The African Road Team

Force for positive change, community builder, author, and artist.

Kelly Bean is a local and international leader and encourager, as well as an activist for positive change. From a panel at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women to mud huts in Rwanda, Kelly has the extraordinary capacity to form friendships and be at home anywhere. A change creator, Kelly uses her skill to partner and empower others, encouraging community building for the sake of a better world.

A visionary and strategic planner, Kelly is also an author and an artist. Kelly has been creating, coaching, and leading strategic, diverse networks for over two decades.

Along with her marvelous, Harley riding-enthusiast husband, Ken, and dog Maggie, Kelly lives in West Linn, Oregon. They enjoy taking time with their grown children and five grandchildren, and treasured extended family.

If lost, Kelly is most likely to be found in a kitchen with friends, sauté pan in one hand and a glass of Cabernet in the other.

Portia brings her wealth of skill, commitment, and passion to the work of African Road, and through it, to the East African Changemakers. Portia possesses a remarkable combination of strategic skill and relational warmth. In her Director of Finance role Portia is highly committed to ensuring that people in the communities we partner with can exercise choice and agency in their own lives, for their own advancement and for those around them. As Director of Flourishing and Relationship Management, Portia values investing in flourishing African Road relationships on this side of the world too.

Portia earned her stripes in accountancy training with Ernst and Young, Zimbabwe and then translated her enthusiasm for efficient systems to working with non-profits across the globe ranging from Zimbabwe (home country for her family), to South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, and the US.  Driven and determined, Portia has never taken her education for granted. She even ran a sponsored 10k to fundraise her MA in Global Development and Justice.

In addition to professional excellence and wise perspective, Portia could also be known as the African Road Chief Executive Celebrator. Portia enlivens the African Road team with her infectious intention to invite others to pause and recognize simple joys along the way. Portia loves travel, a night out on the town dancing, and exploring food and flavor, but considers her most important role to be aunt to a glorious ensemble of eight nieces and nephews.

Madison is a green-fingered, go-getter, and the excellent Grants Manager and Impact Curator for African Road. Efficient, personable, creative, and engaging, Madison has an incredible eye for detail, and a passion for community empowerment.  

With a flair for project tracking, writing, and reporting, she brings valued organizational strength to African Road. After being part of the African Road team for two years as the Office Coordinator, Madison is looking forward to stepping into this new and formative role as Grants Manager and Impact Curator at African Road in order to serve the growing organization and Changemakers well.

When not creating systems that work, or making the world a better place, Madison loves creating crafty things, gardening, and exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Nicole has honed her professional expertise in a variety of non-profit communications and social media roles; creating connections and engaging in thoughtful storytelling for a cause. It’s her commitment to relationship building and her deep value for sustainable communities that make her a perfect fit for African Road.

Nicole is a soft-hearted encourager and a tea enthusiast, who brings a grounded presence, listening ear, and practical insight to every interaction. In her free time, Nicole, a published writer, can be found crafting poetry and prose, or practicing yoga. When not writing or stretching, she enjoys trekking outdoors, building community with game nights, baking up a tasty batch of scones, or getting cozy with a good book and a warm mug in hand.

Tom Nisbett has been offering pro bono organizational consulting to African Road since 2020 and in the years since, he and his wife have become supporters and donors as well. Tom is the president and owner of The Nisbett Group (TNG), an organizational consulting firm that provides services in philanthropy, board training, and strategic planning. He also has over 30 years of experience leading in higher education and the nonprofit sector.

Tom’s first experience on the African continent was in 2001, while traveling in Kenya with his daughter Savanah. Since then, Tom’s admiration and care for the continent has grown with each subsequent trip he has taken to Kenya, Tanzania, and several countries in West Africa.

Tom and his wife, Lou Ann, split their time between the central highlands of Arkansas and the ‘land of Enchantment’ New Mexico. Together, they have nine grandchildren whom they adore. When not consulting, Tom enjoys spending time outside mountaineering and traveling in order to experience new contexts.

Dr. Savanah N. Landerholm works for Wipf and Stock Publishers (Eugene, Oregon) and teaches at Baylor University. She holds a PhD in Higher Education Studies and Leadership, as well as a Master’s Degree in International Journalism. Savanah has worked in academic book publishing for more than ten years, and she is the author of Beyond Equality: Women Leaders in Higher Education. With this extensive background, it may come as no surprise that Savanah has always loved reading and learning – everything from nonfiction biographies to fiction classics.

Though she is a self-proclaimed homebody, Savanah is drawn to experience and care for the wider world. She has traveled to over 20 countries across Europe, Central America, North America, and the Middle East. Taking inspiration from her travels, Savanah enjoys recreating favorite dishes in the kitchen that are gluten free and delicious. She also loves to spend time outdoors, hiking and camping with her husband, Scott, and their three daughters. Together, they live in Waco, Texas.

Kerry Rae Connolly joins the Board with over 30 years of non-profit experience. She has devoted her professional career to working for mission-driven, community-based organizations and is passionate about service. Kerry Rae and her late husband Harry have been involved with African Road since its inception fifteen years ago. Kerry Rae has graciously opened her home and hosted several Changemakers, deepening her connection to African Road.

In January 2024, Kerry Rae joined the African Road team in Rwanda and Tanzania, and experienced the Changemakers’ successes and joys firsthand. A long-time soccer player, coach, advocate of empowering girls through soccer, and enthusiastic lover of the game, Kerry Rae was thrilled to serve as a soccer ambassador and celebrate the field dedication ceremony for the Togetherness soccer pitch in Rwanda. You can read her guest blog here. 

Kerry Rae appreciates opportunities to learn from other cultures and values the hands-on education that comes from visiting other countries. An old school guidebook in hand, she has traveled to 19 countries, collecting deep, meaningful friendships along the way. 

Kerry Rae loves her yellow lab Ras, having outdoor adventures, cheering loudly for women’s soccer, playing pickleball, and towing her little travel trailer down long dusty roads.