Our Team
Samson, a Yiya co founder and 2019 Obama Africa Leader is a physics teacher with a Bachelor of Science in education from Makerere University and a veteran of Uganda's education system. He grew up in a rural area with limited resources. Yiya's mission has been shaped by his childhood experiences. He has a genius talent for educational design and a deep passion to leverage the power of experiential learning to end cycles of poverty endemic in Uganda. Samson's passion drives him to create learning experiences full of educational games that demonstrate difficult topics in a student-friendly way.
Erin, a Yiya cofounder, holds a Bachelor of Science from MIT as well as a Masters of Education from Marquette University. Her educational career began as a teacher for America fellow teaching high school math in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has over a decade of experience in secondary STEM education, teacher training, and curriculum development, and has worked with educators in the United States, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Sudan. Erin is interested in science and technology knowledge and ideas, as well as assisting young people in developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Yiya’s Program Coordinator, Edrine, graduated from Ghana's Ashesi University with a degree in Management Information Systems. He is a forward-thinking leader who has worked on a number of projects aimed at reducing poverty, teen pregnancy, and promoting child literacy in high-risk areas. Edrine appreciates working with people from many cultures and backgrounds, with the objective of making a positive impact on the planet. Edrine is a versatile visionary leader who has made a significant contribution to Yiya’s programs, including identifying impact.
Sheeba, Yiya’s Innovations Coordinator, holds a Computer Engineering degree from Mbarara University of Science and Technology and is a young innovator and community activist. She is passionate about empowering people through technology. She has worked as a Robotics Tech Educator and a Tutor for Embedded Systems as part of the Technovation program. She has taken part in numerous science and technology programs, giving her a broad knowledge of the technology field. At Yiya she has expanded into curriculum design and has supported the design of the Yiya AirScience platform.
Angela joined Yiya as Chief of Staff in 2021. She has a Master’s Degree from University of Cape Town in Applied Anthropology, and experience in program development and assessment, direct service, and entrepreneurship. She has worked and studied in the U.S., Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, South Korea and Thailand. She is passionate about wellness, personal agency, accessibility, and interdependence. She has maintained for 2 decades that good intentions do not necessarily create positive impact, and that we need to constantly be listening and learning in order to achieve the impact we intend.
Tech Development Team
Joseph, the Tech Lead at Yiya has a 10 years experience leveraging IOT to address development challenges. He is the co-founder of ThinVoid, and a mentor, teacher, and Tech enthusiast. He advised on and spearheaded the development of the first Yiya Airscience platform. Joseph is an outstanding analytical leader who uses his extensive knowledge of software development to support team members. He is a valuable thought partner in the ongoing development of the YIya AirScience platform, as well as Yiya’s Vision.
Sharifah is a certified product analyst passionate about supporting projects and teams working on software and data-driven solutions. She enjoys assisting young people in reaching their technological potential. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering from Busitema University, in Uganda and has worked on a wide range of software and data-driven solutions. She is enthusiastic to learn about machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Alan has spent 15 years as an entrepreneur, software engineer, and product manager, and holds a physics degree from MIT. He has founded 4 companies and worked at the MIT Media Lab, as well as research and AI tech startups. Currently he works at Google. He developed the second version of the Yiya Airscience platform. Alan is a selfless team player who makes people appreciate the beauty of software solutions by portraying them in the easiest way possible.
User Support Team
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Felisty is a professional teacher of Arts and Design with Diploma in Secondary Education from Gulu Teachers Training College. Her passion for teaching students how to use their talents to improve their lives sparked her interest in teaching students how to use STEM to solve community problems. She was one of the pioneer Yiya AirScience educators, and now works as a Field Officer for Yiya. Her great love for STEM and poetry was exhibited in a poem she composed about Yiya Airscience.
