Avis Dillard-Bullock is the Senior Vice President of Program Services for JMA Solutions, retired from the United States Air Force (USAF) after 28 years of outstanding service. 

She has over 20 years of experience in project and program management, leadership, and process improvement.   She directs JMA Solutions' Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), State Department, and other contracts and manages program groups, including more than 135 employees and numerous subcontractors.

Previously, she held strategic-level leadership positions for the United States Air Force as the senior advisor to the Air Force Judge Advocate General, the Air Force Claims Service Center, led a regional office for the USAF Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and served as Operations and Program Manager at USAF Langley.

Dr. Hudson Jackson is a licensed Professional Engineer with over 30 years of consulting, academic, and research experience in geotechnical engineering, structural design, pavement engineering, construction management, field inspections, and construction quality control. He is a Professor of Civil Engineering at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. In this role, he actively participates in the intellectual and professional development of leaders of character within the Coast Guard. With a background in civil engineering consulting, Dr. Jackson also serves as a general advisor and mentor on professional practice issues.

Dr. Jackson has a solid passion for preparing students for the global community, including educating students to become better environmental stewards and encouraging minority students to pursue STEM careers through engineering exposure opportunities.

Sylvester Renner founded Develop Africa in 2006 after witnessing children and families in Sierra Leone struggling to access education and opportunity. Growing up in Sierra Leone and later earning his MBA in the United States, he combined personal conviction with practical experience to build a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering children and youth across Africa. 

With a background in nonprofit leadership, cross-cultural program coordination, and systems-based governance, Sylvester has spent the past 20 years guiding Develop Africa’s growth—strengthening its programs, partnerships, and commitment to transparency. His vision remains simple and steadfast: to create lasting impact through education, training, and opportunity—one life at a time.

You can follow Sylvester on Twitter @sylrenner or connect with him.
Read more about Sylvester, the Founder.

Parker Russell recently (2019) concluded a successful 35-year career in international investment banking, having worked in London, Chicago, and New York. Throughout his career, though, he has had a passion for economic development in Africa, having started as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya and, more latterly, as a supporter of multiple African micro-finance institutions. Parker and his wife, Lisa, had the opportunity to travel to Sierra Leone in early 2020 to gain a better understanding of our local operations and impact there. They spent nearly a week in Freetown and remote villages, working with the local team and visiting many projects and students Develop Africa support. He came away from the experience with a passion for our work and its impact on the students and their families. 
 
Parker earned his BA in International Affairs at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and his MBA in Finance at the University of Texas at Austin.
 

Stephanie Salt is an international lawyer and seasoned business executive with more than two decades of experience in multinational, multicultural, multicommodity, and multidisciplinary arenas spanning Africa and the United States. The first American to be admitted to the bar as an Advocate by the High Court of South Africa, Stephanie advises some of the world's most disruptive start-ups in AI, blockchain, cloud, space, and e-commerce.

Before founding Intuitive Diagnostics, Stephanie was on the international USAID team that established the International Financial Service Center in Gaborone, Botswana, currently contributing 9% non-mining revenue to GDP; a consultant with Ernst & Young on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Project, facilitating billion-dollar market and supply channels for member countries comprising the SADC; head of intellectual property at Altech in South Africa,  increasing shareholder value by uncovering more than R50M of IP assets and IPR rights; Consulting with Vistage Chairs to increase members by over 100%,  by designing and implementing Build Orange County, Build Arizona, Build Colorado Projects; and a visiting professor at the International School of Cooperation in Wuxi China, assisting China's best minds in innovating and building Chinese brands.

Lydia Riddle is a passionate native of Sierra Leone who enjoys giving back in whatever way she can. 

She has held project management roles in Silicon Valley and has been involved in digital transformation in the UK and the US. 

Lydia holds a Bachelor's in Business Administration a Master's in Business Administration, and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). 

Chisom Uzosike is a media professional, entrepreneur, and proud member of the Nigerian community. He has been partnered with Develop Africa's Workforce Empowerment program since 2019. He is passionate about culture, innovation, and building unity within the diverse African diaspora.

Chisom is a proud HBCU graduate and an alumnus of Howard University. He studied Public Relations and earned his Master's in Supply Chain Management from the University of Maryland. He aims to create media and tech jobs in West Africa and continue empowering bright minds back home.

Donor Relations Coordinator

Amy Baty-Herbert has been with Develop Africa since 2013.

She is passionate about making a difference and works with donors to make a meaningful impact in Africa.

She has a BA in Music and business and has over 17 years of experience in customer service, administration, and marketing. She also has over 13 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, handling grants, public relations, donor relations, social media, and fundraising. 

Her favorite part of her job is sharing photos with the donors of smiling students and families in Africa so they can see the positive impact they are making. 

Joseph Kambay graduated from the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology with a Diploma in Business Administration in 2015.

He then started his work career as an IT Assistant / IT Tutor at Develop Africa Sierra Leone. In 2017, he was appointed Program Coordinator of Develop Africa Sierra Leone and later promoted to Program Officer.

He is pursuing a degree in Procurement and Supply at the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM).

Tamba Sam completed his secondary school education and is proficient in MS Office applications.

After working in the hospitality industry for a few months, Tamba joined Develop Africa Sierra Leone as an Office Assistant in 2015. 

He supports office operations, computer classes, and program activities.

Ramatulai Mariam Sillah

Ramatulai holds a BSc (Hons) in accounting and is pursuing an MBA in Project Management.  

As Develop Africa's Admin/Finance Assistant, Ramatulai manages miscellaneous financial transactions/accounts and record keeping. She previously worked at Talented Young People Everywhere (TYPE-SL) as an Admin/Finance Manager, MUNAFA Micro Finance Limited as an Accountant, Association for Rural Development (ARD-S/L) as a Finance officer, and GOAL S/L as Finance Officer.

Ramatulai enjoys reciting the Holy Quran, reading, and listening to music.

Johannes Tommy holds diplomas and certificates in Microsoft Office Applications, Computer Applications, Computer Hardware, Networking Electronics, Web Design and Development, and Digital Marketing from Africa Information Technology Holding (AITH), Sierra Leone, Blue Crest College, and Cudoo / LearningOnline. XYZ.

He joined Develop Africa Sierra Leone in 2015 and has provided IT training to hundreds of youths. He also helps manage the IT infrastructure of the organization.