Board and Team

TRUE Africa Board

Dr. Steven J. Hite
President and Founder
Chairman, Board of Directors

Dr. Steven J. Hite received his doctorate (with Distinction) in Educational Program Measurement and Evaluation in 1985 from Harvard University. He is an Emeritus Professor of Educational Leadership at Brigham Young University in the USA. For nearly 40 years, Dr. Hite has done extensive humanitarian and research work in education in multiple countries in Africa, as well as participating in education projects in Nepal, India, Poland, and The People’s Republic of China.

He served for one year as the U.S. Fulbright Distinguished Research Chair in Education in Dublin, Ireland and as a Fulbright-Nehru Senior Scholar in Delhi, India. View a current View a current Curriculum Vitae for Dr. Hite.

Dr. Julie M. Hite
Vice President, Finance & Operations
Member, Board of Directors

Following the creation and operation of several successful entrepreneurial endeavors, Dr. Julie M. Hite received her Master's degree in Organizational Behavior from Brigham Young University and her Ph.D. in Business Strategy (focusing on entrepreneurship) from the University of Utah. She is an Emeritus Professor of Educational Leadership at Brigham Young University in the U.S.A.

Her research focused on strategic educational leadership in Uganda, with an emphasis on on social networks between school administrators and how these professional networks are created, maintained and used to share and exchange critical educational resources in environments such as Africa where all important resources are scarce. She also served as a Fulbright-Nehru Senior Scholar at the University of Delhi in Delhi, India. View a current Curriculum Vitae for Dr. Hite.

Melissa Seager
Vice President, Web Strategy & Child Welfare
Member, Board of Directors

Melissa Seager has a BA degree in Elementary Education and TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language). She joined True to Africa in 2009 as the Director of Public Relations, with a focus on website development and publicity. She is now the VP of Web Strategy and Child Welfare. Her primary focus is providing necessary humanitarian care for students to support their successful academic progress. She actively includes her own children in field projects in Ugandan schools. Her belief in the power of education to lift families out of poverty, her own experiences traveling internationally, and her background in education all support her in the critical work that she does for True to Africa and the lives it impacts.

Shelley Higgins
Director, Student Learning & Social Media

Shelley Higgins is a professional educator with a focus on student learning and over 15-years experience in curriculum development. Her love of children, and genuine desire for their academic growth, enhances her ability to understand needs of teachers in the classroom, especially in the context of Ugandan education. She has been a sponsor for over 10 years, actively including her own children in fundraising and field projects. She joined True to Africa in 2022 and is the Director of Student Learning. Her social media and marketing skills also provide True to Africa with a great advantage in staying in touch with sponsors and donors as well as in reaching out to potential sponsors and donors.

TRUE Africa Team Members

Barbara & Larry Luke
California

Dr. Larry S. Luke received his DDS degree from U.C. San Francisco in 1965. He received specialty training at the University of Michigan, Eastman Dental Hospital in London and at UCLA. He taught in the Dental School at UCLA for 34 years where he was head of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry for many years. He was co-author of a book on Pediatric Dentistry that was used in many countries around the world and was invited to lecture in China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea as well as other countries in Europe and Latin America. Dr. Luke also had a Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Practice in Simi Valley, California for 25 years.

Barbara Luke has been a professional seamstress for 50 years. She practiced Real Estate for 10 years. She received her R.D.A. (Registered Dental Assistant) degree and worked with Dr. Luke in his private practice for 15 years. She has been involved in charity work, especially for children, for 50 years.

Upon retiring, Barb & Laryry teamed up with Dr. Julie and Steve Hite’s TRUE Africa non-profit to assist Mr. Steven Ssenyonjo with his Child 2 Youth Foundation in Uganda. They work to find and build relationships with sponsors and donors and to raise funds for TRUE Africa. Their great adventure has turned into a full-time mission for them both.

Our Ugandan Partners

TRUE Africa believes in working closely with local social entrepreneurs
who have already made a significant impact in their area.

We value and respect the cultural knowledge and experience
that these individuals and organizations
can share with us in our efforts.

Partnering with local organizations allows us to maximize our impact, as we work hand in hand with the people we are helping.
Purchasing only locally made African products supports the local businesses and economy.

Child2Youth Foundation (C2Y)
Mukono, Uganda

Steven Ssenyonjo
Founder & Director
Child2Youth Foundation

C2Y is our key strategic partner in uganda. C2Y works with village councils and headteachers to locate orphans and vulnerable children in need of sponsorship.

C2Y forwards the information for children in need of educational sponsorship to TRUE Africa. TRUE Africa then locates and matches a sponsor for each child.

After a child is sponsored, the C2Y social workers watch over these sponsored children, meeting with them at home and at school, providing school uniforms and supplies (see full list), and delivering additional care items.

C2Y 2016 Annual Report (with photos)