Meet the Team: Dedicated Leaders Empowering Liberia’s Future

At Liberian Youth Economic Empowerment (LiYEE), our leadership team is dedicated to strengthening nonprofits that empower Liberia’s youth. With expertise spanning grant management, education, healthcare, leadership, and nonprofit development, our board members and staff bring decades of experience to ensure long-term, sustainable impact. Their commitment to economic empowerment, capacity building, and strategic growth fuels our mission to transform communities. Get to know the passionate individuals who make LiYEE a force for change.

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Comfort Reeves-Brownell – Executive Director

Comfort Reeves-Brownell, LiYEE’s Executive Director, boasts over 30 years of experience in grants management, donor funding, financial management, and organizational leadership. With a proven track record of success, Comfort brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the organization.

Having successfully managed significant grant funding for various institutions and international organizations, Comfort is deeply committed to excellence and accountability. Her expertise spans several key areas, including managing over $250 million in annual grant funding.

Furthermore, Comfort possesses a diverse skillset that encompasses building high-performing teams, streamlining business processes, developing strong cross-functional relationships, and ensuring the highest standards of integrity and transparency in all activities. These qualifications uniquely position her to lead LiYEE effectively.

Her educational background further evidences Comfort’s commitment to excellence. She holds an MBA in Enhanced Accounting and a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting. She also possesses certificates in leadership development and effective management practices.

Under Comfort’s leadership, LiYEE is not merely a nonprofit but a beacon of hope for youth and nonprofit organizations in Liberia. Comfort’s dedication to empowering these groups, driving sustainable development, and fostering meaningful change within the community is unwavering.

Pastor Zangai A. Peabody – Board President

LiYEE is fortunate to have Pastor Zangai A. Peabody as its president of the Board of Directors. With over 30 years of experience in youth ministry, leadership development, and pastoral care, Pastor Peabody is deeply committed to empowering the next generation and fostering spiritual growth.

His ministry journey began during Liberia’s civil war when he felt a divine call to serve young people. Since then, he has led impactful youth ministries across West Africa and the United States, hosted global youth camps, and trained leaders to serve their communities effectively.

Pastor Peabody is passionate about mentoring young people, strengthening families, and equipping leaders. He holds a Diploma in Biblical Studies from the Monrovia Bible Training Center and Carolina University of Theology.

Currently, he serves as the Associate Director of CARE Groups and Men’s Services at Harvest Intercontinental Church in Olney, Maryland. He oversees small group ministries, Christian education programs, and initiatives to develop men as godly leaders within their families and communities.

Pastor Peabody’s unwavering faith, resilience, and dedication to service continue to inspire those around him. As President of LiYEE’s Board, he plays a crucial and hopeful role in advancing the organization’s mission to inspire and empower youth and nonprofit organizations in Liberia.

Liberian youth economic empowerment ( LiYEE)

Dr. Contah Nimely – Board Vice President

LiYEE proudly welcomes Dr. Contah Nimely as Vice President of its Board of Directors. A seasoned family physician with over 30 years of experience, Dr. Nimely is dedicated to empowering individuals and communities through holistic healthcare, patient advocacy, and addressing the social determinants of health.

Dr. Nimely’s journey began in Liberia, earning her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Liberia’s A.M. Dogliotti School of Medicine. Her career has spanned diverse healthcare settings, including rural and urban communities, correctional facilities, and underserved populations in Africa and the United States. This broad experience has equipped her with a unique perspective and a deep understanding of healthcare needs in different contexts. She completed her residency in Family Medicine at Sacred Heart Hospital/Temple University in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where she honed her expertise in patient-centered care.

Dr. Nimely is currently the Deputy Medical Director/DPSCS, Office of Clinical Services and Inmate Health, Baltimore, MD. In this role, she clinically monitors and provides contractual oversight of medical contractors’ compliance with the provision of comprehensive medical care, preventive medicine, and effective management of chronic conditions of inmates.

Dr. Nimely holds numerous professional licensures and certifications, including board certification from the American Board of Family Medicine and medical licensure in both Maryland and Pennsylvania. She is certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and has completed specialized training in Emergency Preparedness and Early Warning Systems (UNHCR, Ghana) and Tuberculosis Protocol Formation for Refugees (WHO, Egypt).

Dr. Nimely’s commitment to empowering patients to take charge of their health, promoting wellness, and advancing health equity is unwavering. Her skills in patient advocacy, chronic disease management, preventive care, and community health coordination are a testament to this.
As Vice President of LiYEE’s Board, Dr. Nimely’s alignment with the organization’s vision for sustainable impact in Liberia is clear. Her wealth of knowledge and leadership experience, coupled with her dedication to community development and health promotion, make her a perfect fit for the role.

Dr. Totumoh Powell – Secretary of the Board of Directors

LiYEE is fortunate to have Dr. Totumoh Powell as Secretary of the Board of Directors. With over 30 years of experience in education, curriculum development, and literacy instruction, Dr. Powell is a highly accomplished National Board-Certified Educator specializing in Early and Middle Childhood Literacy. Her expertise in second language acquisition and literacy strategies has empowered countless students and educators to succeed academically.

Dr. Powell’s dedication to education is evident through her extensive background in teacher coaching, curriculum design, and developing individualized learning plans tailored to diverse learners. She possesses a deep understanding of enhancing literacy skills by applying evidence-based strategies in phonemic awareness, decoding, and comprehension.

Dr. Powell excels in designing innovative curriculum programs that effectively meet the needs of multilingual and diverse learners. Furthermore, she is a skilled mentor, coaching educators to implement effective teaching techniques and classroom management practices. Dr. Powell also strongly advocates fostering multicultural awareness and promoting inclusion and equity in educational settings.

Dr. Powell’s academic journey reflects her passion for education. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University, demonstrating her early commitment to enriching the lives of young people through education. Building upon this foundation, she pursued a Master of Arts in Elementary Education and an Education Specialist degree in Elementary Education, both from Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University. Driven to further her expertise and impact, Dr. Powell earned a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D) in Curriculum and Instruction from Tennessee State University. She also holds the National Board Teaching Certificate in Literacy for Reading and Language Arts (Early and Middle Grades).

Dr. Powell has shared her expertise through numerous workshops and seminars, including virtual sessions for educators in Monrovia, Liberia, and Douala, Cameroon. Her professional development initiatives include training on culturally responsive teaching, differentiated instruction for ESL students, and youth mental health first aid.

As Secretary of the Board of Directors, Dr. Powell supports LiYEE’s mission to empower youth and educators in Liberia, fostering sustainable development and meaningful change in the community.

Charlesma Wesley – Social Media Lead

Charlesma, a recent graduate from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Nonprofit Leadership, has spent the past four years immersing herself in the world of international nonprofits. This experience has provided her with valuable insights into global and economic development.

At LiYEE, Charlesma is a key player, bringing expertise in developing and implementing effective social media strategies. She excels at crafting compelling narratives that showcase the impact of LiYEE’s work and leveraging social media to foster a strong online community around the organization’s mission.

Charlesma is passionate about empowering communities and young people. She is eager to contribute to initiatives that make a positive impact, and her enthusiasm is contagious.

Zinnah R. Hellmann- Director of Youth Vocational Training Programs

LiYEE is thrilled to welcome Zinnah R. Hellmann as their Director of Youth Vocational Training Programs. Zinnah brings over 25 years of experience in engineering, project management, and facilities development.

A licensed Professional Engineer with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, she currently serves as Lead General Engineer, overseeing a facility repair and maintenance program with an annual budget exceeding $1 billion in the public sector.

Her extensive background encompasses leadership in construction, facilities management, and project planning.

Zinnah’s expertise includes vocational program development, where she designs and implements training programs for career success; project and facilities management, demonstrated by her leadership on multi-million dollar infrastructure development, renovation, and construction projects; leadership and team management, honed through overseeing large teams and complex projects with diverse stakeholders; and engineering and design expertise, which she leverages to develop systems meeting the needs of both government and civilian operations.

Her career has been marked by numerous achievements, including an Employee of the Quarter award, a BEYA Modern Day Technology Leader Certificate of Achievement, and a Leadership Achievement Nominee Certificate of Recognition. Zinnah’s broad experience positions her to drive significant change in Liberia through LiYEE’s vocational training programs, empowering Liberian youth to thrive in the workforce.

Meet the Team: Dedicated Leaders Empowering Liberia’s Future

Comfort Reeves-Brownell – Executive Director

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Pastor Zangai A. Peabody – Board President

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Dr. Contah Nimely – Board Vice President

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Dr. Totumoh Powell – Secretary of the Board of Directors

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Charlesma Wesley – Social Media Lead

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Zinnah R. Hellmann- Director of Youth Vocational Training Programs

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