Every Story Has a Beginning. Ours Starts With Loss — and Ends With Hope.

E3 Africa was founded on a simple conviction: no child's future should be determined by the circumstances of their birth.

Leadership & Board of Directors

Our leadership brings decades of faith, expertise, and passion to the work of E3 Africa.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Nate Cottrell

Chair

Owner of PRE-CEG, a commercial land development and engineering firm serving Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and California. A civil engineering graduate of the University of Arizona, Nate has chaired the E3 Africa board since 2019 and leads the school construction committee overseeing the STACE campus build-out.

Mike Ingersoll

Chair-Elect

Principal of a private HR consulting firm specializing in executive coaching, employee relations, and organizational development. A graduate of Wayne State University, Mike and his wife Vivian are active volunteers and personally sponsor a child through E3 Africa.

Monica Van Der Werf

Interim Treasurer

A business and finance professional with a Bachelor's from the University of San Diego and a Master's in Finance from San Diego State University, Monica has served on the E3 Africa board for over 19 years. She is especially passionate about education, hunger, and homelessness.

Micki Schroeder, SHRM-CP, PHR

Secretary

Founder and CEO of Trilinear HR, Micki brings over two decades of human resources expertise to E3 Africa. She has served on civic and nonprofit boards across the Diocese of Phoenix and is a recognized HR thought leader in the greater Phoenix area.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sr. Betty Benjamine

Board Member

A Religious Missionary Sister of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sister Betty was born in Uganda and raised in South Sudan. She currently serves refugees, domestic violence survivors, and vulnerable populations through Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Phoenix. She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education from Kyambogo University in Kampala, Uganda.

Steve Ellebracht

Board Member

Steve is a retired global director with more than three decades of experience in research, technology, and international operations. He holds graduate degrees in Chemistry from the University of Missouri and now runs a 3,500acre cattle and grain farm in Missouri with his wife, Karen. He is a dedicated supporter of E3 Africa’s mission, especially the development of the STACE school farm project.

Cecilia Lavallade

Board Member

A finance and accounting professional with over a decade of experience, Cecilia holds a BS in Finance from Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business and an MBA from Grand Canyon University. She is active in Catholic young adult ministry and serves on the Advisory Council of Young Catholic Professionals Phoenix.

Bill Marcotte

Board Member

A theologian and Catholic ministry leader with a Master of Theology from the University of San Francisco, Bill has served in parish and diocesan ministries since the mid-1990s. He is co-founder of Christus Vivit Fellowship and an adjunct professor of Theology at the Kino Institute in partnership with Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Joe Weller

Board Member

A background in engineering and international business, Joe has served on the E3 Africa board since 2014. Married to Jeane and father to three adult children, he resides in Texas and is deeply committed to the mission of E3 Africa.

THE TEAM

Damita Curry

Executive Director

A mission-driven nonprofit leader with over 20 years of experience in strategic planning, fundraising, and communications, Damita leads E3 Africa's donor engagement, partnerships, and day-to-day operations.

Peggy Schumacher

Program Coordinator

Peggy brings a heart for service and years of community leadership experience to E3 Africa, helping bring our programs and events to life with warmth and dedication.

Kimberly Schroeder

Bookkeeper

Kimberly has served as E3 Africa's bookkeeper since 2018, managing the day-to-day financial records that keep the organization accountable to its board and donors.

Be Part of What Comes Next

Sponsor a student, attend an event, or share our story — you can be a part of a legacy that will echo through generations.

Sponsor a Child → Make a Donation →