Advisory Board
MR. DESMOND APPIAH
Board Chair
Desmond Appiah bring on board 21 years of experience in business sustainability-related projects in private sector, manufacturing, academia, forestry, mining, agro-business, and commercial entities across Europe, USA, and Africa.Desmond is Currently the Country Lead in Ghana for Clean Air Fund. Desmond was the Programme Manager for African Cities for Clean Air (AC4CA) initiative of C40 Climate Leadership Group. Prior to that he was the C40 City Advisor and Chief Resilience and Sustainability Advisor to the Mayor of the City of Accra at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
He coordinated city programmes aimed at ensuring sustainable city development in areas pertaining to air quality, waste management, climate change, road safety, disaster planning and management, with a charge to integrate management structures for enhancing urban resilience. Desmond holds an MS (Environmental Protection & Safety Management) from St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia USA, an MSc (Energy and Sustainable Development) from De Montfort University, Leicester UK, and a Bachelors with Honours from the University of Ghana. He holds other post-graduate certificates in multiple areas.
MS. KATHLEEN ADDY
Member
Kathleen Addy is a seasoned communications professional with over 25 years’ working experience, working in policy and communications for development. She previously served as the Afrobarometer Communications Manager of the Center for Democratic Development (CDD) with oversight responsibility for seven countries across East and West Africa. Prior to Afrobarometer, she was with the Center for Policy Analysis (CEPA), where she focused on Economic Partnership Agreements, as well as Women’s Economic Empowerment.
Kathy has also consulted on a wide range of issues for different development Organizations and Partners. Ms. Addy is a former lecturer of the GIMPA Law School, where she taught Communications for Law. She is highly regarded as an activist with keen interest in civics, women’s empowerment, as well as accountable and responsive governance. Ms. Addy is presently the Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education, and is also a Reagan-Fascell Democracy fellow of the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington DC.
PROF. MICHELE NAPLES
Member
Michele Naples received her A.B. from Princeton University in 1976, and PhD from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 1982, both in economics. She was a professor at Rutgers University 1980-1990, Monmouth University 1990-1993, and The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) 1993-2025, when she retired from teaching. She has published theoretical and applied research in macroeconomics, labor economics, the theory of price and the profit rate, and how to teach the visually impaired. She provided cost estimates that supported New Jersey’s adoption of paid family leave; and showed that decriminalizing drugs could save New Jersey $1.4 billion annually, releasing funds to promote public health and repair communities.
In addition to economics, Dr. Naples has taught and helped shape Women’s and Gender Studies Programs at all three universities. In the last decade, she also initiated and taught a first-year course on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, organized around the role of autoimmunity in shaping health outcomes, including for those with autism and ADHD. The course also addressed how adopting autoimmune dietary protocols (the biomedical intervention) helps attenuate adverse consequences, such as autism symptoms.
She first visited Ghana and Haven in 2014 with a My GOAL team, where she spoke at a community workshop on the biomedical intervention. In 2018 she coauthored with Mary Ampadu a Ghanaian Cookbook incorporating the biomedical strategy. Beginning in 2018, she for many years took study-abroad students to Ghana with Dr. Jerry Petroff and Dr. Manuel Figeroa in partnership with My GOAL and Haven International to study special education, economics, women’s experience, and business. There she led workshops on how the biomedical diet (gluten-free, casein-free, sugar-free) and supplements (probiotics, omega3s, vitamins B, C, D, E, selenium, etc.) can improve children’s ability to function.
MR. BEN APENTENG
Member
Ben is an experienced Human Resource and Recruitment Consultant. He has extensive experience working in both the UK and Ghana, supporting and managing the delivery of training and capacity development programmes, recruitment and other HR related consultancy.
He is currently the Training and Recruitment Manager at the Southend-on-Sea Citizens Advice Bureau in the UK. Ben has worked with multilateral organisations and tertiary institutions in the UK and Ghana. Ben worked with Corporate Resources Group (London), now part of Mercer and was the Contracts Manager for the WorkBank at the University of East London (UEL). A programme designed to accelerate employment for graduates. During Ben’s six years at UEL, he also helped UEL’s International Development Office with International Students recruitment at recruitment fairs outside the UK.
Ben has a special interest in careers guidance and in December 2006 he was awarded a UK government grant through the British Council as part of the England-Africa Partnerships (EAP) in Higher Education program, to establish the first Careers Guidance Service at University of Ghana, Legon. Whilst in Ghana he also consulted on recruitment for Data Bank and Barclays Bank, Ghana.
Ben holds an honours degree in Business Studies with concentration in Human Resource Management from University of East London’s Business School.
MR. MICHAEL APPIAH OTO
Member
Michael Appiah Oto is a highly skilled Information Technology professional with extensive experience in Physical Security Systems, Computer Integration, and Computer Systems Auditing. He has built a strong reputation for delivering reliable IT solutions, implementing secure technology infrastructures, and supporting organizations in improving operational efficiency through innovative digital systems.
Michael possesses significant expertise in the design, deployment, and management of IT infrastructure and security solutions, particularly within financial institutions and public sector organizations. His professional experience spans system integration, network implementation, and the training of technical and administrative staff in specialized technology systems.
Prior to joining BDR, Michael served as a Site Technician for Angel Data and Telecom Services, where he played a key role in supervising the installation, configuration, and maintenance of technology systems across various institutions. In this role, he also conducted training sessions for both front-office and back-office personnel in several financial institutions throughout Ghana, focusing on counterfeit detection technologies and voice recording applications used in banking operations.
Michael further enhanced his technical expertise through specialized training provided by Focus Bank in Guangzhou, China, where he received advanced instruction on the operation and management of state-of-the-art money counting machine technology. This training strengthened his knowledge of financial technology equipment and its application in secure banking environments.
Throughout his career, Michael has successfully led and contributed to several major IT projects. One notable project involved the design, installation, and implementation of a networking infrastructure for the Graduate Laboratory at the University of Professional Studies (formerly IPS). This project involved the deployment and networking, creating a modern and fully functional laboratory environment to support academic research and learning.
In addition to this, Michael contributed to the implementation of a computerized birth registration system for the Births and Deaths Registry in Ghana, aimed at improving the efficiency and accuracy of national civil registration processes. He also participated in the assessment of the m-Birth project, a UNICEF-supported initiative focused on evaluating the progress and effectiveness of Ghana’s computerized birth registration system.
Michael has also served as a Lead Consultant for Provident Insurance PLC, where he provided expert guidance on system integration and IT infrastructure improvements to enhance the organization’s operational systems and technological capabilities.
Academically, Michael holds a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics, which complements his professional experience by providing advanced knowledge in information security, cyber threat management, and digital investigation techniques
