Peter Van Arsdale
Director

Peter Van Arsdale not only oversees African Initiatives, but he also co-founded the Josef Korbel School's Humanitarian Assistance program. In these capacities, as well as in his role as Senior Lecturer, he imparts his expertise on humanitarian aid, complex emergencies, human rights, community development, and cross-cultural relations, especially with regard to refugee and immigrant populations. He also focuses on civilian-military collaboration in humanitarian assistance. His latest book Humanitarians in Hostile Territory: Expeditionary Diplomacy and Aid outside the Green Zone (2010, with Derrin Smith) approaches this subject and more. Professor Van Arsdale's imprint is found in numerous of African Initiatives' partner organizations, revealing his Africanist character. He is involved with the DU Kibera Project, MaiMisham, and acts as faculty advisor for Students for Africa. Additionally, he is co-founder of The Denver Hospice.

Julia Rinegar
Chief Student Assistant

Julia is the primary liaison between Korbel students and African Initiatives' partner organizations. She is also in charge of updating and maintaining the website. She is a second-year Masters candidate in International Development, with special interest in humanitarian assistance and disaster management. Julia interned with the Denver-based African Community Center as a case manager in refugee resettlement. She has traveled to Egypt and hopes to get to more of Africa in the coming years.

Students for Africa (Check out their Facebook page here!)

Molly McEachern
Co-President

Molly is a second-year Masters candidate in International Development, with a primary focus on Southern Africa. Her interests include governance and post-conflict transitions. She has traveled extensively throughout Southern and East Africa and has worked with the Borien Education Foundation of Southern Africa (BEFSA) which is committed to poverty reduction through education based out of the University of Fort Hare, SA..

Issah Mohammed
Co-President

Issah Mohammed is originally from Ghana. In addition to being a second year International Development student, Issah runs a non-profit in Ghana called Shaissah Rural Community Organization. This non-profit serves as an empowerment organization for rural and some urban dwellers that seek to meet basic needs- food, clothing, shelter and medical access. He is also a co-founder of Salma Consult Incorporated, an international trade and Foreign Direct Investment firm. Salma Consult Incorporated advises companies and other entities that seek to invest in Africa's emerging markets and promote International trade between the United States and Africa. Currently, some of the projects Salma Consult Incorporated is involved include Solar Powered Street lights in Africa, some Mining investment opportunities and transportation projects in Ghana among others. Through the International Development Program at DU, Issah focuses on aid and foreign direct investment in Africa.

Deborah Nicol
Co-Vice President

Deborah is a first-year Masters candidate in International Development, with a certificate in Humanitarian Assistance and a primary focus on child protection. She has traveled and volunteered across Madagascar, Southern and East Africa. She spent a summer training teachers in Zambia how to utilize Impact Network e-learning systems in their rural classrooms. Deborah continues to manage a Kenyan organization, Life Centre Butere, which raises secondary school scholarships for orphans of HIV/AIDS and civil war.

Jessi Findley
Co-Vice President

Jessi is a first-year Masters candidate in International Development, with a primary focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Her interests include working with people in local communities, especially AIDS-orphaned children, governance and  capacity building.  She has traveled to South Africa where she worked in an AIDS orphanage (House of Resurrection AIDS Haven) that specializes in providing children with normal family environments while monitoring HIV regimens. She hopes to return to Africa upon graduation to continue learn from and work with local communities.