OUR TEAM

Executive Team

Julia Lisi

Co-Founder / Executive Director

Julia Lisi originally began working in Rwanda as a

student mentor teaching entrepreneurship and leadership

skills to high school and college students with the

Wheaton Innovation and Leadership Laboratory.

In her Junior year at Sarah Lawrence College, Julia

won a 2017 Davis Projects for Peace Award through

which she led and co-founded Critical Thinking for

P.E.A.C.E. (CTP). Julia is currently the Board Relations

and Development Assistant at the Agahozo-Shalom

Youth Village. Her goal is to get her Masters Degree in

Peace and Conflict Studies.

Awards:

The Raymond Seidelman Award for Political Advocacy

Davis Projects for Peace Award

The Nancy Lyon Porter '43 Community Service Fellowship

Davis Fellowship Award

“The main goal of our organization is to inspire youth to be

peace ambassadors who learn, teach, and sustain peace in

their individual communities. Watching the students think

critically about their community to create positive solutions

which sustain peace and general well-being, I learned that

the more youth who approach conflict carefully and

critically, the less likely a country is to repeat past violence

and atrocity.”

Ian Manzi

Co-Founder / Director of Programs

Ian Manzi is a recent graduate of the University

of Rochester where he majored in Data Science

and Economics. He was selected as part of the

Rwandan delegation to the United States for the

Pan African Youth Leadership Program. Ian currently

works for the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village as the

Enrichment Year Program Coordinator. He is very

passionate about the future of Rwanda’s youth, and

believes critical thinking is the key to effective leadership

and peace building.

“One of the most powerful aspects of the work CTP does is

that it re-envisions the learning space into a model that gives

the student control that they wouldn't usually have, over the

learning process. In this space, the learner is a leader, and

the instructor learns from their repeated interactions. The

products have been ownership and fulfillment.”

Derrick Murekezi

Co-Founder / Director of Operations

Derrick Murekezi shares his passion to

create the next generation of critical thinkers

in post-genocide Rwanda. He is a

Bridge2Rwanda Scholar awarded a

Renaissance Scholarship to pursue a BS

degree in Geology at the University of

Rochester. He will pursue a doctorate in

Geophysics at Georgia Tech in Fall 2019. In

his free time, Derrick sings in his church choir,

enjoys playing soccer, and reads books. He is

also the co-founder of True Legacy Initiative

which created CTP's Umurage Nyawo

Concert program. Derrick recently held a

major internship in his field of Geology, doing

research at Tulane University.

“I envision this program to be a breeding

ground for transformational leaders and

passionate youth who are prepared to make

an impact in their communities, the wider

community, the country, and beyond.”

Program Team

Dejoie Ifashabayo Sylvain

Umurage Nyawo Concert Director

Deogratias Mukuralinda

Partnerships & Sustainability Associate

Deo is a first year student at Northwestern,

pursuing an engineering degree. He is interested

in finding an irrigation system unique to Rwanda's

topography (the thousand hills) and equipping the

young Rwandan generations with critical thinking to

use in spreading and sustaining peace. He also

enjoys public speaking.

Christelle Mazimpaka

Youth Representative

Christelle Mazimpaka is a high school graduate from Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology in Math Physics and Computer Science. Christelle is Ms. Geek Rwanda 2018. She wants to take Artificial Intelligence and National Security for her undergraduate classes. She also enjoys the essentials of MUN and the diplomatic structures of the MUN conference.

Kato Adam David

Youth Representative

Kato is a Bridge2Rwanda scholar. He is also a

peace agent and Facilitator of Peace Dialogues

that helps in the journey of healing of psychological

wounds left from the Genocide against the Tutsi in

1994; a project that was initiated by Never Again

Rwanda. He loves Debate and music. Kato was

part of the pioneer class of CTP in 2016.

Giséle Sandrine Irakoze

Youth Representative

Giséle Sandrine is a student at Adventist University of Central Africa and is the Founder of Ndabaga Impact, a social enterprise with the aim to provide a platform for women and youth to sustain themselves through social and economic growth. Her values are integrity, persistence, and faith.

Bosco Martin N. is a student at ASYV where he serves on Student Government as the Foreign Affairs Minister. His concentration is on Math Economics and Computer Science. He founded the service organization Youth Impact Mission for Africa and is active in Model UN and Critical Thinking for Peace clubs at school. Bosco is a hard worker who is moved by giving back to the community. He is laughter-filled, a global peacemaker, optimistic, and a happy feminist.

Bosco Martin Nshimiyumukiza

Youth Representative

Mugabo Robert

Youth Representative

Robert Mugabo is a motivated self-starter with

experience in Digital Marketing. He has a proven

ability to work in difficult situations and provide a

high level of service to clients, due to his experience.

Robert is currently pursuing a first-year degree at

African Leadership University.

Robert is a National Youth Council Ambassador from

Feb 2017- Present, where he is actively coordinating

with Never Again Rwanda to raise awareness and

drive sustainable youth-led initiatives to understand

the importance of peaceful communities.