Meet Our Team

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CHAIRPERSON OF BOARD

Since 2000, Bill has served as the Executive Director for Kikatiti Secondary School that was sponsored and developed through Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota and Christ Lutheran Church in Cottonwood, Minnesota. He has led seven trips to Kikatiti Secondary School with volunteer groups. Bill is a retired former attorney, Realtor® and land developer from Minnesota. He is a graduate of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and Valparaiso University Law School.

BOARD MEMBER

Jim is retired and was the former owner/CEO of Upper Midwest Management Corporation representing clients from the United States and Germany in the areas of both agricultural and commercial property management, purchase and sales. Jim has been intensely involved in the work at Kikatiti Secondary School since the start of this mission in 1999 and has joined Bill Koeckeritz on each of the past many trips to the school. Jim has been an invaluable team member with his understanding of the value of providing educational opportunities to the students of Kikatiti Secondary School.

BOARD MEMBER

Qun grew up in poverty in mainland China and has experienced firsthand the importance of education and the difficulty of getting a good education due to the lack of financial resources. Arriving in America without her parents as a high school student, Qun, through the generous support of many donors earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Science and a Master’s Degree in Economics at the University of California, San Diego. Currently, Qun is a managing director at New Capital Advisors in San Diego, California.

BOARD MEMBER AND SECRETARY

Tony has a long history of involvement with various foundations, nonprofits and faith-based organizations in the metro area of Minneapolis/St. Paul. He has worked as a financial advisor with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) for over twenty years and currently serves as the Secretary of his Catholic parish council in St. Paul, Minnesota. Tony serves as our Secretary of Education for a Bright Future-Tanzania and his passion for our mission is a blessing.

BOARD MEMBER

Tully has served as a Foreign Service Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania since 2005. Between 2007 and 2016 Tully served at the Permanent Mission of Tanzania to the United Nations in New York City, including a role as legal advisor. She holds both a Bachelor of Laws Degree and Academic Laws Degree from Bangalore University in India and a Post Graduate Diploma In International Relations and Diplomacy from the Tanzania/Mozambique Center for Foreign Relations. Tully lives in Arusha, Tanzania.

BOARD MEMBER AND TREASURER

Travis is the Executive Director of Green Lake Lutheran Ministries (GLLM), a three-site summer camp and conference center located in central and northern Minnesota. Travis is a graduate of Minnesota State Mankato. Prior to his time working at GLLM Travis was a teacher and coach In Nebraska. Travis is deeply passionate about education, children and advocating for folks with a variety of exceptional abilities and disabilities. Travis serves as Treasurer of Education for a Bright Future-Tanzania and his talents in technology and growth of a nonprofit is invaluable.

BOARD MEMBER

Allison is a graduate of Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York with a Bachelor of Industrial Design degree and currently works as a Senior Custom Playground Designer at Landscape Structures in Delano, Minnesota, where she strives to create innovative, accessible play spaces which provide inclusive environments for kids and families of all abilities to connect and grow. Allison has a variety of professional experience in Exhibit Design, 3D Design and Graphic Design and provides her creative assistance in the production of various communication materials used by Education for a Bright Future-Tanzania. Her passion to help disadvantaged and deserving kids in Tanzania get an education is evident in all she does for our organization.