The Board Behind 52 Years of Health, Education, and Sustainable Development in Rural Tanzania
AHEAD’s Board of Directors brings together physicians, educators, global health leaders, and development professionals who have collectively shaped programs that serve over 1 million people across Tanzania and beyond.
A Board That Governs With Field Knowledge, Not Just Financial Oversight
Most nonprofit boards operate from boardrooms thousands of miles from the communities they serve. AHEAD’s board includes leaders who have lived and worked in the communities the organization supports. Among them: a pediatrician who moved his family to Tanzania in 1974, a former WHO Assistant Director-General who grew up in the village AHEAD serves, and a CEO who first extracted teeth in a village in Shinyanga Region in 1988 when she was a dental student. This is the decision-making body that approved surgical capability at Maruku Health Center, authorized solar power after a generator failed mid-surgery, and expanded the computer lab to 61+ devices for 1,000 students. Governance here is informed by presence, not proximity.
The Leaders Who Drive AHEAD’s Operations and Strategy
Donna R. Williams-Ngirwa, DDS
Executive Director & CEO | Board Member since 2006
Daughter of AHEAD’s founders. First volunteered in Tanzania as a dental student in 1988. Founder and CEO of dental practices in New York and Dar es Salaam. Personally performs dental procedures at AHEAD’s annual health fair.
Andrea Williams-Kingslow, MD, MPH
Medical Director
Daughter of AHEAD’s founders. Board-certified OB/GYN, founder of Capital Women’s Care. Harvard MPH in Maternal and Child Health. Performed the first surgery at Maruku Health Center, powered entirely by solar energy in 2024. Washingtonian Top Doctor Hall of Fame inductee.
Apolinary ‘Yonga’ Ngirwa, DMin, MA
Program Director | Board Certified Chaplain
Over 30 years in pastoral care and spiritual counseling. Ensures donor-supported initiatives are implemented in Bukoba District. Co-founded Afya Bora Complete Dentistry in Dar es Salaam. The bridge between AHEAD’s supporters and on-the-ground results.
The People Who Started It All and Continue to Guide the Mission
Irving C. Williams, MD, MPH
Co-Founder of AHEAD | Medical Director Emeritus
Board-certified pediatrician specializing in Adolescent Medicine and International Health. Moved his family to Tanzania in 1974 when the country had only one pediatrician. Recipient of the World of Children Award and the Ashden Trust Award presented by HRH Princess Anne.
Elvira Felton Williams, MS, MBPA
Executive Director Emerita | Co-Founder
Educator and co-founder of AHEAD Inc. Moved with her husband, Dr. Williams, to Tanzania in 1974 and helped plan and implement the organization’s programs, including girls’ dormitories and scholarship systems that remain active today.
The Officers Who Govern AHEAD’s Strategic Direction and Financial Integrity
Lisa Gordon, BS
Board Chairperson
Lisa Gordon is Project Director, Training, Technical Assistance, and Community Engagement with the Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University
Sandra Caskie, MD
Board Member
Dr. Sandra Caskie, a distinguished physician who specialized in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Paul Hurlburt, MA
Secretary
The Professionals Who Bring Medical, Financial, Legal, and Development Expertise to AHEAD’s Governance
Christopher B. Cowan, MBA
Board Member
Christopher Cowan is a Director of International Project Finance for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
Margaret Weissman, MA
Board Member
Margaret Weissman is within the board of directors
Dr. Irving C. Williams, MD, Founder of AHEAD Inc.
AHEAD’s Board Is Backed by Volunteers, Partners, and Donors Who Show Up Every Year
Behind this board is a network of licensed physicians, dentists, nurses, educators, and coaches who self-finance their annual trips to Maruku. Corporate partners like Colgate, Henry Schein Cares, and WOGO provide supplies, expertise, and surgical capacity. Individual donors fund specific infrastructure, from birthing kits to solar panels to laptops.
AHEAD does not operate on overhead. It operates on commitment. If you are a medical professional, an educator, a technologist, or a corporate partner looking for an organization with 52 years of institutional credibility and measurable, on-the-ground results, this is where your contribution matters.
For Medical Professionals and Skilled Volunteers
Join the AHEAD mission trip to Tanzania every July; this year, July 9–24. Self-funded participation. Real patients. Real outcomes. Apply through the Volunteer page.
For Corporate and Institutional Partners
Named project sponsorship opportunities include the $66,625 dental office renovation, the 800-laptop regional expansion, and the solar-powered borehole water system. Full impact reporting and ESG documentation provided.
For Individual Donors
Every dollar funds specific infrastructure. $50 provides a birthing kit. $250 equips one Health Ambassador student. $1,000 funds a full day of the Community Health Fair. All donations are tax-deductible under AHEAD’s 501(c)(3) status.
EXPLORE AHEAD
Continue Learning About the Organization Behind the Board
About AHEAD Inc.
The full founding story, leadership profiles, mission, and 52-year history of AHEAD Inc.
Our Impact
Three stories from the field. The mother who delivered her baby on the roadside before reaching a health facility. The student who touched a keyboard for the first time. The surgeon who operated under solar power.
Health Programs
Maruku Health Center, the annual Community Health Fair, the Oral Health and Dental Program, and the WOGO surgical partnership.