Our Board
Micheal Mpyangu
Co-Founder
Acclaimed dancer, educator, publisher, and author of March of the Rumba - Micheal donated his family’s land for ASAM’s campus and put together a skilled and dedicated team of Ugandans and inter- national collaborators to lead the school’s construction. Micheal heads logistics related to setting up the school’s educational and administrative components and developing the social infrastructure to support the school from the local to national level, including community participation in the project.
Seth Wachtel
Co-founder
Professor of Architecture & Community Design at the University of San Francisco - Seth has worked on architecture and construction projects around the world and focuses on culturally and environmentally appropriate design. His courses provide students with opportunities to work on real-world design/build projects for underserved communities and threatened environments, including the architectural plans for ASAM. Students from USF and other universities are invited each construction phase to build along side community members, integrated as one construction team.
Rolf Bell
Co-founder
Professional contractor and CEO of Green Living Builders, LLC - Rolf Bell has served as West Coast Regional Director for Habitat for Humanity International, led 9 overseas building teams to 8 countries. “The entire construction philosophy leverages every building stage into a training opportunity for women and men alike while combining the skills of construction experts as trainers so that local community members increase their skill levels and their income opportunities.”
Emma Smith
Co-founder
Emma Smith is an Obstetrician/Gynecologist and public health researcher based in Oakland, CA. She spent several formative months working in clinics in Uganda, which greatly influenced the trajectory of her career. The professional and personal relationships she built there continue to inspire her efforts towards international collaboration for better health outcomes worldwide.