​​​​United States Board members

Dr. Joe Mtika (Founder, President & C.E.O.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The founder, Dr. Joe Mtika, moved from Malawi to a Midwestern town of Norfolk, NE, USA, to pursue a Degree in Christian Education at Nebraska Christian College which was in Norfolk at the time together with his wife, Jayne and their children Emmanuel and Wongani. Joe Mtika attended various colleges including The Polytechnic at University of Malawi, Wayne State, and the University of South Dakota, where he received his Doctor of Education Degree. Their children attended Christ Lutheran Schools and Norfolk Public Schools having had great education.  When Dr. Mtika had a vision of starting schools in his native country of Malawi he decided to call it Norfolk Schools in Malawi in honor of the school that both their children went to and is partnering with in this endeavor.

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After seeing the dire need of schools and universities and colleges in Malawi, Dr. Mtika contacted Norfolk Public Schools in Norfolk, NE, and the Board of Trustees accepted to partner with Dr. Mtika on this esteemed project.

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Traci Puls (Secretary/Treasurer)

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Traci was raised in the Norfolk area all her life & attended Norfolk Public Schools until graduation.  She furthered her education by choosing the health care arena and studying Respiratory Care at Southeast Community College in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Traci has been a Registered Respiratory Therapist for over 30 years helping people of all ages with their breathing problems.

Traci now lives northeast of Norfolk on a farm near Hoskins, Nebraska with her husband of 25 years and their 3 sons.  She currently works as a Respiratory Therapist at Providence Medical Center located in Wayne, Nebraska. 

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Traci has a love for helping children grow, learn, & succeed in life and participates in teaching Sunday School at her church and serving as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for foster children.  She feels it is a privilege to be able to assist in any way to help children overseas do the same – grow, learn, and succeed!

Dr. Larry Bright

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Dr. Bright's educational background is in organization development and change in complex organizations. His experience is in educational administration in Montana, plus over twenty years as a dean of schools or colleges of education in Illinois, Minnesota, and South Dakota.

 

He really enjoys experiential learning and teaching. He looks forward to sharing his experiences in leading change. He has published extensively, lectured in many parts of the world, and served in both private and public educational positions. He is a full, tenured professor at USD. He has served in many roles in education which have involved development of public relations, curriculum development, and representing education at the state and national levels.

 

He was Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction in South Dakota in the early 1970's when Federal funding for program development was strong. In this responsibility he coordinated 17 states in a project to bring curriculum development efforts from the national to the local levels.

 

Dr. Bright served as faculty member and later as head of the Department of Educational Administration in the Tri-College University, which includes North Dakota State University, Moorhead State University, and Concordia College. He was dean of the College of Education at Bradley University for four years, and he was dean of the College of Education and Human Service Professions at the University of Minnesota Duluth for nine years. His experience with international doctoral students has enriched his life.

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Duane Wolff

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Duane has personally owned and operated the land at Wolff Farms since 1979. He is a firm believer in promoting life and enhancing the land through safe farming practices.

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He maintains much of the conventional farming of organic soybeans and organic blue corn on the farm and provides farm-fresh eggs through his free-range chickens. You will also see him working farmers markets in Lincoln and Omaha on the weekends. Duane is a Biologist and he earned his BSc.  from Grace University in Omaha, Nebraska.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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