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Our Board is composed of distinguished external experts who share our dedication to regenerative, technology-enhanced, and community-based learning for shared prosperity.
They are scientists, creatives, strategists, and builders, from different corners of the world, yet with deep expertise and insights about our mission. Their guidance and oversight help ensure our work stays ethically grounded, financially resilient, and strategically aligned.
Meet the board
Abeba founded and directs the Artificial Intelligence Accountability Lab at Trinity College Dublin, a hub that probes the societal impacts of large-scale datasets and models. Her pioneering work, which earned her a place on the TIME100 list of the most influential people in AI, critically examines the ethical and social implications of emerging technologies. Abeba’s research focuses on algorithmic bias, accountability, and decolonial perspectives on AI, with a particular emphasis on how these systems impact marginalized communities.
Her expertise is critically important to Kabakoo as we scale our own AI-driven tools, including our Bamanankan-language AI model. Abeba has been providing essential critical foresight, ensuring our Highdigenous model evolves not just with technological sophistication but with profound ethical integrity. She guides us in building AI systems that are transparent, equitable, and genuinely empowering for the youth we serve, helping us navigate the complex challenges of deploying responsible AI for real human flourishing. Her perspective ensures our technological innovations remain accountable to our community and aligned with our core values.
Lea leads the Azurit Foundation gGmbH, a Berlin-based philanthropy that backs evidence-driven, locally-led solutions to systemic injustice. She also heads Kara Impact Ventures, integrating flexible impact-investing capital with Azurit’s grant-making. Earlier, Lea advised high-net-worth donors and foundations at Active Philanthropy and Wider Sense, crafting strategies for effective social investment. She also pioneered a nationwide collective-impact initiative that improved outcomes for Germany’s care-leavers, illustrating her talent for convening diverse stakeholders around hard evidence.
A political-science and international-law graduate of Hamburg and London, Lea champions locally-anchored and participatory approaches, principles she will channel into Kabakoo’s governance. Lea brings a sophisticated understanding of the global philanthropic landscape. Her guidance is instrumental in sharpening our value proposition, strengthening our networks, and ensuring our growth is both sustainable and impactful. Lea’s perspective is crucial for helping Kabakoo bridge the gap between proven impact and the strategic partnerships needed for scale.
Cheick (or Tonton (Uncle) Cheick, as we call him at Kabakoo) is an internationally acclaimed designer and architect based in Bamako, Mali. He is celebrated for his visionary approach to transforming local, often overlooked materials into globally celebrated pieces of furniture and design. His work, exhibited in prestigious museums and galleries worldwide, including the Centre Pompidou and the Vitra Design Museum, is an embodiment of the Highdigenous philosophy: fusing deep-rooted local ingenuity with world-class contemporary aesthetics.
Trained in architecture and furniture design at ENSCI-Les Ateliers, Cheick is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most renowned designers. He founded the Association des Designers Africains and continues to lead design workshops across the continent, mentoring a new generation in sustainable craft innovation.
As a Kabakoo Board member, Cheick provides an essential, tangible link to the world of regenerative craft and locally-embedded value creation with international ambition. Through his work, he has repeatedly shown that local materials and knowledge, when guided by innovative design, can create immense economic and cultural value. His hands-on experience and creative vision are a powerful guide for Kabakoo’s programs and our broader efforts to foster local, sustainable industries.
Bankaly is a seasoned expert in finance and technology with decades of experience at the highest levels of global banking and capital markets. His career includes formative years at J.P. Morgan in the Emerging Markets Structuring group and at Nomura International on the Structured Credit Trading Desk in London. A lifelong tech enthusiast, he pivoted to launch NBK Consulting, a boutique advising public bodies and large West-African companies on technological integration and financing strategy. This entrepreneurial venture, combined with his deep background in financial risk, structured products, and large-scale project management at institutions like State Street, gives him a unique perspective.
He brings to the Kabakoo board a blend of world-class financial acumen and a hands-on understanding of deploying digital solutions across West Africa, which will be critical for guiding Kabakoo’s financial strategy and scalable growth. As a Kabakoo’s Board member, his experience is invaluable in advising on financial strategy, forging high-level partnerships, and navigating the regulatory and economic realities of West Africa.
Temina is the co-founder of The Agency Fund, a social impact investment vehicle dedicated to identifying and scaling organizations that expand human agency. Active at the intersection of technology, evidence-based development, and venture-building, Temina is, among others, a long-standing member of the South Park Commons tech community and an advisor to Atlas AI, a firm generating economic insights from satellite imagery.
A scientist by training (PhD, UC Berkeley; SB, MIT), Temina has dedicated her career to building the institutional infrastructure needed to translate research into real-world impact. As the founding Executive Director of the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) at UC Berkeley, she built a world-renowned research network from the ground up. Her experience extends to the highest levels of science policy, having served at the NIH Fogarty International Center and as technical staff for the U.S. Senate.
For Kabakoo, Temina provides a bridge between our Highdigenous model and the global ecosystem of evidence-based scaling. Her expertise in navigating the path from evidence to scale is essential for ensuring growth that is both empirically rigorous and profoundly human-centred.
Michèle is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kabakoo. Born and raised in Timbuktu, her journey has taken her from the heart of the Sahel to the forefront of global media, with senior roles at international firms like Havas Media in France before co-founding Kabakoo. As CEO, Michèle has driven Kabakoo’s growth, securing landmark partnerships with institutions like the European Union and guiding the organization to global recognition, including winning the prestigious 2025 Elevate Prize.
As the internal representative, Michèle grounds the Board’s strategic discussions in the operational reality and visionary ambition of Kabakoo. She is the steward of the Highdigenous model, ensuring that the Board’s high-level guidance translates into actionable strategies that are authentic to the needs of West African youth. She brings an understanding of the challenges and opportunities on the ground, ensuring a seamless and powerful alignment between the Board’s advice and the organization’s mission.
