Interested in serving our community by joining our team. Check out our open positions .

 

Meet MEISHA LERATO ROBINSON
Our Founder and Chief Executive of Hope

 
 

I AM A LIGHT in dark places.

Meisha Lerato is an Instigator for Change, dedicated to empowering youth and fostering inclusive environments. As the Founder and Chief Executive of Hope at I Am We Are (IAWA), she channels her energy into uplifting South African youth, equipping them with the mindset and tools to achieve self-sufficiency. Through her coaching and inspirational speaking platform, Highest Truth, Meisha offers transformative guidance to individuals worldwide, helping them unearth their true essence and unlock their full potential. Her commitment to living love, reflected in the meaning of her name, is the driving force behind her Co-Founding UNITE, an initiative designed to bridge societal divides and promote understanding.

With a wealth of experience that includes roles such as Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Manager at Inspira and Enthuse Marketing, Small Enterprise Development Advisor in the U.S. Peace Corps in Benin, and Marketing and Community Events Manager supporting Special Olympics South Africa through Peace Corps Response, Meisha's career is a testament to her unwavering dedication to creating a world where all people can thrive. Meisha seeks to build a more just and compassionate world, grounded in love, empathy, and deep respect for humanity, and she invites you to join her.

BD-64.jpg
Meisha-Robinson-Film-Festival.JPG
meisha_teaching
Meisha-Robinson-Peace.JPG
 

Meet Our Directors Circle

The Directors Circle is I Am, We Are’s Global Board of Directors.

 

Koffi Assouan is an international development expert who specializes in market-driven development, program partnerships, and employability and youth. Koffi has over 15 years’ expertise in sectors such as education, trade facilitation, and philanthropy. As a strategist and innovator, he has provided positive brand equity for companies such as Coca-Cola, Chevron, developed JBC’s African practice, and managed a $50M+ portfolio of programs/partnerships. He has been fortunate to work with high caliber individuals in various organizations such as Mastercard Foundation, to drive the strategy, policies, and programming for sustainable development. He is an advocate for trusting youth to lead and appreciate humility, respect for others, genuine intellectual curiosity, generosity, and diversity and inclusion.

Koffi Assouan (Canada)
I AM TRUSTING YOUTH TO LEAD.
Co-Chair

Rachel Torres is the Administrator and National Director for the Employment Training Administration’s (ETA) Office of Job Corps at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). She previously served as the Associate Administrator for Administrative Operations in DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), whereas an integral part of the agency’s Executive Leadership Team, she oversaw its operational functions, including budget, procurement, business transformation, information technology, and human resources. Over the years, she has served as the Chair of the DOL’s Diversity and Inclusion Council and several other department-level executive committees.

She is currently the Vice President of the African American Federal Executive Association (AAFEA) – an organization dedicated to developing African American senior executives in the Federal Government. Since 2017, she has served as the Community Affairs Director and Program Director on its Board of Directors. From 2017 to 2019, she chaired the Board of the Directors of Washington Leadership Academy, a charter school in Washington, DC that focuses on technology. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology and a Master’s Degree in public administration, both from Baruch College, City University of New York.

Rachel Torres (USA)
I AM HOPEFUL AND OPTIMISTIC.
Co-Chair

Robyn Vilakazi is a seasoned public sector financial management professional. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has spent all of her post-articles career serving the public sector in some capacity. She currently serves as the CFO at the Energy and Water SETA. Robyn is passionate about capacitating people, especially youth, to realize their full potential. She serves as a mentor to several younger qualified and aspiring professionals in her field and is an active volunteer.

Robert Adams Jr. is an independent consultant. Previously, he served as the Senior Vice President for Programs at the NEA Foundation in Washington, DC where he oversaw the Foundation’s programs, including the Global Learning Fellowship and Grants to Educators. Robert also served as Interim Chief Operating Officer at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta and as Program Officer at the Fetzer Institute in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Robert holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin. He has held various academic, research, and advisory positions at the City University of New York’s (CUNY) Graduate Center, DePaul University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2008, he was a Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Professor at the Catholic University of São Paulo in Brazil. Robert has published extensively and has conducted research in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Mozambique, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, and the United States.

Robyn Vilakazi (South Africa))
I AM HERE TO SERVE.  
Treasurer

Robert Adams (USA)
I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN THE POWER OF COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS.
Secretary

Jacqueline Gayle Bony is a U.S. Foreign Service Officer and global development professional with two decades of experience designing and managing health and social service programs in Africa. She currently resides in Pretoria, South Africa posted to USAID/Southern Africa where she oversees one of the U.S. government's largest HIV/AIDS treatment programs in the world. She started her public health career in 2001 as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer working with South African primary school teachers to address the impacts of AIDS on students and their families early in the country’s epidemic. Since then, her work and passion for health and development has also taken across Africa, including postings in Tanzania, Madagascar, and Ghana. Ms. Bony speaks English and French and earned a bachelor’s degree from Clark Atlanta, a historically black university, and a master’s degree in International Affairs from Ohio University. She was born and raised in South Florida by her parents who immigrated to the U.S. from Jamaica in the 1970s.

Jacqueline Gayle Bony (South Africa)
I AM MY AUTHENTIC SELF.

 
 
 

Meet Our Bokgoni Circle

The Bokgoni Circle is the Bokgoni Empowerment Programme’s, I Am, We Are’s South Africa organization, Board of Directors.

 

Mashane Nthutang is a passionate sport and fitness manager and leader possessing a strong commitment to social justice and advocacy for the voiceless especially those with intellectual disabilities. She is in the youth ministry at the Methodist Church of Southern Africa in Cosmo City dedicated to serve in the community and to make the truth Gospel be known and most importantly to mentor and support the youth to beleive in themselves, be courageous, tolerate, respect and strive to achieve what fulfills their hearts. She is currently a Healthy Athletes Manager in Special Olympics Africa Region. She has a Diploma in Sport Management from Rosebank College and an Exercise Science Diploma from Health Fitness Professional Association/Academy qualifying her as the exercise specialist and sports conditioning coach.

Mashane Nthuthang (South Africa)
I AM JOY.

Thami Rangwaga (South Africa)
I AM LIVING MY DREAMS.

Kaeden Arnold is American born and African bred. His passion for education led him to Rustenburg where he first met Meisha. He was there to work on grassroots leadership programs in high-schools. Following this, he formalized a high-school to university bridging program called 13th Year and led other student programs such as the Bafokeng Student Legothla, before returning to Johannesburg to work in management consulting. Kaeden has an undergraduate in Politics and International Relations form Wits University, a Post-graduate Diploma in Business Admin, a Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship and is currently studying towards a Masters in Philosophy in International Business, all through the Gordon Institute for Business Science.

Kaeden Arnold (South Africa)
I AM INQUISITIVE.