MICHAEL AUYEN KUANY, Founder and CEO

Michael Kuany has dedicated his life to the service of the South Sudanese people and to the South Sudanese refugee community in the United States and Australia. Himself a child refugee at age 6 during the Second Sudanese Civil War, Michael was driven from his home and family along with thousands of other Dinka children, making a dangerous, thousand-mile trek to a relief camp in Ethiopia. During Michael’s 14-year sojourn from one refugee camp to another he educated himself and in 2001 was one of 3,800 Lost Boys of Sudan who attained their citizenship in the United States.

Michael earned his BA in International Studies and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2006 and his MA in Conflict Transformation in 2009 from Eastern Mennonite University. He has also tutored Sudanese refugees and helped them find meaningful employment and has served as an intern with the United Nations Development Program in Juba, South Sudan. Michael founded Rebuild South Sudan, then Rebuild Sudan, in 2005 to offer the children and families of South Sudan an opportunity to educate themselves and rebuild their home – a chance to dream and have a future. Presently, his home is with his wife and two daughters in Australia where he serves as Rebuild South Sudan’s CEO.

Michael often says that, during his difficult childhood, education was his mother and father. The circumstances of his life could have hardened his heart. The loss of family, nation, friends and place is more than most people could endure. But Michael has made a gift of his life to the people of South Sudan.

KATIE RIVERS, Board President and Executive Director

Katie lives in San Francisco and has been working with Rebuild South Sudan since 2011. Her own experiences of loss, grief, and moving forward drive her to support a nation in need of deep healing and restoration. She met Michael Kuany while living at the Church of the Sojourners and learned about the struggle, adversity, and hope from his story. Katie has her B.A. in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Anthropology from San Francisco State University. She spent her early twenties in child development and agriculture.  Her professional background in office administration, sales, and marketing combined with a passion for communications and community development have equipped her with the necessary tools to further pursue the causes of peace and education in South Sudan.

MICHAEL MALAAK MAYEN, Board Member, Interim Board Treasurer

Born and raised in a poverty-stricken village in South Sudan’s Jonglei State and lived in displaced camps in Sudan and refugee camps in Kenya, Michael Malaak experienced firsthand the brutality of poverty. After settling down in Australia in late 2006, he made it a goal to return to South Sudan as soon as he will be done with his studies to contribute in the development and poverty. Michael Malaak took as his responsibility to be a force for good and promote development in South Sudan.  Michael holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics and Finance) from the University of Southern Queensland  and Master of economics from Macquarie University.

PAUL ESSWEIN, Board Member

GAIL K. EFTING, Board Member

Gail started her career in the financial industry over 40 years ago, creating Compliance Management Information Services, Inc. (CMI) in 1981.  Over the last 18 years, through her consultancy practice, she has encouraged adults, and young adults, toward personal transformation and collaborative leadership, particularly as it serves those who have little or no voice.  Gail stimulates supportive learning communities around the world, in which those who have the least opportunity are fully accepted and valued, regardless of differences, whether mental, physical, or cultural.  Gail is committed to community building in adversarial environments through engagement, conflict resolution and indigenous practices, effective communication strategies, and cross cultural dialogues.

Gail has her MA in Leadership and her EdD in Educational Leadership. She is the master mind in our leadership development and non-violent communication components of the teacher trainings. Her experience working cross-culturally puts her in the key position of building workshops which are appropriate and effective for rural South Sudan.

BISHOP PHILLIP A. CHOL, Jalle Diocese

Bishop Philip Akuok Chol serves as a faith leader with the Reformed Episcopal Church of South Sudan since 2004. Bishop Philip was born in Jalle Payam and is now primarily based in Bor town where he leads his current congregation. Bishop Philip was in Kakauma with the Lost Boys and Girls, including with Michael Kuany. Throughout his life, he has planted hope in the hearts of people who have suffered through continued struggle for independence and peace. He believes that planting faith and hope in people is the first steps toward bettering a country in crisis, but education is still needed. He hopes for a better education system in his country so a new generation of educated people could see life. That is why he works with Rebuild South Sudan as a civil society leader and uses his knowledge and experience to make a difference in the lives of young children.

JOHN BUL DAU, South Sudan and Lost Boys Advisor
President of John Dau Foundation

John Bul Dau received his Associates Degree from Onondaga Community College in 2004 and his Bachelor’s Degree in Public Affairs at Syracuse University in May 2011. He was featured in the 2006 documentary God Grew Tired of Us and co-authored his autobiography, God Grew Tired of Us: A Memoir, along with Michael Sweeney. Most recently, he co-authored with his wife, Martha, a young adults book called Lost Boy, Lost Girl. He has founded three non-profit organizations and is a professional speaker. Between 2001 and 2006 John held multiple jobs including working as a server at McDonald’s, a factor inspector and a security officer at St. Joseph Hospital Health Center. He has received numerous awards including the 2007 National Geographic Emerging Explorer Award. John speaks five languages and currently resides with his wife, Martha, and their two daughters and son in Syracuse, New York.

JILL KURTZ, Design Advisor

Jill is an green building consultant by trade, photographer by passion, and a traveler by heart. After working a year in India as a non-profit architect, she realized true sustainability is not a trendy gimmick but a strategy survival in the developing world. She has started her own sustainable buildings consulting firm in Berkeley, CA and is committed to linking projects and people in the west with the needs of the developing world. She has designed schools, hospitals, community shelters and orphan homes in India and Sudan as well provided green building consulting services for Cisco and Dropbox in the Silicon Valley.

Jill served on the board for six years (2010-2016) and now consults on an as needed basis with Rebuild South Sudan.

ZOE MULLERY, Organization Advisor

Zoe’s involvement with Sudan began when she accompanied Rebuild Sudan founder Michael Kuany there in 2007 and experienced firsthand both the cultural and spiritual treasure of Southern Sudan as well as the devastation wrought by the long war. Zoe has taught creative writing for twenty-three years, mostly in the context of prisons or residential drug rehab programs. In both settings she has witnessed the power of the written word to help develop minds and hearts—something she would love the children of Southern Sudan to have the opportunity to experience. Zoe currently teaches at San Quentin State Prison and lives in an intentional Christian community in San Francisco with her 14-year-old daughter.

TREY COOPER, Communications Advisor

Trey serves the organization with over a decade of experience in multi-media production, copy-writing and editing. After earning a diploma in a film direction and production from Vancouver Film School, Try went on to work in Broadcast Journalism in the Airforce. After serving in the Airforce for six years he obtained his B.A. in Emerging Media and Communications from The University of Texas. Trey grew up in Peru, and brings an important international perspective to this team. In his spare time he writes and spends time with his son.

SAMUEL KUAR KUOL, Program Officer

Samuel is a youth from Jalle and an expert on the needs of the community. He is a skilled administrator and communicator in our organization, whether it is pulling together a list in excel, coordinating staff for training, writing reports or photographing life in Jalle. Last year he traveled around to talk to the residents of the Jalle and find out about their experiences and immediate needs.

PAUL CHOL, Finance Officer

Paul is from Kolnyang. He is talented in the sciences, holing a B.Sc. in Math and Physics from Juba university and a B.A. in Economics from Makerere University. His professional background in Juba is in the banking industry.

JOYCE KEJJI, HR Intern

Joyce graduated from Uganda Christian University with a B.A. in Human Resource Management. In addition to her internship with us, she runs operations at Friendship Guest House in Juba. Joyce is serious when it comes to work, but her free time she can be found laughing often.

YUOT DUT AKECH, Contract Photographer and Videographer

Yuot is a youth from Jalle working to make a difference through visual arts. He does photography and videography when Rebuild South Sudan has an event on the ground. In his spare time he works on his own original film compositions on life in South Sudan. His goal is to promote peace through documentaries; his is especially interested in working on concerns of cattle raiding.

SUSAN ESSWEIN, Director of Education

Susan’s passion for education was ignited when she and her husband opened a private school in their home over 25 years ago. Since then, she’s had the privilege of teaching agriculture at a Bible Institute in Bolivia, South America, initiating after school programs in Bolivia, Arizona, and California, founding and teaching at home school co-ops in Arizona and California, leading youth service teams to Belize, Central America, and tutoring high school and college students n the Bay area in ESL and other subjects. Susan felt honored to help develop and share the student-centered curriculum during the 2015 Teacher Training in Bor, and looks forward to continue partnering with the resourceful and resilient South Sudanese educators.

MICHAELA WONG, Communications Website & Design Volunteer

Michaela Wong is a Communication Studies major at San Francisco State University. She was born in Wuhu, China as part of the one-child policy introduced in 1979. At five months old Michaela was adopted and moved to Los Angeles, California where she grew up to be intrigued with how she could help others. Michaela had the opportunity to serve as a Youth Ambassador in Nicaragua. It was here that she learned that in order to help others, we need not to impose views, but instead listen, be a partner and a resource in order to meet the needs of a community. She is now delighted to learn and be a resource for the South Sudanese people by working with Rebuild South Sudan.

JENNY PROSA, Finance Volunteer

Jenny Prosa is a detailed record keeper and professional administrator. Her background is in social work, which has not only given her a vision for social justice in the world, but also makes her an effective and compassionate communicator within the organizations she supports. She is passionate about photography, and is responsible for the art on our 2016 winter holiday cards. When she’s not taking pictures and organizing details, she’s probably cooking an immaculate dinner for her friends and family.

AMY FOOTE, Record Keeping Volunteer

Amy Foote is an opera singer and music teacher in San Francisco, where she received her Master of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory. Her attention to detail makes her an excellent technical musician and a fantastic record keeper for Rebuild South Sudan. Her predisposition toward social justice drives her to support and contribute to Deborah and Michael Kuany’s vision for education and peace in South Sudan. Amy is a proud member of the San Francisco Succulent and Cactus Society.

RENATA BROWNE, Executive Administrator

Renata Browne is an educator and aspiring social entrepreneur in San Francisco, where she has lived since 2008. She has been volunteering with Rebuild South Sudan since June 2014 and keeps many of the behind the scenes details in order. In 2015 she was an integral part of coordinating the Rebuild South Sudan Teacher Training. Her drive to see a healed world makes her passionate about education, economic sustainability, and peace in South Sudan. She works in the San Francisco Unified School district as a paraprofessional. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Pacific Lutheran University.

WINDY TRAN, Research Volunteer

Windy Tran is a Humanities major at San Francisco State University. She is originally from Garden Grove, California but now a new resident of San Francisco. Windy has always has a passion for helping others in fact, various programs she has volunteered for taught her the value that education has, and the impact that it has on others. Rebuild South Sudan gives her the opportunity as a researcher to bring the South Sudanese community scholarships to further their education.

CAROLINE SCHULBERG, Communications Volunteer

Caroline Schulberg is a junior at Convent of the Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco. Her vigor for social change, determination to spread peace, and desire for partnering with South Sudanese working for change motivates her to work with Rebuild South Sudan. As a sophomore, Caroline studied the crisis in South Sudan as her final project. As a result, she wants to draw the attention of her generation to the South Sudanese story through social media and blogging. In addition to supporting media communications for RSS and being a student, Caroline passionately writes her own lifestyle blog.