About Us
the inspiration
Khalil Garnem (KG)
~
the vision
OUR BOARD
Andrea Torbey
Having experienced war, immigrating from country to country in the hopes of a better future, and living a portion of her life in the developing world, Andrea Torbey has seen, first hand, the effects of sociopolitical turmoil on quality of life, economics, education and public health. It is these experiences that drive her passion to make a difference in the global community everywhere, but especially in the Middle East and West Africa.
Andrea currently serves as Senior Manager within the Regions and Program Operations Division of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), leading multiple strategic efforts in donor engagement, stewardship, business process improvement, enterprise risk management and more. She is a subject matter expert in the pharmaceutical standards setting process, and in donor engagement and relations. Prior to joining USP, Andrea worked at the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and prior to that, Syracuse University, University of Alabama, ESPN’s Wide World of Sports and the US Olympic Training Center.
A native of Douma, Lebanon, Andrea immigrated to the United States in 1996, after having resided both in Lebanon and Sierra Leone. Andrea holds a Master of Science degree in General Human Environmental Studies from the University of Alabama, BS in Sports Medicine from the Florida State University. Andrea speaks Arabic, French, and Krio.
Roz Garnem Swaffer
Roz is Owner of You MInd You Matter Ltd, UK and a Rapid Transformational Therapist. Granddaughter of the late Khalil Garnem, Roz was born in Sierra Leone, where she grew up until the age of 13, when she was then evacuated during the 1997 civil war and fled with her mother to her now-hometown. Two decades later, Roz remains in Brighton, having just started her own company that focuses on mental and physical wellbeing mostly through the fast and effective RTT hypnotherapy. She has received various training throughout her working life relating to management, organization, project management and business development. Counselling techniques as well as Equality and Diversity have been integral aspects of both her work and personal life.
In her spare time, Roz enjoys cooking, cycling, travelling, listening to music and hiking - but not all at once! She often takes on numerous events to raise money for charitable causes with the last achievement being a 100-mile bicycle ride in the New Forest, UK, to raise money for education in Sierra Leone. She speaks both English and Krio.
Dr. Jattu Cecilia Navo
Dr. Navo works with Montgomery County Government, within the Working Parents Assistance Program and the Connector Entity Program. She also works with the Arc of Montgomery giving direct support services to Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Dr. Navo brings a rich background of Medical and Social Services experience mostly acquired from working in emergencies and post-conflict disaster prone and medically challenged environments acquired whilst working with International medical Corps and American Refugee committee in Africa and the Caribbean on one hand; and working with DHHS on the other hand in the United States of America. It is notable to say she was one of the first responders in 2014 when the deadly Ebola Virus hit West Africa, where she worked directly with Ebola patients.
She is a native Sierra Leonean from the Dambala Kargobai chiefdom Bo District. She attained primary and secondary school education in Bo before Proceeding to Freetown to study Nursing. She further went to Russia to study General Medicine. Dr. Navo is fluent in English, Russian, Mende, French & Krio.
Her passion is to help vulnerable people with empathy and compassion.