SHARE Team | SHARE – Empowering Girls in Africa through Education

Shannon McNamara, Founder and Board Member

Shannon, 18, is a freshman at Rice University, in Houston, Texas, majoring in Women's Studies.

In addition to her work with SHARE, Shannon serves on the United Nations Teen Advisory Board to promote youth involvement in the Girl Up campaign. She was also named a 2011-12 Global Teen Leader for the We Are Family Foundation’s Three Dot Dash Initiative. Shannon is a National Girl Scout Consultant for Girl Scouts of the USA. Shannon recently served as a judge on the National Selection Committee for the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program. Prior to her service work in Africa, Shannon volunteered in Peru, Costa Rica, and India.

July 2011 marked Shannon's 4th summer doing field work for SHARE in Tanzania. Shannon's efforts have been recognized on the national and international level. Please click 'Read more" for a partial list of honors and awards. shannon@shareinafrica.org

Read more

Tabitha Ephraim, SHARE Coordinator, Kagemu Secondary School

Tabitha was selected for the International Youth Exchange Program and will be working for 3 months in Sweden with young people from around the world. Congratulations Tabitha!

Tabitha Ephraim, SHARE's coordinator at the Kagemu Secondary School, is a dynamic, hardworking, and competent teacher, who works efficiently and is able to introduce new ideas to her students. She initiated, and now manages, SHARE's Pen Pal Program in Africa. Tabitha has been employed as a teacher at the Kagemu Secondary school since August 2005 and teaches English, History and Civics. She is also responsible for the "smooth running of extra responsibilities given by the Headmaster", and for working with a team of fellow staff members to achieve school set goals.

Read more

Diane Ashton, Board Member, Vice Chair

Diane is pleased to be serving on the SHARE board as Vice Chair. She is a former journalist who worked as a writer and producer for Court-TV and Fox News. She was also a reporter for CNN Headline News Local Edition and WBZN-TV in Trenton. Diane resides in Morristown with her husband and two young children. diane@shareinafrica.org

Dr. Karen McNamara, Board Member, Executive Director

Karen teaches graduate courses on Children’s Literature at Drew University. Karen, her husband Sean, and their three children, Shannon, Megan, and Brendan, have volunteered together as a family for several summers in developing countries, such as Peru, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Karen has volunteered in Tanzania with her family for the past three summers.

Read more

Barbara Barkley, Board Member, Secretary

Barbara has been active in community service for over twenty years, working extensively with Hospice, local schools, and her church. Currently she is serving as the Coordinator of Stephen Ministry at Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church. She lives in Basking Ridge with her husband and two children. Barbara is honored to be a part of SHARE. barbara@shareinafrica.org

Sean McNamara, Board Member, Treasurer

Sean has been an entrepreneur specializing in the financial markets for the past 31 years. He was Chairman of both a U.S. and Irish futures exchange and was also the founder of the world's leading prediction market: Intrade.com. Sean is Shannon’s father and has volunteered in Tanzania for the past three summers and will be traveling there again this July. sean@shareinafrica.org

Charlie Bender, Bookkeeper

Charlie is SHARE's 2011 Volunteer of the Year! He is employed as an Associate at Smith Graham. Charlie earned his Master's Degree in Finance from Villanova University (2009), and an undergraduate degree in finance with a minor in economics from St. Bonaventure University (2008). Charlie is proud to be helping SHARE carry out Shannon's vision. charlie@shareinafrica.org

Read more

Sam Levine, Social Media Consultant

Sam has been working in the social media / start-up world since 2008 and is eager to bring her experience to the SHARE team. She recently graduated from Colgate University with a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology and now works as a Social Media Analyst at Barnes & Noble.

Justina Rwebogora, SHARE Coordinator, Kiteyagwa Primary School

Miss Justina is the Head Mistress of the Kiteyagwa Primary School, Bukoba, Tanzania. She is responsible for convincing the mothers to allow their daughters to attend the SHARE program. In August 2008, Justina and Shannon held 3 parent meetings to explain the value of educating girls and how participating in the SHARE program would ultimately help their daughter, their family, and their community.

Read more

David Wall, Technology Consultant

David has 20 years of national account sales management and marketing experience in the consumer product industry. He is a technical advisor for web site development. He served as the race director for "Miles for Melanoma 5 K," helping to raise $230K in the last 3 years. Both Sue and David are English but have been living in New Jersey with their 2 children for 8 years. Their daughter, Hannah, is an active SHARE volunteer. david@shareinafrica.org

Megan McNamara, Photographer

Megan is SHARE's official photographer, having documented SHARE's growth in Africa every summer since 2008. She will be on assignment for the 4th time this July in Bukoba, Tanzania.

Megan is the marketing and social media manager for Sedgwick & Cedar. She graduated from the University of Richmond with a BA in Rhetoric and Communication Studies (2011).

Photography became a central role in Megan's life during high school. She has held photography exhibits and has been nationally published. Volunteering in China, Guatemala, Peru, Costa Rica, Chili, and Tanzania, Megan thrives on taking photographs of the local people and culture of these international regions. www.MeganMcNamara.tumblr.com

Sue Wall, SHARE Scholars Consultant

Sue is an accomplished businesswoman with over 25 years of global marketing experience in the consumer product industry. She advises SHARE on the SHARE Scholars program. sue@shareinafrica.org

Brendan McNamara, Media Consultant

Brendan has written, filmed, and produced three documentaries for SHARE: Meet Joanita (2009), which has been aired on national television, Sharing Hope (2008) which earned 3rd place in the Nike Girl Efffect Video Challenge, and was a finalist in the Do Gooder International TV Awards, and Hekima: SHARE's new project (2010).

He is a 2010 graduate of Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, with a BA degree in Communicatons. He is an avid film maker who has won numerous awards for his work. Brendan is an Eagle Scout, and has volunteered in many countries including Thailand, China, Costa Rica, and Peru. He is proud to be a member of the SHARE team and has volunteered in Tanzania for the past three summers.

Read more

Terry Carruthers, Solar Energy Consulant

Terry is a native of Dublin, Ireland, who has traveled several times to Africa. He moved to the U.S. in 2004 and completed his Masters degree in Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies, and successfully passed the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) exams. Terry has recently started a solar company in New Jersey and is offering his knowledge and expertise to the SHARE program and the "Light for Learning" initiative. Terry is also a long-time environmentalist and the author of a number of books including ‘The Birds of Killarney National Park’ (1993), ‘Kerry: A Natural History’ (1998).

Read more

Mugisha Rugalema, SHARE Teen Ambassador, Kangabusharo Primary School

Mugisha Rugalema, 15 years old, is a student at St. George's school in Rome, Italy. and manages the SHARE Club in Rome. Born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Mugisha travels to Bukoba with his family every summer for 6 weeks. While there, Mugisha is SHARE's Teen Ambassador to the Kangabusharo Primary School, the same school his father attended for 7 years as a child. This summer Mugisha helped install solar power into the SHARE library at the Kangabusharo School and spent a great deal of time volunteering in the SHARE library. Read Mugisha's 2010 SHARE Field Report here