Our Team
Each of our board members has personally visited Huruma Children's Home and fallen in love with it's children. Mama Zipporah is an inspiration and we are so grateful to be part of the Huruma family!
Board Members
Click each team member’s name to read their biography.
Sara Ghali along with some of her friends from Huruma.
+ Executive Director, Sara Ghali
Sara Ghali worked for 24 years in healthcare finance with positions increasing in breadth of responsibility. She was a certified public accountant for over 25 years and served as hospital Chief Financial Officer in her last role in the corporate sector. Sara made her first visit to Huruma Children’s Home in 2013 and immediately knew that she had a new calling. She joined the Hope for Huruma Foundation board of directors in 2014 and served as treasurer. In 2017, when Huruma’s sponsorship program was being transitioned from another organization in the U.S., Sara moved into the foundation’s executive director role to champion that transition. She implemented the sponsorship program the foundation currently uses and has led the nonprofit into a new season. Sara and her husband have four grown children and help lead a ministry for blended families at their church. They have one grandchild and Sara is currently enjoying her favorite role yet—grandma (or shosho to the Kenyan children). Sara has a tremendous love for her Kenyan family and she is grateful to be able to spend her time raising the awareness and support that she knows can change their lives.
Brad with several of his young Huruma friends.
+ Treasurer, Brad Karlberg
Brad Karlberg is a technology sales and marketing executive, predominately with enterprise storage/server manufacturers. Recently, Brad has helped emerging technology companies grow. He has used his sales and marketing expertise at Celestica out of Toronto. Prior to that Brad grew the Storage business at Intel. Before joining Intel he drove Data Networking sales and management at AT&T. He received his BS from St Cloud State University and an MBA in Marketing from the University of St Thomas. Brad has a life-long passion to help young people find the right path. He inherited that passion from his father, Len. Brad first visited Huruma in 2017 when he was able to share his love of word-working with the children, teaching them to make toy cars. Since Brad joined the Hope for Huruma Foundation board of directors, he has helped shape its strategic direction, organize events, and provide cultural perspective gained during his international travel. Brad enjoys spending time with his family.
Advisory Board
Click each team member’s name to read their biography.
Hope for Huruma Foundation founder, Emmy Rickert, and Salma, one of Huruma's children.
+ Past President, Emily Rickert
Emily Rickert has a master of arts in political science and a bachelor of science in comparative politics and international relations with a minor in legal studies. Emmy’s accomplishments after receiving her degrees from Central Michigan University have been the embodiment of abundant compassion and inviolable perseverance. Emmy is the founder of the Hope for Huruma Foundation and the co-founder of Lasting Smiles Uganda, a nonprofit that helps support and facilities for approximately 500 children in Kyajja Village, Uganda. After beating breast cancer, she also took on the role of motivational speaker with the Susan G. Komen organization with the goal of helping others with breast cancer, particularly young people, to find beauty in the battle and to know there is life after cancer. Emmy is currently focused on caring for her three young children and serving her local community while remaining an advisory board member for the previously mentioned nonprofits. Emmy recently began homeschooling her children and is working on a children’s book inspired by the legacy of her mother.
Dr. Kathryn Kigera in Mombasa on her last trip to Kenya.
+ Katie Breitenborn Kigera
Dr. Kathryn Kigera is the director of quality initiatives in the Division of Early Learning at the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education and currently oversees Capital Quality, DC’s redesigned Quality Rating and Improvement System, DC Child Care Connections, DC’s Child Care Resource and Referral service, the Quality Improvement Network, Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership, Shared Services Business Alliance and workforce enhancement and development programs. She started her career in education conducting research on various grants focused on cultural and linguistic diversity and disability studies at The George Washington University and served as a program manager and interim director of out-of-school time programs with the District of Columbia Public Schools. Kathryn has led innovative research and program design over the course of her career and aims to positively impact child outcomes by providing comprehensive support services to the education community. Kathryn has a bachelor's and master's degree in political science, focused on international relations and comparative politics and a doctorate in cultural and linguistic diversity and disability studies.
Rochelle Lowry, board member, working on an art project along some of Huruma's children.
+ Rochelle Lowry
Rochelle began her working life young, washing dishes at a local cafe, babysitting on the weekends, and spending a large amount of time helping to care for her younger siblings! As a young adult, a career in the cosmetology industry was instrumental in building up her own confidence and teaching skills. When it came time for a career change, Rochelle completed her bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing science. She has been a pediatric speech therapist for 7 years and just recently completed a master’s degree in professional counseling. Having met Mama Zipporah at a local church in 2008, Rochelle’s heart for missions was realized. During her visits to Huruma, Rochelle taught proper hygiene and self- care and given presentations on substance abuse and its potentially far reaching consequences. She has been honored to be a close friend and support to Mama and the children whenever possible! It is Rochelle’s goal to return soon to be part of bringing healing to the mental health aspects of the home, and possibly helping bring some assistance in meeting speech therapy needs in the school.