Board Members

Kristen Kosinski, Chair

Committed to cross-cultural awareness and understanding, Ms. Kosinski is a passionate advocate for women and children. She conceived The Samburu Project while traveling through remote parts of Kenya and working with women’s groups from the Samburu Tribe. Over the past three years, she has raised over $400,000 and drilled 22 wells, bringing clean water to thousands of Kenyans. Beyond water, she is helping to spearhead agricultural initiatives to help women nourish themselves and generate income. She launched the Falkenberg Education Program benefiting thousands of children and continues to forge partnerships with other NGOs to maximize impact in Samburu communities. As Executive Director, she oversees all aspects of The Samburu Project’s operations in the US and Kenya, including administration, program management, board development, and fundraising. She secured The Samburu Project’s NGO status in Kenya and recruited, trained and mentored a Samburu community leader to serve as program manager. Previously, Ms. Kosinski was an Executive at Paramount Network Television. She also taught elementary school in Houston and Los Angeles through Teach for America. She is a founding member of Coalition for Sustainable Africa, serving on their Steering Committee from 2006-2008. She is a 2008 graduate of Women Unlimited’s Lead Program, a leadership program for women in business. Ms. Kosinski received a B.A. in Speech Communication from Pennsylvania State University.

Brian Silverman, Treasurer

Mr. Silverman’s background includes work in government and non-government organizations, education and the performing arts. He is currently a special education teacher with The Help Group at Summit View Schools in Los Angeles. He also works as an actor, writer and director in Hollywood and with Vox Humana Productions. Mr. Silverman served for three years in the United States Peace Corps, first in Haiti and then Guatemala. While there, he focused on sustainable community development with rural farm families through agroforesty. He also taught sustainable agriculture at the University of San Carlos in Huehuetenango. Mr. Silverman graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Clark University with double majors in Government and Education. He also earned a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government where he was the managing editor of The Citizen.

James Vellequette, Secretary

Mr. Vellequette has been working actively in HIV/AIDS prevention and education for almost twenty years both internationally and in the Southern California region. He is Managing Director of the R. Scott Hitt Foundation and a Development Officer for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Los Angeles. Previously, Mr. Vellequette lived in South Africa where he volunteered with the Treatment Action Campaign and The Amy Biehl Foundation Trust. He also served as a volunteer representative for the Peer Education Program/International in Tomsk and Kalpashevo, Siberia under a grant from UNAIDS. Mr. Vellequette has served as a member of the Board of Directors and the Board Development Executive Committee for AIDS Project Los Angeles. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Peer Education Program of Los Angeles, and volunteered as an educational consultant to the Government of Guam. Mr. Vellequette holds a B.A. from UCLA in International Development Studies/Poverty Reduction in Developing Nations with a focus on Central America and sub-Saharan Africa.

Mara Brock Akil, Board Member

Ms. Akil serves as creator and executive producer of the CBS Paramount Network Television comedy series The Game. Previously, she was the creator and executive producer of the hit series Girlfriends. For her writing talents, Ms. Akil has received two SHINE (Sexual Health in Entertainment) Awards presented by The Media Project. Girlfriends has been honored with a Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame Award. Ms. Akil was named one of Vibe Magazine‘s Top 100 Hottest People in 2002 and one of the 25 Hottest Women in urban entertainment by Honey Magazine. She enjoys mentoring young people, especially aspiring writers. Ms. Akil serves on the board of directors of the Center Theater Group (Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre). She received a B.A. in journalism from Northwestern University.

Dr. Susan Baker, Board Member

Dr. Baker is a rheumatologist and attending physician who practices and teaches at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. She is President of Doctors Who Care, a non-profit organization aimed at doctors working in collaboration on charity projects. She also serves on the board of directors of Mesesso Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on educating children and micro lending for their families. Dr. Baker is spearheading The Samburu Project’s upcoming medical mission to Samburu with the intention of training tribal people on basic first aid and strategies for healthful living. Dr. Baker received her M.D. from The Chicago Medical School.

Robert Falkenberg III, Board Member

Mr. Falkenberg recently retired from Babcock & Brown after a 29-year career in investment banking. For 15 years he has served on the board of Aim High, a San Francisco Bay Area summer enrichment program for economically disadvantaged youth and plans to continue serving the needs of the underprivileged in his future endeavors. In July 2008, Mr. Falkenberg spent three weeks in Wamba, Samburu with his family. He worked in local schools supported by The Samburu Project as well as in the field, assisting in the oversight of the Project’s third well drill. Mr. Falkenberg received a B.S. in Business Administration (Finance and Marketing) from University of Colorado and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Saul Lempirikany, Board Member

Mr. Lempirikany is a Senior Software Engineer at Parametric Technology Corporation in Minneapolis. A Samburu native, Mr. Lempirikany studied mathematics and physics at Egerton University in Kenya before receiving a track and field scholarship from Iowa State University, where he received a B.S. in Computer Science. He also holds a Masters degree in Software Systems. Mr. Lempirikany is dedicated to helping the people of Samburu.

Dr. Brian Perri, Board Member

Brian Perri, DO is Associate Director of Orthopedic Surgery at the Cedar-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders. His clinical specialty is cervical deformity and spinal tumor reconstructive surgery. Beyond his practice, Dr. Perri is interested in the state of health and well being for the people of communities in developing countries. He plans to lead a medical mission to Samburu with the intention of training tribal people on basic first aid and strategies for healthful living. Prior to practicing medicine, Dr. Perri worked for the American Red Cross. Dr. Perri received his B.A. from Allegheny College and his M.D. from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.  He received his Masters in Neuroscience at the University of Hartford and University of Pennsylvania.

Lisa Rado, Board Member

Ms. Rado is Director of Marketing for WORLD Electronics Sales and Service. She also operates a private consulting business for alternative health care. Ms. Rado has an extensive background in charity work, assisting in events for breast cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, MS, Leukemia, and Lymphoma. Her work with local charities includes the West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation’s Team to Win Program, Manhattan Beach Sister Cities Committee, Hurricane Katrina Relief, and 9/11 Fallen Hero’s Children’s Fund. She co-produced Grid Iron Glamour for the 2000 Super Bowl in Atlanta and Design Cure 2001 in Los Angeles. Ms. Rado received a B.A. in Marketing from Pennsylvania State University.

Michael Rossi, Board Member

Mr. Rossi works in residential and investment real estate and is an entrepreneur in the areas of restaurant, international hostel and real estate development. Mr. Rossi served several terms as President of the Manhattan Beach Sister City Committee and has been an active volunteer for many charitable causes, including the International Community Foundation, 9/11 Fallen Heroes Children Fund, Race to Erase MS, West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation’s Team to Win Program, and Family to Family Holiday Program among others. Previously, Mr. Rossi lived overseas working for an international trade company. His work and charitable pursuits continue to lead him on extensive travels around the world. Mr. Rossi received a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of San Diego. In November 2007, Mr. Rossi spent a week in Samburu working alongside our Program Manager to assess the community’s needs.

Liz Seares, Board Member

Ms. Seares has served as the Executive Director of the Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis since 2001. Previously, she worked for STOP CANCER, where she produced a year-round slate of special events supporting annual fundraising campaign of $1.5 million and co-founded a young professional group, which grew to over 400 members during her tenure. Ms. Seares has also worked as Marketing Communications and Promotions Director for Firstlook.com and Popcast Communications. She has consulted with and produced events for numerous non-profit organizations. She continues to work with W2Promotions on a year round slate of 5k/10k runs to benefit a variety of non-profits. Ms. Seares received a Bachelor Degree from USC’s School of Business with an emphasis on marketing.