina led Ghana's programme implementation with rigor and strategic vision.

Georgina Adongo assumes the role of Country Director at Lively Minds Ghana as one of the most accomplished leaders the organisation has ever produced. She has risen through every level of the organisation to stand at its helm, carrying with her an intimate understanding of every dimension of what Lively Minds does and an unshakeable conviction in why it matters.

Georgina holds an MSc in Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, paired with a BA in Geography and Rural Development, her academic formation reflects the foundational lens through which she has always understood development work

As a globally credentialed Project Management Professional (PMP), she brings to work mastery of structured programme delivery, resource stewardship, and risk management at scale.

As a leader, Georgina channels her passion, dedication, and diligence into everything she does, inspiring those she leads to deliver results that matter.

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James leads all things implementation in Ghana and Uganda and is based in Tamale, Ghana. He ensures that all risks and challenges are quickly identified and mitigated.James was appointed as Director of Programme Delivery in 2024, having previously held the Ghana Country Director role since 2021 and Deputy Country Director role from 2020. James’ progress through the organization has been notable, as he began his journey at Lively Minds as Regional Manager for the Upper East in 2014.  

He has been involved in all aspects of Lively Minds' work in Ghana. This includes being instrumental to our growth in the Upper East region; fundamental to the set-up and expansion of the Lively Minds Together radio show; and a key figure in the establishment of the Ghana Government's Lively Minds Programme Working Group.

Jackee, as she prefers to be called is the Interim Head of HR based in Accra. Jackee is a passionate and professional HR Practitioner with over 15 years work experience in human resource management, administration, office management, contract administration, operations, board management and high level executive support. She has about a decade work experience in the international NGO space.  

Jackee holds an MBA with a focus in Human Resource Management and a Professional Certificate (level 3) in Human Resource Management from the Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners (IHRMP), Ghana, now Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana (CIHRM).

Prior to joining Lively Minds, Jackee was a freelance Consultant and has also worked with Zormelo & Associates as an ad hoc consultant, iDE Ghana (international NGO) as the Director of People and Culture and CAMFED Ghana (international NGO) as the Human Resource Manager.

Her career span include working with the Embassy of the State of Israel, Public Procurement Authority, G-Oak Consult Ltd., Revi Motors Co. Ltd., Efoshi Cargo Services and ABM Consult Ltd. in different leadership roles.

Jackee finds joy in volunteering, mentoring emerging HR practitioners and working in the NGO sector.  

Her favourite quote by Peter Schutz is “Hire character. Train skill.”

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Ursula is a specialist in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, bringing over 13 years of experience in the education sector. She has collaborated with organizations such as Expertise France, Global Schools Forum, and Camfed International.

Ursula is dedicated to building learning-centered systems and promoting practical, user-friendly approaches. She is especially enthusiastic about innovative solutions that empower children to reach their full potential.

Ursula holds an MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and studied history at Durham University.

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Norah serves as Country Director Uganda and is based in Jinja district, she is an experienced social worker with over nine years’ experience working with international NGOs in Uganda. She is passionate about empowering communities and has led programmes in livelihoods, sexual and reproductive health, education, and early childhood development.

Norah joined Lively Minds in 2021 and has since grown from Programme Coordinator to Uganda Country Director. In her current role she provides strategic leadership and direction to the Uganda country office by driving high-quality programme delivery, including overseeing the existing programme delivery, strengthening operational systems,and guiding teams through change

Norah holds an MBA in Project Planning and Management from Makerere University, a BA in Social Work and Social Administration from the Islamic University in Uganda and a Certificate in Administrative officers Law from Law Development Centre,Kampala.

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Nelson is an accomplished communications and advocacy leader with 20+ years of experience in strategic communications, media relations, digital engagement, and advocacy across sustainable finance, trade, regional economic integration, and development policy-driven organizations. across diverse platforms.

Prior to joining Lively Minds as the Director of Strategic Communications & External Engagement, he has been Director, Strategic Communications & Engagement at FSD Africa, Communications Director and Senior Communications Manager at TradeMark Africa, Communications Director at TMARC Tanzania and Media Director at WPP Scangroup. He has proven expertise in institutional branding, crisis communications, media relations, and thought leadership positioning. 

Nelson is adept at leading high-stakes communications for global events, global coalitions, philanthropic partnerships, engaging policymakers, and crafting compelling narratives that influence policy, mobilize investments, and drive institutional impact while enhancing organizational reputation and stakeholder engagement across diverse platforms. 

Nelson holds a bachelor’s of commerce degree (marketing option), is currently pursuing his Master of Arts in Strategic Communication, holds a diploma in Information Systems and is a member of the International Public Relations Association and Public Relations Society of Kenya. 

Nelson is a Kenyan citizen currently residing in Kigali, Rwanda.

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Abby Murphy is the head of content based in Uganda. She leads the design and development of the Lively Minds portfolio of curriculum, including the technical support package for government and a parenting course and radio show for parents.  

She ensures the curriculum is simple enough to scale through government systems, whilst founded in behaviour change techniques, to improve the early childhood care and education provided to rural children.

She joined Lively Minds in October 2020 as the Global Content Officer, building her expertise to become a Curriculum Specialist and later the Global Curriculum Manager before assuming the position of head of content.

Before Lively Minds, Abby completed a BA. International Development and NGO Management, and an MA. Security, Conflict, and International Development.
She worked for non-profit organisations in the UK, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Uganda. Outside of work, Abby enjoys exploring the world with her family and watching her daughter grow.  

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Alison is the founder and CEO and is based in the United Kingdom.

Alison founded Lively Minds in 2008 following a trip to Ghana where she saw the complex challenges facing rural communities and huge opportunities for change. She spent several years living in both Ghana and Uganda working with Mothers and kids in rural communities to design, test and optimise the programme and then later work out how to scale it.

In recognition of her efforts in 2010, she was shortlisted for the Vodafone World of Difference Award. In 2011, she won the Civil Service Award for Volunteering, and in 2012, was short-listed for a Ghana UK-Based Achievement Award.

In 2013, she was a finalist in the Clarins Dynamisante Woman of the Year Award. In 2018 she was a Gratitude Foundation fellow and in 2019 a Rainer Arnold fellow of Mulago Foundation.

Prior to founding Lively Minds, Alison worked as a lawyer in the Central Government for 7 years, working in the Treasury Solicitor’s Department, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Defence. Before that spent 2 years training at Clifford Chance LLP. Prior to that she studied Modern History at St John’s College, Oxford University

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With over 20 years of experience, Thea is a seasoned COO who has worked across the not for profit, government and corporate sectors.  Having spent her formative years as a management consultant with EY, Thea has worked across the globe to support organisations deliver operations (internal and external) in the most cost effective, impactful and efficient way.  Always putting people at the heart of what she does, she has led teams of up to 5000, run offshore shared service and contact centres as well as being a senior leader in government emergency response programmes.  She has been part of the Lively Minds team, often stepping in to lead programmes, since she volunteered in Uganda on a sabbatical from EY in 2011.

Fayudatu Yakubu is the Head of Global Partnerships at Lively Minds, where she leads the organisation’s global partnerships strategy, driving resource mobilisation, strategic growth, and international collaboration to expand access to quality early childhood development (ECD) programmes.

With over a decade of experience in education and international development, Fayudatu has a strong track record of working with governments, donors, and strategic partners to design, scale, and sustain impactful interventions. She holds a Master’s degree in Leadership and Organisational Development and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, which underpin her approach to systems strengthening and institutional growth.

Before joining Lively Minds, she worked with Youth Challenge International, contributing to youth-focused development initiatives and deepening her commitment to community-led change.

Fayudatu previously served as Country Director for Ghana at Lively Minds, where she led the national scale-up of the organisation’s ECD programme in close partnership with government, supporting systems-level change and improved outcomes for young children.

In her current global role, she works across multiple geographies, supporting new country expansion efforts and cultivating high-level relationships with funders, governments, and global stakeholders. She represents Lively Minds in international forums, strengthening the organisation’s global visibility and influence, while contributing to organisational strategy, particularly in partnerships, growth, and funding diversification.

Fayudatu is known for her ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments, build trusted partnerships, and align diverse teams toward shared goals. Her work sits at the intersection of policy, practice, and partnerships, with a strong focus on sustainable, government-led impact at scale.

A proud mother of four, Fayudatu brings both professional expertise and personal passion to her work, driven by a deep belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive from the earliest years.

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Katy is our Interim Director of Finance, providing cover during the maternity leave of our permanent Director of Finance. This is a role she is well accustomed to, as she currently works as a freelance consultant providing temporary finance leadership support to international development NGOs.

She made the leap into international development after a career in the City of London. A three-month volunteering role in Malawi 15 years ago turned into 5 years, marking the beginning of a permanent shift in her career towards the NGO sector.

She loves working with global teams and looking for practical but compliant financial practices that suit different working environments. She enjoys the challenge of quickly getting up to speed with an organization’s policies and processes and looking for efficiency gains in implementation.

Katy also speaks Spanish and French, and in her spare time, you will find her on the cricket field, at a quiz night, or enjoying a board game.

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Mubarik is our National Government & Stakeholder Engagement Lead where he fosters collaborative relationships with government agencies, stakeholders, and partners to advance the Lively Minds mission in Ghana. Prior to his current role, he served as District Liaison Officer at Lively Minds and Youth Advocacy Lead at Marie Stopes International Ghana, honing his skills in community engagement and advocacy. Mubarik holds a Bachelor of Health Science Education degree and a Master of Public Health degree from the University for Development Studies. He is an alumnus of the ECDAN Knowledge Fellowship, where he served as a knowledge fellow and peer mentor. Mubarik is passionate about research and has published peer-reviewed research papers, demonstrating his commitment to evidence-based practice. Mubarik brings a unique blend of technical expertise, deep understanding of governance dynamics and strategic thinking to his role. His commitment to driving positive change is evident in his work, as he continues to push boundaries and explore strategic moves to create lasting impact through effective partnerships and stakeholder engagement.

Noble is the radio Manager based in Bolgatanga-Ghana. He leads the implementation of the radio programme in called Lively Minds Together in Ghana, with more than a decade of experience in project management, procurement, monitoring and evaluation.

He rose through the organization from 2018 as a community development officer to District Coordinator in 2020.

He has worked with various organizations in West Africa and North America within the agricultural and engineering sectors where he was responsible for monitoring ethical fishing practices and procurement of materials for the construction of storage tanks in the Tema Oil refinery.

He studied Adult Education and human resource at the University of Ghana and Marine Engineering from Regional Maritime University.

Noble is excited to be part of a team that is poised to impact positive change in the lives of the rural communities in Ghana.

He is a trained pilot with a commercial license.

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David is the Quality & Learning Manager based in Tamale-Ghana. In this role, David has led the implementation of the Manager Checks Project. He has supported the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points process between Lively Minds and the National Teachers Council (NTC). He supports other programme activities in the field. David has been on this role for the past seven years.
Until his current role, David was the first Country Manager of Lively Minds Ghana. He occupied this position from 2008 to 2017. As Country Manager, David led the programme implementation, recruitment, finance and administration as well as managing stakeholders.

David has about two decades of experience working in the NGO sector. Before he joined the NGO sector, he worked as a classroom teacher from 1998 to 2004.
He holds a master’s degree in NGO Management and Rural Development from University for Development Studies.

At his leisure time, David spends time in his farm taking care of birds and other farm animals.

David easily makes friends across the globe.

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Caesar Alleonu is the Ghana Finance Manager for Lively Minds' Ghana office, where he leads the finance team and over sees operations in the Bolga, Tamale, and Techiman offices. Collaborating closely with the Director of Finance in UK, Caesar ensures the seamless management of financial operations.

Caesar holds an HND in Accounting and a BSc in Computerized Accounting. He's currently pursuing a Commonwealth Master's in Business Administration (Accounting option) through a distance learning program at Kwame Nkrumah University of Technology.

With almost 10 years of service, Caesar has demonstrated dedication and commitment to Lively Minds' mission. He's progressed from Finance and Admin Officer to Coordinator and now Ghana Finance Manager, bringing valuable experience and expertise to his current position.

Outside of work, Caesar cherishes time spent with his two beautiful daughters, who bring immense joy and fulfillment to his life.

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Philip leads the implementation activities for one region in Ghana and is based in Techiman. Philip leads a team to deliver the implementation activities and leads the Techiman office.

Philip joined Lively Minds on 17th, April 2017 as a Training Officer, acting Northern Regional Manager and currently, the Joint visits Leads

He was the first GES Liaise Officer by promotion in 2018 and the first Senior Liaise Officer in 2019 offering coaching and guidance to other Liaises, District LMCs, and their teams for the first ever whole-District-rollout of the GES Lively Minds programme in 2018 with 42 rural schools under him, he also has expertise in technical training and extension education for rural families.

Philip holds BSc. Agriculture Technology (Economics and Extension) from University for Development Studies and currently pursuing MSc. Project management at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.

He believes in leading people by example and with positive mindset.  

Philip directs Music and loves singing and dancing with his children, making friends, sharing experiences with the aged, and watching mystical movies.

Joachim Gornah is a Sustainability Specialist with over 15 years of experience in Project Management, Organizational Development (OD), Policy, and Procurement within the NGO sector. Since joining Lively Minds in February 2022, he has led sustainability initiatives, ensuring long-term impact in early childhood education through stakeholder engagement, resource mobilization, and policy advocacy.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Linguistics (University of Ghana), a Postgraduate Diploma in OD (UCC), and an LLM in Public Procurement Law and Policy (University of Nottingham, UK). He is also pursuing a PhD in NGO Studies and Community Development at the University of Cape Coast. As a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), he excels in managing large-scale projects within budget, scope, and quality standards.

Joachim has worked across academia, public service, and consulting, collaborating with organizations such as JICA, USAID/JHPIEGO, CRS, and district assemblies. His expertise in capacity-building, community mobilization, and strategic planning drives sustainable interventions that empower communities and improve learning outcomes for young children in the countries that Lively Minds operate.

John Twesigye is a seasoned executive leader with over 15 years of experience in the Humanitarian Development and Corporate service with a rich experience in design and implementation of large scale Education Programmes. He Currently serves as the Gambia Engagement Lead after serving as Country Director for Lively Minds Uganda and held this position since April 2021.

Prior to joining Lively Minds, he was the Education Technical Programmes Manager for World Vision Uganda and also served in various managerial and technical roles at World Vision Uganda from February 2007 to March 2021.

Apart from his current position and as part of his professional career, John has assumed many positions in various business and Corporate sector where notably he is the Past President for Rotary Club of Jinja City and was the Vice President of Presidents for Rotary Eastern Area one. During his tenure as the Club President , he steered the club to win its first ever Rotary Citation Certification which is the most significant award a Rotary club can achieve and is awarded by the Rotary International President.

John is also the Founder member and Chairperson of Golden Medical Foundation which runs the first Pioneer member owned and funded Health Saving scheme in Uganda.

John is also the CEO of Beta Eco Farms which he co-founded with his wife Esther.  Beta Eco Farms is an agro-eco mixed farm located in Wakiso district-Uganda  and has risen to prominence for being a leading conservation of various ornamental birds and hundreds of plant species.

He holds a Master’s degree in Education Planning and Curriculum Studies from Ndejje University, a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences (Economics) from Makerere University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management from Gulu University.  He also holds a Certificate of Finance for Non-Finance Managers from Uganda Management Institute.

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Tindana Kubilla, the expansion manager and currently working in Ethiopia as the stakeholder engagement lead for the Oromia Education Bureau (OEB) parent-powered ECD project pilot, joined Lively Minds in April 2021. Prior to his current roles, Tindana served as the Set-Up Manager for the Ghana GES-LivelyMinds Scale-Up Programme.

His interim role in Ethiopia builds up enormous experience in project management, organizational skills, leadership, partner engagement, large team management, and results orientation.

In his primary role as the Expansion Manager, he is in charge of operational planning, risk assessment and mitigation, solution testing, capacity building training, and reporting, including financial and stakeholder management, to move the LM programme to new countries.

Tindana has over 15 years’ experience working in the developmental spheres in several sectors, notably Maternal Health and Nutrition Programmes, Cottage Industries, Evaluation Research, WASH, Youth Incubation and Acceleration Programmes, Volunteer Engagement Programmes, and Education Programme Strengthening and Scaling-Up.  

Tindana worked to train over 1000 Ghanaian youth to acquire soft skills and a good attitude for the job market and in start-up business creation for self-reliance.

Prior to joining Lively Minds, Tindana worked with Crossroads International as a Volunteer Recruitment Consultant of African & Canadian expatriates for CI African Volunteer Cooperation Programme.  

Tindana enjoys a lot of soccer, Shakespeare’s literature, historical authorship, and geopolitics. He is an enthusiastic reader of both English and French novels. He has passion and interest in learning new languages.

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Portia is a result driven professional with a rural development background. As a District Initiatives Lead with lively minds Ghana, Portia leads a team to support sustain implementation through conducting analysis, organizing consultation visits to districts and undertaking robust quality assurance in sustain districts. With her leadership, it will ensure that sustain is working efficiently and meeting stage gates

Before assuming the role of Sustain Manager, Portia served as a District coordinator for two years for upper West and Upper East Regions where she successfully coordinated the implementation of the GES Lively minds programme in 18 embed and sustain districts. Portia also served as a District Liaise officer for a year prior to becoming a District Coordinator where she supported building the capacity of GES officers in 3 districts through training, coaching and mentoring.

Portia is currently completing my MSc. in Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and She holds a Bachelor of Art in Geography and Rural Development from same Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. She is passionate about women empowerment and gender rated issues.