Team & Board Members

Anne Drane

Anne Drane is a visionary leader, business strategist, and advocate for women’s empowerment and sustainable development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business with a focus on Finance, along with post-graduate coursework in Contract Law, Human Rights Law, and other multidisciplinary fields that strengthen her ability to lead mission-driven organizations. She is always seeking knowledge.

A graduate of Macy’s Workshop for Entrepreneurs in New York and recognized as a KXAN Remarkable Woman of Central Texas, Anne combines her business acumen with deep compassion for community-led impact.

Through SAWA SAWA, Anne channels her passion for empowering women into tangible change using ancient craftsmanship as a tool for economic empowerment, cultural preservation, and wildlife conservation. Her work has created pathways for women in rural Kenya to earn sustainable incomes, access education for their children, and contribute to environmental stewardship.

Anne oversees a global, multicultural team across three continents:

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  United States Team: Board of Directors, Advisory Board, Branding Team, and Volunteers who drive strategic growth, partnerships, and fundraising.
  
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  Bangladesh Team: E-commerce, Advertising, and Marketing specialists who expand SAWA SAWA’s digital presence worldwide.
  
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  Kenya Team: Operations, Logistics, Communications, Production, and Quality Control teams that work hand-in-hand with artisan cooperatives and local partners.
  

Beyond her work with SAWA SAWA, Anne serves on various boards and advisory committees that advocate for social enterprise, conservation, and community-based development in Austin, Texas. She is also a speaker on sustainable fashion, women’s leadership, trade and conservation.

Anne Drane’s leadership is grounded in one belief: sustainable change begins with empowering women to lead the solutions in their own communities.

Connect with Anne on Facebook here or on Linked in here

NGO specialist and consultant Kenya

Alice Kimani is a strategic leader with a passion for empowering women and girls in developing countries. She holds an MBA in Strategic Management and has built her career around advancing gender equality, sustainability, and local capacity development.

With a professional background spanning ActionAid, Oxfam, Christian Aid, CAFOD, and Tearfund, Alice has coordinated multi-country initiatives focused on strengthening women-led organizations and community resilience. During her tenure as Capacity Strengthening Coordinator at ActionAid, she led self-assessments and organizational-development programs across Kenya, DRC, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh, working closely with national partners and international NGOs to align local action with global goals for women’s prosperity.

At SAWA SAWA, Alice serves as Chair of the Production Committee, ensuring that production systems, resources, and artisan processes operate efficiently and ethically. Her leadership guarantees that every basket, bag, and beaded piece reflects not only world-class craftsmanship but also fair and transparent operations.

Beyond SAWA SAWA, Alice leads several enterprises in Kenya that work directly with artisans and women, providing training, employment, and sustainable market access. Her on-the-ground experience brings invaluable insight to SAWA SAWA’s mission of building sustainable, locally-led solutions to poverty through craftsmanship, conservation, and community empowerment.

Lillian Katumba

Lillian joined the Sawa Sawa board in 2021. She shares in the vision and passion of using fashion to empower artisan women in Africa. She is the founder of Zuri Styles. It empowers vulnerable women in Uganda escape sex trafficking. She created a platform for them to share their skills in beading and other ancient craftsmanship. Follow her work on Instagram. Shop and donate to make a difference.

Zuri Styles

Finance Committee - Board of Directors

Heidi Schultz

Heidi Helena Schultz serves as the Head of the Finance Committee at SAWA SAWA. She is a fierce female founder, entrepreneur, and strategic thinker who brings a results-oriented, values-driven approach to everything she does.

As the Founder and President of Rectitude Partners, Heidi leads with integrity and vision guiding her organization towards financial strength, operational excellence, and sustainable impact. She is deeply passionate about empowering women through enterprise, building systems that drive measurable outcomes, and creating opportunities that uplift communities.

At SAWA SAWA, Heidi uses her expertise in finance, process improvement, and organizational development to support the founders and strengthen the foundation of the organization. Her drive and passion make her an invaluable advisor, collaborator, and mentor, ensuring that every decision aligns with SAWA SAWA’s mission of creating sustainable solutions to poverty through craftsmanship, commerce, and conservation.

Operations and Admin Manager

Mitchelle Chepkemboi

Mitchelle Chepkemboi serves as the Operations and Administrative Manager at SAWA SAWA, where she oversees all operational activities and ensures the seamless coordination of our global ecosystem from artisan groups in Kenya to e-commerce and marketing teams in Bangladesh and administrative operations in the United States.

Mitchelle heads all day-to-day operations, managing artisan coordination, vendor relations, and partner collaborations. She plays an integral role in design and production, ensuring that SAWA SAWA’s products meet the highest standards of quality and impact.

She oversees our Kenya-based team including staff, interns, volunteers, and day workers while also maintaining accountability through budget tracking, financial reporting, and operational documentation for the Board, team, and partners. Her attention to systems and structure ensures transparency and operational excellence across all departments.

In addition to operations, Mitchelle collects, analyzes, and stores impact and artisan data, creating detailed statistics that guide SAWA SAWA’s sustainability and empowerment strategies. She also coordinates closely with our Bangladesh team to align e-commerce, marketing, and social media efforts with our broader mission.

With a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in Gender Studies from the United States International University, Mitchelle brings a deep understanding of women’s empowerment, artisan livelihoods, and gender equity. Her academic foundation and professional expertise reflect SAWA SAWA’s core values building sustainable, locally led solutions that empower women, preserve culture, and create lasting economic independence.

Naomi Nguyo

Naomi is responsible for our social media content creation and posting across all channels. She also responds to customer questions across our socials. She creates sales, coupons, coordinates with our adverising and ecommerce teams to cross promote products, she watches trends in fashion and internet to predict designs, colors and products, she reaches out to our donors. coordinates communication between the teams. maintains rapport with our artisans and partners