Meet our U.S. Team
Laura Baird is a freelance writer who loves to travel, eat, and watch soccer. She holds a master’s degree in history from Loyola University in Chicago, IL. She is a former board member of the Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation and volunteer at the Oconomowoc Food Pantry.
Laura Baird, President
Co-founder
Paula is retired following careers in event planning and marketing. Her passions include photography and travel. She was a founding member of a scholarship initiative, YES (Youth Education Scholarships) and brings 14 years of cultural experiences and relationships accompanying Tanzanians through third world challenges.
Paula Seffrood, Secretary, Co-founder
Steve is a son, father to one, and friend to many who enjoys traveling, biking, kayaking and golfing. His adult life has seen his IT career grow from humble beginnings to a challenging and rewarding position at a global industrial automation company. He currently volunteers at a food pantry in Milwaukee and serves as a commissioned Stephen Minister. He went to Tanzania as a congregational mission trip in 2014 and wants to serve those people and surrounding communities he met during that trip as a member of Big Five Tanzania.
Steve Bell, Member - Treasurer
Shana Quandt, Vice-President
Meet our Tanzania Team
Wife and mother, dentist and newest member of Big 5’s Board of Directors.
Dr. Glory Kweka, Tanzania Team Member
Glory received her Doctor of Medicine degree at the Hubert Kairuki Memorial University in Dar es Salaam in 2022. She completed her internship at KCMC Hospital in Kilimanjaro and currently works at Kibong’oto Infectious Disease Hospital at Siha Kilimanjaro.
Elineema Nassari, Tanzania Team Member
Elineema is the Director of Mt. Meru Astronomical Observatory (MMAO), which provides hands-on science education to Tanzanian youth. The observatory features a 12” Cave-Cassegrain telescope, several portable reflector and refractor telescopes, and a growing library of books and periodicals. He is currently completing his master’s degree in Curriculum Instruction at Mwenge Catholic University in Moshi.
TANZANIA PARTNERS
Based in Arusha, Tanzania, Kyosei Foundation is an NGO that operates a primary school for vulnerable children and conducts workshops for people of low socioeconomic status. They seek to eradicate poverty through education, build up the community, and offer hope for a better future.
A non-profit that supports children to achieve their highest potential through education, creating lasting solutions to poverty in Tanzania by providing tuition opportunities to deserving children while sustaining the learning environment.
An NGO that believes in the concept of balanced families, where quality nutrition, education, and accountability all play an equal role in achieving our goal of a healthy and balanced life for all Tanzanians.