RENEE C NEBLETT

FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Born in Boston, Massachusetts 30 August 1947, has lived in Ghana for the past twenty two years.

Ms Neblett studied at the University of Massachusetts, 1969 Montessori Education Practicum, 1969 Goddard College M.ED, 1971, Akademie Les Beaux Arts, Valence (exchange program), 1981 Kuenst Akademie Duesseldorf BA and 1983 MFA, Bunting Fellow – Radcliffe College, 1984 Visiting Scholar, 1985 Researcher – Project Zero Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

She is the founding director of the Kokrobitey Institute, a private, research and development facility that began its work in 1992, with the goal of expanding the perimeters of American education to include study in Africa. Kokrobitey Institute offers short-term and long-term residential programs that explore the linkages of Art and Design, Environmental Studies, History and Culture for their role in advancing Education and Development.  Projects, including a Fellows Program and Teacher Training among other activities that take place throughout the year alongside internships and production. Current initiatives include the manufacturing of the GSB, a school bag made of recycled materials and the Maker’s Workshop: Advancing literacy through supporting critical thinking by teaching teachers to produce experiential learning tools for village classrooms.

KOJO OCANSEY

PROGRAM MANAGER

CHAMIL MADHAWA

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Originally from Sri Lanka, Chamil joined the Kokrobitey Institute ‘s staff in 2012 as the manager of the Design Center. He studied at Richmond College, Galle where he received a GCO Advanced Level Degree. Chamil manages a team of thirty locals that manufacture KI’s innovative designs and recycled products.

ELISE MCMAHON

DESIGN DIRECTOR  

Elise McMahon is an artist, designer, and teacher based in New York and Kokrobite.  Having graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA from the Furniture Department, she has spent the last 10 years teaching furniture skills & resourceful design courses in various schools and studios, including Bard College at Simon's Rock, The Textile Arts Center, 3rd Ward Studios, and more.  Alongside teaching she has maintained an independent art and design career, designing and making custom furniture and interior spaces for clients like Artsy, Kwambio, Basilica Hudson, and showing installation work in galleries in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco & Chicago. 

She has a deep interest in how designed spaces and systems can improve quality of life for creators, consumers, and observers. With each object & project she aims to challenge the mass produced interiors and experiences that we commonly accept in our modern world. 

HaANNAH RILEY

HEAD OF ECO LITERACY pPROJECT

Hannah Riley started the More Than Just A Tree eco-literacy project as an environmental researcher and design intern at Kokrobitey Institute in 2021. 

Hannah is a social and environmental impact designer from Melbourne, Australia. She graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Industrial Design and a concentration in Nature, Culture, and Sustainability studies. She uses design and education as a tool for systemic, cultural, and environmental transformation. She is interested in the challenge of synthesizing complex concepts to be comprehendible for different levels of understanding. Moreover, how we can share and communicate this information through story-telling and engaging formats. 

MUSA MOHAMMED

HEAD OF GROUNDS 

Musa started working with the Kokrobitey Institute in 1999. He is the supervisor of grounds and head of housekeeping. Musa’s work is fundamental to the operations and maintenance of our campus that allows us to host successful programs.

YAW OFORI

HEAD OF FASHION DESIGN AND SEWING

ESI OTOO

FASHION DESIGN,,,SEWING AND BATIKING

AKUA NYAMEKYE

SEWING