Board of Directors
From Uganda
Jeniffer Veronica Mukhwana
Ms. Mukhwana qualified as a Ugandan Primary School Teacher from Shimoni Teacher Training College in 1998 and at Kyambogo University Kampala in 2008. She worked for 12 years with the Government-Aided Kalinabiri Primary School. She then voluntarily left this career to become a lay-midwife in Uganda’s vast rural Wakiso District — to assist only one nurse assigned to support all delivering mothers and their infants for the Kirinya Health Centre 11. She also developed ‘Vocational Education & Community Health’ work to support young girls and women in their reproductive health care, self-help projects and entrepreneurship skills. With these projects, Jeniffer received and supported an overwhelming number of young girls and women who had dropped out of school from school administration dismissals/suspensions, domestic violence, and becoming orphans upon the death of parents from HIV/AIDs. Recently receiving Canadian citizenship in 2025, Ms. Mukhwana now extends her teaching, leadership and nursing skills by serving as a Certified Personal Support Worker — specializing in management and training of care for the elderly. She has also completed certifications for Occupational and Physical Therapy in support of Canadian health care and serves as the Kiswahili Language Advisor for the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health.
Dr. Andrew Mukwana
Dr. Mukwana is a Canadian Ugandan leader who has served in variety of disciplines across his extensive career. In Uganda, he qualified as a Teacher/Tutor from Kyambogo and Makerere Universities and then achieved a distinguished 34-year career (1985-2019) as a Headmaster at the Summit View Army Primary School in Kampala. In this role, he oversaw all aspects of the education and welfare of students who were children of Uganda’s active-duty military personnel. He has recently received an Honorary Doctorate and been appointed International Relations Director at the University of Muchinga in Chinsali, Zambia, where he is completing his PhD in Community Leadership. Now a Canadian Citizen, Dr. Mukwana also serves as a Safety Officer in Toronto's construction industry. He has recently joined the Founding Board of Directors of the National Alliance of Ugandan Canadian Associations (NAUCA) and is President of the Buruli Cultural Association — in support of the Indigenous Buruli Kingdom in Nakasongola Uganda. Together with his team, Dr. Mukwana organized the first visit of the Buruli King and his Delegation — in Toronto and Ottawa — to gain financial support for a wide range of health and welfare concerns of the Buruli people. He has also certified as a Community Social Worker in 2022 and has recently completed a Paralegal Course about Canadian Justice system, related to immigration. In 2011, he established the esteemed ‘International Muslim & Christian Teachers’ Dialogue’ with participating educators from the United Kingdom, the Middle East, the United States, Nigeria and Egypt. He continues his commitment to these worldwide initiatives — now using WhatsAp technology to facilitate ongoing discussions with and contributions by Africans and African Diaspora from more than 80 countries and serves on the Advisory Council for the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH).
Ms. Mukhwana qualified as a Ugandan Primary School Teacher from Shimoni Teacher Training College in 1998 and at Kyambogo University Kampala in 2008. She worked for 12 years with the Government-Aided Kalinabiri Primary School. She then voluntarily left this career to become a lay-midwife in Uganda’s vast rural Wakiso District — to assist only one nurse assigned to support all delivering mothers and their infants for the Kirinya Health Centre 11. She also developed ‘Vocational Education & Community Health’ work to support young girls and women in their reproductive health care, self-help projects and entrepreneurship skills. With these projects, Jeniffer received and supported an overwhelming number of young girls and women who had dropped out of school from school administration dismissals/suspensions, domestic violence, and becoming orphans upon the death of parents from HIV/AIDs. Recently receiving Canadian citizenship in 2025, Ms. Mukhwana now extends her teaching, leadership and nursing skills by serving as a Certified Personal Support Worker — specializing in management and training of care for the elderly. She has also completed certifications for Occupational and Physical Therapy in support of Canadian health care and serves as the Kiswahili Language Advisor for the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health.
Dr. Andrew Mukwana
Dr. Mukwana is a Canadian Ugandan leader who has served in variety of disciplines across his extensive career. In Uganda, he qualified as a Teacher/Tutor from Kyambogo and Makerere Universities and then achieved a distinguished 34-year career (1985-2019) as a Headmaster at the Summit View Army Primary School in Kampala. In this role, he oversaw all aspects of the education and welfare of students who were children of Uganda’s active-duty military personnel. He has recently received an Honorary Doctorate and been appointed International Relations Director at the University of Muchinga in Chinsali, Zambia, where he is completing his PhD in Community Leadership. Now a Canadian Citizen, Dr. Mukwana also serves as a Safety Officer in Toronto's construction industry. He has recently joined the Founding Board of Directors of the National Alliance of Ugandan Canadian Associations (NAUCA) and is President of the Buruli Cultural Association — in support of the Indigenous Buruli Kingdom in Nakasongola Uganda. Together with his team, Dr. Mukwana organized the first visit of the Buruli King and his Delegation — in Toronto and Ottawa — to gain financial support for a wide range of health and welfare concerns of the Buruli people. He has also certified as a Community Social Worker in 2022 and has recently completed a Paralegal Course about Canadian Justice system, related to immigration. In 2011, he established the esteemed ‘International Muslim & Christian Teachers’ Dialogue’ with participating educators from the United Kingdom, the Middle East, the United States, Nigeria and Egypt. He continues his commitment to these worldwide initiatives — now using WhatsAp technology to facilitate ongoing discussions with and contributions by Africans and African Diaspora from more than 80 countries and serves on the Advisory Council for the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH).
From Ghana
Kekeli Binder
Mrs. Binder holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Edinburgh and Graduate Certificates in Trauma-Informed Practice and Advanced Social Work Practice from the University of Calgary. She is a registered social work practitioner with more than two decades of experience across Ghana, Scotland, and Canada. Her practice is grounded in trauma-informed care and guided by the principles of dignity, safety, equity, and empowerment. Throughout her career, she has supported individuals and families across the lifespan in diverse settings including mental health, geriatrics, developmental disabilities, addictions, child protection, and high-risk environments.
Kekeli specializes in crisis assessment, complex risk intervention, and culturally responsive, strengths-based support for individuals facing acute vulnerability. Her work includes significant experience with people impacted by trauma, systemic discrimination, and honour-based violence. She applies a holistic biopsychosocial-spiritual lens, centering the structural and systemic factors that influence wellbeing and community resilience.
She also holds a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) Level 3 in Health & Social Care (2011) and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed. Hons.) from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana (2001). Her career foundation includes service in the Office of Parliament of Ghana in 2001, where she contributed to administrative coordination and supported parliamentary operations. This experience enhanced her understanding of governance systems, public service structures, and community engagement perspectives that continue to inform her system-level work in social policy and collaboration.
Beyond frontline practice, Kekeli is committed to strengthening structures that support long-term safety and wellbeing. She works with multidisciplinary teams, community partners, and policymakers to identify service gaps, analyze risk, and contribute to policies and frameworks that enhance community resilience. Her professional interests include trauma-informed practice, honour-based violence prevention, cultural safety, community-driven interventions, policy development, and research at the intersections of culture, vulnerability, and mental health.
In addition to her clinical and community work, Kekeli serves as the Vice Chairperson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Canada Chapter. In this leadership role, she supports the Chapter Chairperson in facilitating organizational operations, strengthening member engagement, and contributing to the chapter’s long-term strategic direction and coordination. She plays an active role in uniting party supporters, facilitating discussion, and ensuring robust participation across the chapter’s structures.
Mrs. Binder holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Edinburgh and Graduate Certificates in Trauma-Informed Practice and Advanced Social Work Practice from the University of Calgary. She is a registered social work practitioner with more than two decades of experience across Ghana, Scotland, and Canada. Her practice is grounded in trauma-informed care and guided by the principles of dignity, safety, equity, and empowerment. Throughout her career, she has supported individuals and families across the lifespan in diverse settings including mental health, geriatrics, developmental disabilities, addictions, child protection, and high-risk environments.
Kekeli specializes in crisis assessment, complex risk intervention, and culturally responsive, strengths-based support for individuals facing acute vulnerability. Her work includes significant experience with people impacted by trauma, systemic discrimination, and honour-based violence. She applies a holistic biopsychosocial-spiritual lens, centering the structural and systemic factors that influence wellbeing and community resilience.
She also holds a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) Level 3 in Health & Social Care (2011) and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed. Hons.) from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana (2001). Her career foundation includes service in the Office of Parliament of Ghana in 2001, where she contributed to administrative coordination and supported parliamentary operations. This experience enhanced her understanding of governance systems, public service structures, and community engagement perspectives that continue to inform her system-level work in social policy and collaboration.
Beyond frontline practice, Kekeli is committed to strengthening structures that support long-term safety and wellbeing. She works with multidisciplinary teams, community partners, and policymakers to identify service gaps, analyze risk, and contribute to policies and frameworks that enhance community resilience. Her professional interests include trauma-informed practice, honour-based violence prevention, cultural safety, community-driven interventions, policy development, and research at the intersections of culture, vulnerability, and mental health.
In addition to her clinical and community work, Kekeli serves as the Vice Chairperson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Canada Chapter. In this leadership role, she supports the Chapter Chairperson in facilitating organizational operations, strengthening member engagement, and contributing to the chapter’s long-term strategic direction and coordination. She plays an active role in uniting party supporters, facilitating discussion, and ensuring robust participation across the chapter’s structures.
From Canada
Dr. Deva-Marie Beck
Dr. Beck is a Canadian American nurse, global networker, educator, and award-winning Nightingale scholar. For 25 years, she has served as a volunteer International Co-Director for the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH)—an International NGO holding ‘Special Consultative Status' with the United Nations Economic & Social Council (UN ECOSOC). In this role, she has chaired a wide range of projects to establish NIGH's nursing and midwifery global advocacy mandates. For example, between 2012 to 2014, she oversaw NIGH's ‘Daring, Caring & Sharing to Save Mothers’ Lives’ campaign with a website that achieved 3.5 million hits from 97,000 unique visitors from 146 nations. Recently collaborating with the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Council of Nurses (ICN), and the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation (CNMF), she has chaired NIGH's worldwide virtual ‘Nurses' Voices Speaker Series’ (2023-2024) and ‘Student Nurses’ Voices Speaker Series’ (2024-2025) together featuring 160 leading nurses, midwives and student nurses from 42 nations and territories, across the six Regions of the World Health Organization (WHO). These Series have been developed in collaboration with UNITAR, the UNITAR CIFAL York centre at York University in Toronto and with the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation. Dr. Beck holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Nursing & International Development from the Union Institute (2002) for her groundbreaking research to articulate Florence Nightingale’s relevance to today’s international health, development, education and media.
Dr. Beck is a Canadian American nurse, global networker, educator, and award-winning Nightingale scholar. For 25 years, she has served as a volunteer International Co-Director for the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH)—an International NGO holding ‘Special Consultative Status' with the United Nations Economic & Social Council (UN ECOSOC). In this role, she has chaired a wide range of projects to establish NIGH's nursing and midwifery global advocacy mandates. For example, between 2012 to 2014, she oversaw NIGH's ‘Daring, Caring & Sharing to Save Mothers’ Lives’ campaign with a website that achieved 3.5 million hits from 97,000 unique visitors from 146 nations. Recently collaborating with the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Council of Nurses (ICN), and the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation (CNMF), she has chaired NIGH's worldwide virtual ‘Nurses' Voices Speaker Series’ (2023-2024) and ‘Student Nurses’ Voices Speaker Series’ (2024-2025) together featuring 160 leading nurses, midwives and student nurses from 42 nations and territories, across the six Regions of the World Health Organization (WHO). These Series have been developed in collaboration with UNITAR, the UNITAR CIFAL York centre at York University in Toronto and with the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation. Dr. Beck holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Nursing & International Development from the Union Institute (2002) for her groundbreaking research to articulate Florence Nightingale’s relevance to today’s international health, development, education and media.
