Ian Sendi - Founder & Executive Director
Sendi is the Founder and Executive Director of Bridges of Grace, a Minnesota based registered 501 c nonprofit organization that serves to provide mentoring, schooling, and housing support for street Kids in Kampala Uganda through its partnership with the Sendi Ian Foundation that has been serving the people of Kampala, Uganda and its surrounding communities since 2007.
As a child, Sendi engaged in and led a number of charity projects within and outside of the high school he attended. They included raising money to support children and families who were economically and socially outside the reach of mainstream services and support like orphans and street children.
The work also involved starting and maintaining a mutual benefit partnership with students and schools in Northern Uganda that had been severely set back by the Kony guerilla war that had lingered for over 20 years.
The projects ensured that such students and families would continue getting reliable access to scholastic materials and other basic needs. It was that experience and background that prompted him in 2007 to launch the Sendi Ian Foundation, a Uganda-based non-profit serving marginalized children and families within Kampala and the surrounding communities.
When he left College School in 2008, he joined Mukono Christian University in 2009 and Makerere University that same year until 2012 when he moved to the United States.
He joined FC Minneapolis in 2014, and he has been blessed to continue living and working in Minnesota while supporting the work of the Foundation and the many young people in Uganda who look up to him for guidance and support.
Irene Ssempa - President
Irene is a Minnesota based health care professional with more than 20 years of experience in the field. Her dedication to providing quality health care to all her clients has won her recognition among many healthcare providers and recipients over the years. She is also the Founder of Spark of Humanity, a Minnesota based nonprofit organization working to improve the welfare of women and young adults among communities of color in the Twin Cities and beyond. She brings tremendous experience and heart to our leadership team.
Joyce Nakalema - Treasurer
Joyce is a proud Minnesotan who has served her community as a health care professional for over 30 years. She has also been serving as the Senior Pastor for the Voice Ministries, a Minnesota registered Christian organization serving minority communities especially immigrants from Uganda, Kenya, and other parts of East Africa for the past 30 years. Her passion for God and compassion for people lines well with our core values and we have continued to see and experience more growth in our work as a direct impact of her leadership.
Nattabi Sherinah - Country Representative
Based out of Kampala, Uganda, Sherinah helps to oversee the day-to-day activities of the Sendi Ian Foundation, a Uganda-based nonprofit organization, and our local partner that serves to provide mentoring, schooling, and housing support for street Kids in Kampala Uganda since 2007. She holds an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Makerere University Business School, and she acts as the direct connection between Bridges of Grace and the Foundation providing timely updates and reports necessary for the success of ongoing projects.
David Adeola - Board Member
David is a former Nigerian U17 National Team Player who also played for the Shaktar Donesk U21 team. He also spent some time with Greek giants Panathiniakos briefly for negotiation and he is currently working as the Head Coach of FC Minneapolis, a men's premier club of the UPSL.
He was also previously called James Oluranti before legally changing his name to Oluwalaanu David Adeola.
His past professional experience in Europe coupled with his National Team Experience with Nigeria enabled him to transform FC Minneapolis into a football powerhouse in the United Premier Soccer League, reaching Division Semis, and becoming the first team in the entire State of Minnesota to reach the US National Cup Regional Finals and the Champions of Regions Semis during the 2021 Summer season within his first 3 years in charge of the club.
His unique experience together with strong leadership have contributed significantly towards advancing our mission and objectives ever since he joined our leadership team at Bridges of Grace.