Who We Are
HOPE Academy is a school in Kenya to give girls in Hardware, Operating Systems, and Programming Educations and a chance to rise up from poverty.
Simon H. Okoth, Ph.D., U.S. - Kenya Liaison and H.O.P.E Director
Dr. Okoth, also an LGGS founding member, serves as a director and liaison for the computer literacy project at H.O.P.E. An academic and administrator by background, Dr. Okoth is a political science professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who previously served as Small Enterprise Development and IT program director with U.S. Peace Corps Kenya office, exchange program specialist with the American Embassy Nairobi, coordinator of executive master’s in public administration at Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates, and director of graduate studies in the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. Okoth is also a founding member of Kenya-based Disaster-Free Communities Network that focuses on community climate change mitigation activities and management of a regional disaster occurrence and loss database.
Elizabeth Olweya Okoth, Ph.D., U.S - Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Dr. Elizabeth Olweya Okoth is a seasoned Examination Specialist with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in Washington, D.C. and previously held roles at Bank of America and the Central Bank of Kenya. She earned her Doctor of Business Administration from California Southern University, where she was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society for academic excellence. She is also the cofounder of Liza’s Girls Geek Squad, a nonprofit based in Leesburg, Virginia, which supports Kenya Hope Academy in Kenya. The academy empowers girls from low-income backgrounds by offering free computer training in programming and practical trade skills, expanding educational and mentorship opportunities for marginalized girls. In recognition of her humanitarian work, Dr. Okoth received the FDIC Nancy K. Rector Public Service Award in 2022 for her outstanding service and community impact.
Name, Title- Role
Sandy Bio Info
Additional Contributors
Web Design
-Simon “Jesse” Okoth
-Diana W. Kimondo
Photography
-Simon “Jesse” Okoth
Kenya H.O.P.E Academy
HOPE Academy and College is funded by Liza’s Girls Geek Squad, a nonprofit 501(c)3 registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States.