Trustees
We are fortunate to have a fantastic Board of Trustees from a range of backgrounds.
They bring a wealth of knowledge about education, childhood development, business, and strategy. All our trustees are volunteers and meet regularly with our CEO to set strategy, oversee the work of the charity and ensure funds are effectively and appropriately spent.
Peter Ryan
Chair of Board
Peter has a marketing and business background gained from mainstream multinational consumer goods companies across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
He then started a number of UK businesses in the food, traceability and parking services area before founding the MicroLoan Foundation, a micro-finance charity that provides business training, mentoring and small business ‘start-up’ loans to poor women in rural sub-Saharan Africa.
Peter has a strong affiliation to Africa and is keen to bring his skills to help Lively Minds scale up its operations.
Alison Hart
Trustee
Alison is a qualified lawyer and former group company director of Harman International, a multi-billion-dollar organisation specialising in professional and OEM audio products.
She has 13 years' experience in marketing and strategic planning in an international business environment and is an active supporter of several charities operating in Africa and South America. Alison firmly believes in our philosophy of community-based programmes of early learning through play designed to release a child’s potential and build the confidence and abilities of the community volunteers who deliver them.
She brings to the Board commercial awareness and in-depth knowledge of financial planning and business development to help Lively Minds take the next step to reach even more children in the rural communities of Uganda and Ghana.
Remus Brett
Trustee
Remus spent the past 10 years setting up and growing a management consultancy business, Finalta, which was acquired by McKinsey in 2011. During this time, Remus took the business from concept to a global company with nearly 100 employees in four regional offices.
Remus had the opportunity to meet our Founder, Alison Naftalin, in 2014 and was hugely impressed with the work we were doing and Alison’s vision for our future. Remus brings hands-on experience of scaling a business and says he is “passionate to use these skills to help Lively Minds further extend the impact of the fantastic work being done in Ghana and Uganda".
Maaeme-Yaa Bempah
Trustee
Maame-Yaa is a dual qualified Chartered Accountant (FCA) and Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA).
Having started her career practicing audit at a top 10 professional firm in the City of London, Maame-Yaa moved into industry. Maame-Yaa has been the Financial Controller at a tech developer, as well as the Finance Director of a £20m turnover creative agency. In addition to her current role as Financial Services Director at Notting Hill Genesis, a social housing developer, Maame-Yaa is also a member of the Audit and Risk Board of the Chartered Institute of Housing.
Maame-Yaa has a deep interest in, and knowledge of, Ghana, as her family originates from Accra and Kumasi. Having two small children of her own, Maame-Yaa is also committed to the improvement of educational outcomes throughout Africa, and supporting Lively Minds to reach more communities.
Libby Hills
Trustee
Throughout her career Libby has been focused on improving outcomes for disadvantaged learners in both the UK and sub-Saharan Africa.
She has two teaching qualifications, and started her career as a secondary school teacher in south London.
Libby is currently on the executive team at an award-winning education social enterprise called PEAS, where she leads on government relations, growth opportunities and education strategy. She’s also currently studying for an executive business degree at the London School of Economics. She brings to the Board education expertise, business development skills and experience of scaling an education charity in sub-Saharan Africa. Libby was drawn to Lively Minds’ values-led approach, powerful impact data and scaling ambitions.
Suzannè Butah
Trustee
Suzannè is a UK and Ghana qualified solicitor based in Accra.
After completing her training contract at a City firm, she spent 9 years in oil and gas with the in-house legal department of Tullow Ghana Limited. Currently, she is the legal director and company secretary of Guinness Ghana Breweries PLC (a listed Diageo subsidiary) and a member of its executive team.
A frequent coach and mentor, she is a passionate supporter of people development at all levels and believes Lively Minds’ mission to empower and enliven through creative early learning can lead to an important step change in the resilience of the peoples and communities who adopt it.
Lydia Obaye
Trustee
Lydia is a Chartered Company Secretary with a law degree and a masters in Corporate Governance.
Lydia has worked in financial services and regulation the majority of her company secretarial career, with the main focus of her experience to date being developing and improving complex governance frameworks and facilitating effective decision-making.
Lydia has always been keenly aware of and frustrated by the differences in opportunities afforded to children depending on where they were born, so was drawn to Lively Minds due to its empowering approach to bettering the lives of children in rural Uganda and Ghana.
Gordon Carver
Trustee
Gordon first met Ali, Lively Minds’ Founder, in 2013 while he was running a Girls’ Education NGO in Ghana.
After seeing the superb Lively Minds model in action in several rural Kindergartens, Gordon was an immediate Early Childhood Development convert and therefore, when Ali asked him to join the Board of Trustees five years later, Gordon instantly accepted.
Gordon has spent over a decade working in the education and international development sectors, and has lived in Kenya, Tanzania and Ghana, in each of which he has helped launch new education organisations. Gordon is now the Chief Executive of a UK education charity which owns and operates 3 independent schools and 2 Academies. Gordon looks forward to helping support Lively Minds in its next phase of growth and continuing to champion the importance of early childhood development.
Esther Awovi Akafia
Trustee
Esther is an Entrepreneur, an Attorney, and an experienced International Development professional with over 20 years’ experience working and leading global teams. Esther’s work has included Corporate Attorney for Opportunity International, a global microfinance organization, Africa Director for Human Resources for FINCA International- a global microfinance & International Development organization, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of FINCA Microfinance Bank, Nigeria, a fellow at RSF Social finance in Sans Francisco and McCain institute USA and the Founder and CEO of Pioneers International Academy.
Esther’s areas of interest include leadership, education, and entrepreneurship. In the last 5 years, Esther has been focused on establishing schools in Africa and is determined to enable learners to develop their capacity to make an impact in Africa and beyond. Her motivation stems from how education has changed her own trajectory and given her opportunities globally. At Lively Minds, Esther aspires to support the CEO and her team to expand their outreach, impact and ultimately prepare young minds for success in education.