Meet Our Team

Drissa Kanambaye

Co-Founder, Co-Director

Drissa Kanambaye works in the Communications and Public Relations Unit of the Office of the Malian Prime Minister, Abdoulaye Maiga.  He has a PhD in Information and Communication from the Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium.  He is an expert analyst on security issues in the Sahel and founder and CEO of KCG (Kanambaye Consulting Group).

Lauren Hatvany

Co-Founder, Co-Director

Lauren Hatvany is a criminal defense investigator based in California.  She co-founded and directed Mustardseed Trust, a UK-based ngo that supported grass roots initiatives during 25 years.  Over the years she has supported numerous ngo’s on a volunteer or consultant basis.

Mahamadou Camara

Advisory Board Member

Mahamadou Camara is founder and CEO of Group Impact Media, a pan african communication group based in Mali making quality media accessible to all.    He was the director of cabinet and spokesperson of Malian presidential candidate Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta (IBK) from 2010 to 2013. When IBK was elected to the presidency in 2013, Mahamadou Camara became his director of cabinet at the Presidency of the Republic of Mali (2013-2014) and was later appointed Minister of Digital Economy and Communication (2014-2015).

Mwalimu Musheshe

Advisory Board Member

Mwalimu Musheshe and his team have pioneered the visionary approach to development with astounding results.  He is a founder of Uganda Rural Development and Training Program and of the African Rural University, of which he is currently the Vice Chancellor.  He co-pioneered the establishment of the first three community radio stations in the original East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) which has helped mobilize marginalized communities, such as the Kamba, Masai and Banyoro, for development. He is an Ashoka fellow, a man of many talents, and a teacher and mentor to many.

Max Hatvany

Advisory Board Member

Max Hatvany, Investor, UK,  brings 30 years of investment experience to Yagana.  A kind-hearted futurist, Max is preternaturally good at identifying emerging trends.