ROOTS of South Sudan Organization

ROOTS of South Sudan is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to supporting the women and children of South Sudan. 

The organization was incorporated as a tate of Washington non-profit on March 4, 2011 and filed for IRS 501 (c)3status on May 3, 2011. IRS 501(c)3 approval was granted on March 30, 2012 with an effective date of March 4, 2011.

ROOTS of South Sudan is governed by a nine member board with extensive experience in non-profit management, fundraising, and international issues.

ROOTS of South Sudan raises funds and facilitates grant applications on behalf of the ROOTS PROJECT, a South Sudanese non-governmental organization (NGO), founded in 2010 by Anyieth D'Awol.  All funds donated to the ROOTS of South Sudan will be used to support the ROOTS PROJECT's services, facility, equipment and learning materials; to provide members with job skills, literacy and numeracy training; to provide health education and examinations; and to provide a safe environment for mothers and their young children to work and learn.

The Board of Directors

ANYIETH D’AWOL, Founder the ROOTS PROJECT

LLB LAW, LLM Human Rights, Anyieth has a history of working with women and recording their problems with HIV/AIDS, security and conflict.  She has worked as an independent researcher for the Clingendael Institute documenting HIV/AIDS in post conflict South Sudan.  In 2006/07 and 2008/09 Anyieth was a Human Rights Officer for UNMIS (United Nations Mission in Sudan).  In 2009 she founded the ROOTS PROJECT with the aim of providing a secure environment for women to pursue economic independence through traditional crafts.  Anyieth is South Sudanese by birth.  She has lived in Norway, Tanzania, China, England and Sudan.  Anyieth is also a US citizen. 

FRANK MCKULKA, President/Treasurer

BS Chemistry/MBA Finance, Frank completed a 28 year career with BASF in 2006.  At the end of his career he was a division president with responsibility for $5B in sales and 5000 people across the NAFTA region.  He was a board member of BASF USA and a member of several global oversight committees for BASF AG.  He has served on the board of CLEARCorps USA, a national 501c3 corporation, as finance chair and former board chair. 

KAREN PERRET, Secretary

BA Anthropology, JD Law. Karen has practiced law for 30 years in Seattle and Paris, in the areas of business and commercial transactions, and wills, trusts and estate planning, concentrating on international matters.  She has worked with clients in Africa, specifically Cameroon creating a non-profit to provide health care for individuals in the Congo basin.  Karen holds a certificate in Spanish translation from the University of Barcelona and has taught English as a second language in Seattle.  Karen has served on the boards of the World Trade Club of Seattle and the French American Chamber of Commerce.  Karen retired in 2002 and is an inactive member of the Bar Association of Washington State and Paris, France.  During the past year Karen co chaired a 29-person statewide Advisory Committee to revise the training guidelines for Guardians ad Litem.

TIMOTHY MCKULKA,  Director 

BFA Photography, Tim is a photographer, editor and multimedia storyteller who lived and worked in Sudan and South Sudan for over seven years with a variety of international organizations.  He has produced and edited two books of photographs and stories about Sudan and South Sudan – We’ll Make our Homes Here: Sudan at the Referendum and A Shared Struggle: The People and Cultures of South Sudan.  His work has been published in periodicals and newspapers worldwide.  Tim presented his work at the Woodrow Wilson Institute in Washington, DC and has exhibited in a number of galleries.  Prior to his work in Sudan, Tim was a freelance photographer based in New York who had worked in over 20 countries.  He is a founding member of both the ROOTS Project and the Roots of South Sudan. 

KATHRYN A KANE, Director 

BA Education/MA Educational Psychology,  Kathy has been involved in education for over 40 years, including a teaching career at many different level; elementary, middle school and college education classes.  Kathy has always been an advocate for children and their healthy overall development.  Kathy has also been an active community volunteer ranging from Junior League to Girl Scouts.  At the current time she is an active guild member of Childhaven, the Association of Catholic Children in Seattle, WA. and continues a substitute teacher in the Seattle schools.  Kathy brings her interest in travel, education, children and the needs of others to the Roots Board.

VIRGINIA YOUNG, Director

BFA Colorado College,  Ginnie has 20 years of experience building brands for both large and small organizations.  Prior to starting her own company, she worked for J. Walter Thompson, creating national campaigns for Fortune 500 clients.  Ginnie founded Colorhouse Paint, www.colorhousepaint.com, a green lifestyle brand, offering premium Zero VOC paint since 2005.  Colorhouse has earned recognition as a Top 10 Green Building Product from Sustainable Industries Journal, an Editor’s Product Pick from Architectural Record and a BEST Business Award from the City of Portland, OR.  Colorhouse is sold on www.homedepot.com, amazon.com and through independent green building supply stores .

SUSAN HENOCH, Director

J.D. 1978, Rutgers University School of Law, Newark, New Jersey.   Ed.M. 1975, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.  B.A. with Honors 1970, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

Bar Membership-  New York State, 1982

Employment-  2001 - Vice President, Coggeshall Restoration, Princeton, New Jersey.  2002- President, Light Heart LLC, Princeton, New Jersey. 1999-2001 Coordinator, Youth First! Albuquerque, New Mexico.  1997-2001 Program Coordinator, New Mexico Center for Dispute Resolution, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Volunteer Work  -  2008- Current Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

KATHY GUNDESEN, Director

Education:  Bachelors in Education from Western Washington University. 

Professional Experience:  20 years in the Baking / Food Manufacturing Industry in Product Development, Sales and Marketing roles; including working with national and global retailers.  

Community Service:  Participated as a judge at the annual Washington State High School DECA competition for multiple years, worked with Junior Achievement teaching business lessons in elementary schools, mentored inmates at juvenile detention centers through the organization Prison Fellowship, held an appointed position on a Community Police Advisory Board for the city of Poulsbo (1996-1998), helped develop a corporate giving committee at the H.C. Brill Co., am currently an art docent and a board member of the PTA at Cathcart Elementary School in Snohomish.

MOLLY HENDRICKSON, Director

BA Cultural Anthropology with an emphasis in cross-cultural psychology; certificates in non-fiction writing and public relations. Molly manages digital content production for Microsoft Store’s North America e-commerce sites. She has led Microsoft’s promotional and marketing content production in over 40 markets including Mexico, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, India, Japan and Hong Kong. Molly started her professional career as a reporting intern at Güneş newspaper in Istanbul, Turkey. She spent over 20 years working for The Seattle Times developing new digital marketing and advertising products.

Molly also volunteers her time at Mary’s Place, a Seattle area organization helping homeless families, and Washington Park Arboretum. Molly brings an interest in storytelling, arts and crafts, self-care modalities, and grassroots programs supporting women and children.

BOLAJOKO ADENIYI - Director

My passion includes empowering women and advocating for health equity.

Medical Director and coach - Optum

I am a physician board certified in Internal Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. I am also certified as a health and wellness coach.

ALANA BELL, Director

I am a passionate, servant-leader focused on creating equity, justice, and belonging for all people through the transformative power of relationships.

Work Experience:

Becraft Scholars Founding Program Director

Fulcrum Foundation Jan 2021 to Present

Execute overall program strategy, implentation, and management of the Becraft Scholars program Create and maintain comprehensive recruitment, retention, and experience strategies for families through intentional relationship-building Serve as a diversity, equity, and inclusion thought partner for the Office of Catholic Schools and the Archdiocese of Seattle.

Director of Equity and Inclusion

Seattle Academy of Arts & Sciences Jan 2010 to Aug 2018

Developed sustainable systems to support the institution's equity and inclusion goals. Designed, developed, and delivered a culturally responsive equity and inclusion curriculum for faculty and staff. Increased percentage of students and families of color through relationship-building and community engagement.

Educational Background

Spiritual Guidance Certification - Institution: Atlantic University

Creative Empowerment Facilitation Certifications - Institution: Partners for Youth Empowerment

Creative Writing and Music Business Studies - Institution: Columbia College of Chicago

Volunteer Work, Affiliations, and Speaking Engagements

Trustee, Board of Trustees 2019 to Present - Organization: Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences

Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force 2020 to Present - Organization: Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences

Event Host, Celebration of Light 2024 - Organization: Fulcrum Foundation

Member, Racial Justice Committee 2024 to Present - Organization: Archdiocese of Seattle
















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