Our Team

Illustration of a black background with two stylized planets or rings, one yellow and one dark blue, with two blue stars in the middle.

Uniting Distant Stars Team

A woman with gray hair smiling in front of a wooden wall.

  • Heather Cannon, a lifelong Minnesotan, had the opportunity to live and volunteer in Liberia, where she witnessed firsthand the determination of children and youth to learn and succeed. While volunteering with local NGOs, she saw the importance of community-led solutions, which inspired her to partner with Kelvin Fomba to co-found Uniting Distant Stars with a Liberia-centered approach. Heather has developed skills in bookkeeping, social media, volunteer engagement, and nonprofit operations, and enjoys sharing that knowledge with others who want to support the organization's mission. She earned an individualized degree in Culture and Legal Studies from Metropolitan State University and completed a Mini MBA in Nonprofit Organizations from the University of St. Thomas. Heather currently works as a Tax Manager at U.S. Bank Global Corporate Trust and brings her professional expertise to strengthen the organization's programs and operations.

A smiling man with short curly hair, wearing a blue shirt, standing in front of a yellow and blue wall.

  • Kelvin Fomba, a Liberian raised by a single mother who experienced many educational disruptions, wanted to help children and mothers avoid the hardships that he and his mother faced. He was determined to create pathways for children and young adults to access education and learn trade skills that would enable them to support themselves and their families. Kelvin learned and developed many trade skills throughout his life and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Geology from the University of Liberia in 2023. He is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with an emphasis in Project Management at Starz University in Monrovia, Liberia. Over the decades, he has trained many young people in skills such as driving, auto mechanics, welding, computers, and more. He is dedicated to sharing knowledge and teaching young people who want to improve their lives. As a hands-on co-founder and director, Kelvin actively seeks and incorporates feedback from community members and youth to develop responsive and impactful programs that meet local needs.

A woman with red hair and glasses smiling indoors, with windows and plants in the background.

  • Rachel Smith Jahnz has been working on the UDS website for the past eight years, creating designs that make the maximum impact for the school, surpassing fundraising goals, and making UDS's online presence a joy to use!

    Rachel has eight years working in User Experience Design and Research across financial, healthcare, nonprofit industries, as well as in the Federal Government.

UDS Board Officers

  • Rich Berkley serves as a Financial Advisor at Principal Financial, where his primary focus lies in empowering underserved communities by imparting financial knowledge. Originally from Liberia, he migrated in 2001 due to the civil war, and he is committed to contributing to the recovery and betterment of his homeland after the traumatic experiences of the conflict.

  • Leona Charisma Diggs is an educational leader with more than 15 years of experience in K-12 and higher education, specializing in school leadership, charter school authorization, compliance, organizational development, strategic planning, and student success. Her work has included collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), supporting regulatory compliance, oversight systems, and continuous improvement efforts within Minnesota’s charter school sector.

    Leona holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership. Her doctoral research is titled “EXPECTATION, KEEP GOING!” INVISIBLE LABOR IN VISIBLE CRISIS: A NARRATIVE INQUIRY INTO TEACHER EXPERIENCES OF ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING IN MINNESOTA CHARTER SCHOOLS POST-COVID-19,” which explores how teachers experience the often unseen emotional and administrative demands of school leadership and how those experiences impact their well-being in post-pandemic Minnesota charter schools.

    As a member of the Uniting Distant Stars Board, Leona brings expertise in charter school authorization, compliance, governance, program development, and community engagement, along with a deep commitment to advancing educational equity and strengthening systems that support both educators and learners.

A smiling man with gray hair standing outdoors, with a wooden structure and a colorful parrot on his shoulder in the background.

  • Paul Ostrow currently serves as an Assistant Anoka County Attorney in the criminal division. Prior to his current position, He served three terms on the Minneapolis City Council from 1998-2009 representing northeast Minneapolis.

    Paul also served as Council President from 1998-2009 and in leadership on many boards and commissions including the League of Minnesota Cities, the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, and the Hennepin County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee.

    He is a volunteer board member of the Civic Caucus, the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association, and the Minnesota Committee on Government Information and also serves as co-chair of No Labels Minnesota.

    Paul visited Liberia in December 2018 and assisted in the creation of an NGO--CAST (Collaborative Action for Social Transformation)--in Liberia dedicated to the empowerment of young women in Bong County. He joined UDS to continue to support the development of young people in Liberia.

    He lives in Northeast Minneapolis and is an active member of Grace University Lutheran Church. 

  • TBD

UDS Board Members

A woman with braided hair, pearl earrings, and a pearl necklace, smiling against a pink background.
A man wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and light-colored tie, standing against a neutral background.

  • Makayla Higgs is a community-focused professional with a passion for creating opportunities and supporting individuals and communities. She brings experience in administration, program coordination, nonprofit operations, and relationship building to her role as a Board Member for Uniting Distant Stars.

    With a background in sociology from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, Makayla is passionate about understanding the systems and barriers that impact individuals and communities. Throughout her career, she has supported nonprofit organizations and community-based programs through administrative leadership, program coordination, and organizational support.

    As a member of the Uniting Distant Stars Board, Makayla is excited to contribute her skills, perspective, and commitment to helping the organization expand its impact. She believes in the power of community, meaningful connections, and creating opportunities that help people thrive.

Portrait of a smiling man with a beard, wearing a dark suit, light blue shirt, and patterned tie against a plain background.

  • Philip has worked in healthcare, insurance, education and financial services industries. He currently works at Voya Financial as a Business Analyst where he translates business ideas into working business applications. Philip did his undergraduate degree at University of Minnesota and graduate degree at Concordia University in St. Paul.

    In summer 2015 Philip spent 3 weeks in Brazil first attending the Rotary International convention in Sao Paulo then taking part in a Rotary Friendship Exchange with District 4740. In his leisure, he likes going to the gym, biking, watching sports.

    Philip is an avid traveler and has visited over 30 countries on 5 continents. He has several years of volunteering experience and serves on the board of ACES, an organization that creates after school programs for middle school kids who are most at risk of falling behind in the Twin Cities area. In addition to ACES he volunteers as a math tutor for adult learners as part of Volunteers In Partnership with Robbinsdale School District and also mentors high school girls on mobile application programming as part of Technovation.

    Philip is proud to originate from Liberia and has lived in the Twin Cities since 1999. Philip joined the board in October 2015 and is looking forward to serving the youth in home nation.