BRIDGE TEAM
The U.S. Africa Bridge Team is designed to reflect and maintain a diverse, expert and multi-stakeholder representation.
JOAN WADELTON
PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER | US-AFRICA BUSINESS BRIDGE
Joan Wadelton is the President and Founder of the US-Africa Business Bridge. She was previously in the Foreign Service with the US Department of State. One of her significant achievements while at State was the creation of the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) which has brought hundreds of leading African businesswomen to the United States for business training and matchmaking
AMB. SHEILA SIWELA
VP FOR AFRICA
Ambassador (ret.) Sheila Siwela has been a dynamic leader for decades – in Zambia, the United States and on the international stage.
She was Zambia’s Ambassador to the United States from 2010-2012 and has a longstanding commitment to enhancing business ties between the United States and Zambia – first in her diplomatic career, and now as a private consultant.
DENNIS WINSTEAD
Director for US business outreach
A former United States Department of State senior official and still-devoted “entrepreneurial” capitalist, Dennis Winstead is a leading transformational development project aggregator across the African continent. Dennis served as a senior national economic security official for twenty-five years, focusing on trade and investment policy in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa and building commercial advocacy strategies for U.S. companies seeking principal-level USG assistance in winning foreign contracts. Currently splitting his time between Atlanta’s global business world and on economic development projects in Washington, D.C., Dennis continues his work in capital expansion, technology adoption, talent leadership, and business sustainability in Africa. He is also an award-winning international author, leadership coach, capacity- and confidence-builder, and a growth-mindset strategist aimed at helping companies make money in the world’s most unlikely places.
KAREN EURE WILSON
Communications Director
Karen Eure Wilson is the Communications Director of the US-Africa Business Bridge. She has extensive experience in community relations and capacity building. She is a public affairs specialist and founder of Eureka Communications, a cross functional communications agency that provides strategic messaging, public relations, crisis communications, brand elevation and propulsion of purpose. She is a Christian evangelist, an author and a public speaker. She holds a variety of leadership positions with the National Association of Black Journalists.
GREGORY SIMPKINS
Senior Adviser
Gregory Simpkins, a longtime specialist in African policy development, is an advisor to the US-Africa Business Bridge. Before retiring from government, he served as Congressional and as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Agency for International Development, working on developing both the African Growth and Opportunity Act and the Prosper Africa initiative.
He has provided detailed training to Africa Women’s Entrepreneurship Program members on AGOA, Prosper Africa and doing business in America. He also facilitated a Memorandum of Understanding between AWEP East Africa and the African Merchants Association, a major importer of products from African countries
GERTRUDE MWALIMU
Operations Manager (Africa)
Operations Manager (Africa) responsible for identifying possible Bridge candidates to be admitted to the Bridge. Researches validity and solidity of businesses for their qualification to the Bridge. Vets and makes recommendations for the adaptation into the Bridge.
Currently owns Sky Events Ltd which was established in 2010 and began operations in 2013. Sky events provides tents, tables chairs and other accessories for events which include weddings, receptions, parties, etc.
Sky Events Ltd has provided services to various government institutions as well as other private organisations. Sky events has also provided services to Embassies based in Zambia.
Worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 27 years, both at home and abroad in Japan, Russia and Germany.
PETER MPHANDE
DIRECTOR FOR AFRICAN COMPANY OUTREACH
Peter Mphande has worked in the Government as well as the Private sector at senior management level for many years. He has worked in business consultancy firms and non-governmental organizations among others for over 15 years in Zambia.
He was involved in financial management and entrepreneurship capacity building. For example, focusing on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Zambia.
He has studied accountancy as a professional course and business development studies at degree level. In addition, he has attended advanced international professional courses in entrepreneurship and export promotion in Japan and Germany respectively.
Currently, he offers business consultancy services namely project proposal writing, business plan preparation, tax advisory services, book-keeping and accounts.
Under US Africa Business Bridge he is responsible for spread sheet management and business match making.
TIMI OLAGUNJU
Timi Olagunju was Africa’s representative on the Advisory Board at the International Republican Institute’s Generation Democracy (IRI-GD) and 2020 Most Influential Young Nigerian in Policy Influencing (YNaija 2020).