| Tanari International is overseen by a board of directors drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds. Their expertise ranges from a global university teaching career, to consultancy in ethics and governance with organizations such as NASA and Opportunity International. These gifted men and women are brought together by their passion for holistic ministry in Christian community, and their desire to see different cultures from around the world share their unique gifts and resources for the sake of the Gospel. |  | | | | . Board of Directors | Dr. Paul Robinson , Chair.
Has a lifetime of involvement and experience in education and international development. He is married with grown children; two daughters and a son. His global university teaching career has centered on developing curricula for both classroom and experiential learning. His commitments are to the intellectual and character development of young people. His scholarship, professional involvement, and teaching also center on community development and transformation, ranging from sustainable economic development to confronting the contemporary challenges of HIV/AIDS. His wide range of personal and professional contacts and relationships is seminal to developing Tanari's vision and organizational capacity. Presently Paul teaches at Wheaton College in Wheaton , Illinois , and is the Director of the HNGR (Human Needs and Global Resources) program at Wheaton College | |  | Alexis Beggs Olsen , Secretary
has eleven years of experience in nonprofit management and governance. She currently consults with nonprofit (including Habitat for Humanity, World Vision, and Opportunity International) in the areas of board development, business planning, setting and monitoring performance indicators, operational management, and product donation procurement. She has written several operations manuals based on internal and external best practice for nonprofits in a wide range of contexts. She has written numerous grant proposals for public and private funding sources and has program Management experience administering a $600,000 budget for the Women's Fund of Opportunity International. She has worked in 24 countries in North America , Europe , Austral-Asia, Latin America , and Africa . She is married to a Christian writer with whom they are blessed with a son, and they live in West Chicago , IL . | |  | Dr. John Crabtree
is an ordained church minister who has planted and pastured several thriving churches in Indiana . He is married with one daughter and two sons, all grown up. He holds a Master of Divinity, a Master of Theology and a Ph.D. in Missions, Evangelism, and Church growth. His passion is to see the local church respond to the socio-cultural changes of the times and remain relevant in the 21st century. This passion has seen him lead a team that coached several churches t hrough various challenges all over the United States . Dr. Crabtree has for the last few years served as Dean of Global Initiatives at California Baptist University , Riverside , California . An avid reader, John brings his pioneering, organizational and church leadership gifts to Tanari. He lives with his wife in Fishers, IN | |  | Lillian Covington
has a graduate degree in Economic Development (MS), coupled with extensive experience in non-profit environment in the area of fundraising, micro-enterprise and economic development. Having previously worked as an Associate Director for a Community Development Corporation in Philadelphia , a consultant with two financial intermediaries and as a Grants Specialist/Fundraiser with a local organization in West mont , IL, she has a proven track record of successful fundraising. Lillian currently works with Opportunity International as a fundraiser and manager of the 'Partners with the Poor midlevel donor program'. Lillian brings to Tanari International her extensive fundraising experience coupled with a heavy mix of management, strategic planning, development and organizational skills, community relations including public speaking and communication skills that are well suited to the needs of Tanari International. She lives with her husband and two children in Bolingbrook , IL . | |  | Rob Cook
is a business man who lives in Wilmington , Delaware . He is married and a father of three grown daughters. Rob was CEO of Cook Associates for fifteen years, and prior to that was on the marketing team which launched Gore-tex fabric for W.L. Gore and Associates. He has served as a Board member for Young Life of Delaware, Wilmington Christian School , A Door of Hope, and Priority One of New Jersey. Rob and his wife Cindy mentor young married couples, and they greatly enjoy working with people of that age. Rob played basketball in college, and professional basketball in France and now coaches a high school team. Rob currently coaches CEOs of medium and small businesses in Delaware for Vistage International, the world’s largest CEO membership organization. | |  | Muhia Karianjahi, Executive Director
brings to the Organization years of experience developing people through church based rites of passage, as well as outdoor and residential adventure programming. He was one of the founders of Tanari Trust in Kenya , and all its programs, and currently serves as a trustee. He was part of the original work with the rites of passage program. Muhia took graduate studies that focused on constructing rites of passage in churches and wrote a thesis on the same. Originally a Civil Engineer, Muhia has been an outdoor and adventure instructor in two continents for over 13 years, and is also a certified Wilderness Medicine Instructor. Muhia lives with his wife and two sons in Nairobi , Kenya , from where he is stimulating development of the Tanari programs and their expansion regionally. | |  | | Susan Puckett is the newest member to join the Tanari International Board. She became acquainted with Tanari in 2000 when Muhia and his family moved to Wheaton , IL for graduate studies. Over the years, she has watched the vision and work of Tanari grow. After volunteering for a year with Tanari she is now serving on the board. She has a degree in Christian Education from Wheaton College and a graduate degree in Education from PACE University . Currently, she is mentoring student teachers from Vanderbilt University 's Peabody College of Education. Susan lives in Franklin , Tennessee with her husband and two children. | |  | Scott and Lara Barnett, Program staff
Scott is in the final stages of completing his PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School . This follows his BA and MA from Wheaton College in Spiritual Formation and Ministry. Scott’s dissertation focused on aspects of camp ministry that contribute to spiritual growth. This work reflects his passion for using nature as a context to reveal God more clearly and stretch people to grow in new ways. He is also passionate about life in Christian community. He sees community living as creating space for people to grow in their faith through life on life discipleship. Scott has been a part of camp ministry in nine countries. His desire is to work with Tanari to contextualize camp ministry in a uniquely African way. Lara is a professional artist. Her paintings and stone sculptures are displayed in several galleries throughout Colorado . Lara seeks to use her art to open people’s eyes to the beauty of God’s creation both in nature and in humanity made in his image. Lara has a BA in Art from Westmont College and an MA in Missions/Intercultural Studies from Wheaton College which involved a summer of being trained in Wilderness Leadership. This education has equipped her to pursue her passion to use the beauty of art and nature to develop people’s creativity and help them to overcome their woundedness.
| |  | Tina Otieno, Administrative Assistant
Tina joined Tanari Trust in 2006 as an intern. After an impressive year of service with the Vibrant Teams program, she joined Tanari International as Administrative Assistant. She brings to TI strong administrative and communication skills, a good eye for detail, a passion for service and working with young people. She also brings her own youthful energy to TI. | |  | | | |
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Tanari International 
