Our Board

Okomfo Dr. Kwesi Amoa currently serves at the President and Executive Director of Akom Kese Planning Committee. He is a skilled organic chemist trained in the isolation, synthesis, and characterization of natural products. Over the years, his research interest has shifted from the synthesis of anti-viral and anti-carcinogenic agents, to environmental chemistry and chemical education. As a tool to assist his students in understanding chemical concepts, he created KemSolutions, a series of online videos. This work has generated more than 1 million views on YouTube. In addition, Dr. Amoa was the first person to develop and teach online lectures and labs for chemistry classes in the City University of New York system.

Dr. Amoa has strong technical and business qualifications with a track record of 27 years of innovative teaching and a combined 12 years of higher education administration experience and assignments. He has a proven track record in degree accreditation, program review, budgeting, institutional strategic planning, grantsmanship, online development, data driven scheduling, formative assessment, and curriculum development. In addition, he has above average knowledge of accounting principles, business development, marketing plans, business plans, corporate formation, non-profits, and business technology.

Some of his administrative accomplishments are: served as Dean of Mathematics and Science, and Engineering at Westchester Community College, served as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Huston-Tillotson University, Chaired the Physical, Environmental, and Computer Science Department at Medgar Evers College, Chaired the College Wide Academic Standards and Regulations, Vice-Chaired for the Committee on Institutional Assessment, Co-Chaired for Middle State Accreditations Self-Study – Institutional Assessment, and lead a team of faculty in the pre-accreditation for the Environmental Health Science Program.

Dr. Amoa is a published author of both print and electronic media. In 2014, he co-authored “Beneficial Use of Brown Grease: A Source of Petroleum Derived “ in the New England Water Associate Journal. In addition, he co-authored “Laboratory Experiments in Chemistry for Health Professional” 2nd Edition. He had a guest appearance on National Geographic’s – “Escape from New York: A Doomsday Preppers Event” that aired in Dec. 2012. Lastly, Dr. Amoa was named a winner of the 2012 Fulbright Specialist Award.

Dr. Amoa received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees in chemistry from Fisk University and he earned his doctorate in organic chemistry from Howard University. He has certifications from the Wharton School of Business in Integrating Finance and Marketing and Finance and Accounting for Non-Finance Managers. He is the founder and Executive Director for ReCycle For Education and currently serve as vice-chair for South Queens Park Association board. He is married to Andrea A. Amoa, Esq. and is a proud father of three.

Lastly, he is a graduate priest of Nana Atinga, a Bosum found in northerner Ghana. He was trained under the direction of Nana Kodia Ababio of Banafo Bosumfie and Nana Kwame Amanfu of Nsubri, Ghana.

Okomfo Dr. Adwoa Tano (Angela McMillan) is a priest to the ancient Akan obosom, Asuo Tano. She is a member of the Taa Kora, Asuo Tano shrine in Ghana, and the Spirit Central Akan house in Washington, DC.

She holds a B.A. in World History, a M. Ed. in Elementary Curriculum & Instruction, and a PhD in African Public Policy, Development, and World Affairs from Howard University. She is 20+ year veteran educator and a life long community organizer. She is a proud member of a host of organizations, including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., IKG, where she is the coordinator of the Wisdom Wednesday monthly lecture series, The African Traditional Spiritual Coalition, United Black Community, and a board member of Akom Kese, Inc. and Nsumankwaa Fie, Inc.

Akan proverb: If you want to speak to God, speak to the wind

Andrea A. Amoa  currently serves as the legal advisor of the Akom Kese Planning Committee. She is a Court Attorney Referee in Suffolk County Family Court located in New York and has been appointed to that position for the last 5 years. Her primary focus of practice is domestic violence, orders of protection, custody and visitation, paternity, and guardianships.

Prior to her appointment as a Court Attorney Referee, she was a staff attorney with the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society. During her legal tenure, she has had a private practice that concentrated in criminal and family law, served on the Family Court 18b and the Attorney for the Child Panels in Suffolk County where she represented respondents and children.

Andrea attended Fisk University and received her Bachelor of Arts in English. She graduated from Thurgood Marshall School of Law, cum laude, and was a senior editor of the T.M.S.L Law Review. Andrea is a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association and the Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association. In addition, she is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.

She is married to Dr. Kwesi Amoa and is a proud mother of three children. Asha – a 2022 Masters in Fine Arts recipient and a magna cum laude, graduate of CUNY. Akosua – a  2024 honors graduate of Albany State University and Registered Nurse and also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Kwesi II is currently an LPN, an athlete (All American wrestler, 2024), and will be a Rhode Island College honors graduate in May 2025.

Nana Yaw Asamoah Sarpong is a St. John’s University graduate in Broadcast communications and the 2x Emmy award winning production manager of the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC. He is the son of the Late Nana Aba Nson Osunyomi Afolabi Sarpong (one of the first Yoruba and Akan priest in America) and The Paramount chief of the City-State Agogo in Ghana, Nana Kwame Akuoko Sarpong. Asamoah loves and enjoys being an advocate of the Akan culture and wants to help with the legacy of the Akan culture the best way he can. Just as Christians believe through Christ anything is possible, Asamoah believes with the shrines anything is possible. Asamoah has with his wife Akua two children, Nana-Esi and Maanu. Asamoah tries his best to travel to Ghana at least once a year to connect with his father side of the family, and connect with the people of Agogo. Though Asamoah does not have an official title in the Akan culture, he was enstooled as an official royal member of Agogo.

Fun fact: Asamoah hopes to create his own television shows that involves African Traditional culture.

Okyeame Y. Tyus is a husband and father of five, a lifelong resident of Washington, DC, and a dedicated advocate for culture and community. He holds degrees from Howard University and The George Washington University and serves as the Okyeame to Onipa Abusia,

With a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, Okyeame Tyus has a strong interest in various Ghanaian artisans, including waist bead creators, wood carvers, and brass workers, recognizing their vital role in preserving cultural heritage. He lives by the principle: “If I eat breakfast, it is more important for me to make sure that you do too, before I eat lunch.”

Montina “Ama” Vital, originally from the St. Louis area, has become a pillar in her community. Ama migrated to the Washington D.C. area as an Electrical Engineer in 1997. Several years later, the call for service in Ama’s life expanded. Ama joined the US Army and as a US Army veteran, Ama quickly realized that she had a passion for helping others on a deeper level. Ama is a wife of 20+ years and mother of 3. She enjoys cooking so much that she became a personal chef and serviced the Southern Maryland area for several years. Her expertise is in natural and alternative foods. She also enjoys gardening, making quilts, and serving her community as a spiritual counselor.

In 2008, Ama partnered with her spouse and launched a psychological services business in Waldorf, Maryland. The purpose of this practice is to help the community with neuropsychological testing. Growing this practice helped Ama enhance her passion in helping and serving her community no matter what the task may be.

In 2015, Ama took a different direction in her professional career. Ama entered the financial services industry where she became a licensed insurance professional.

In 2016, Ama decided to dedicate her time and energy to her passion and pursue it as a full-time career. Ama’s passion has strengthened with the idea that the needs of the community are complex. During her journey as a financial expert, she is aware of the new-age difficulties that we face in family finance, business finance, and securing a legacy for the future generations. She understands that these key elements are “vital” to the lifeline of families and their generational success.

In 2019, Ama became a Certified Business Leader. Ama saw the extreme need of financial literacy and education within her community so she obtained her National Certification as a Financial Education Instructor so that she can educate on all national platforms. Ama has been a keynote speaker, subject matter expert, and have developed an agency of agents that believe in her mission and look to assist the community. She even practices what she preaches as a family with her eldest child committed to the mission as well with a degree in Finance and his license in Insurance. Ama’s mission is to help families realize that financial security is “an essential, a must-have”.

Okomfo Olufemi Baraka Shepsu M.S.W. aka Nana Kwabena Frempong is a School Social Worker employed by Richmond Public Schools, and is currently assigned to Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School. Olufemi has had the privilege and honor of working with Black Families and Children in the City of Richmond for over 31 years, and has dedicated his life to their Freedom, Sovereignty, and Healing. He is a native of Richmond, Va. and is a graduate of Virginia Union University, and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work. Olufemi is an advocate of African-Centered Psychology/Social Work and is a Disciple of Bobby Wright, Neely Fuller, Francis Cress-Welsing, Amos Wilson, and Kobi Kambon. Okomfo Olufemi has been tutored by some of the nation’s leading Black Nationalist which include Nana Agyei Akoto, Nana Akua Akoto, and Mr. A. Peter Bailey. Olufemi is an Okomfo (Priest) in the Akan Spiritual System of Ghana West Africa; and has been initiated to the Nana Kosi, and Sankofa Shrines. He is also a co-facilitator for the Cultural Mis-Orientation Co-Hort that was created by Black Psychologist Kobi Kambon, and is a Co-creator of the Kobi Kambon Black Mental Health Institute, the Maafa/Kebuka Ancestral Commemoration and the Abusua Pa Black Family Institute. He is an active member of the Ankobea/NSAA Society, The National Association of Black Social Workers, The National Coalition of Blacks For Reparations (Health Commission), Akom Kese, and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Okomfo Olufemi is the Co-Chair of the Pan-African Affairs Committee, and is a Sage on the African-Centered Social Work Academy of the National Association of Black Social Workers. He is also the Co-Chair of the Education Committee of the Richmond Association of Black Social Workers. Olufemi has been a featured speaker on the local and national level, and has presented on topics such as Ancestral Healing, Cultural Reconstruction, Black Mental Health, and healing the Ancestral wounds of Enslavement. Okomfo Olufemi is a musician who plays the tenor saxophone and the sangban, kenkeni, and dundun drums of West Africa. He is also professionally trained in traditional Adowa and Kete dance from the Akan people of Ghana, West Africa.

Cesa Salaam, also known as Ɔkɔmfoɔ Kwaku Bɛkoe, is a dedicated PhD candidate at Howard University, delving into the realm of fairness and bias mitigation within artificial intelligence. Beyond academia, he serves as an Asuo Gyebi and Asuo Asrampɔn Kofi Kɔmfoɔ. Cesa Initially trained under Ankɔbea’s National Shrines of Africans in America (NSAA) and subsequently has continued studying under the tutelage of Nana Akosua Tweneboah (Asuo Agyenim kɔmfoɔ) and Ɔbosomfoɔ Nana Kodom (Koforidua, Nsuahene). Additionally, Cesa has spent the last 7+ years studying and reaching fluency in  Asante Twi. Overall Cesa is committed to the utilization of knowledge and skills in the best interests of Afrikan people.

Dr. Hasanna Tyus is a highly accomplished higher education leader with over 22 years of experience in enrollment management, student success, and strategic planning. She has a proven track record of implementing data-driven enrollment strategies, optimizing student services, and fostering institutional growth at both public and private universities.

Currently serving as the Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student Success at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), Dr. Tyus provides visionary leadership for undergraduate and graduate admissions, financial aid, advising, career services, student affairs, and TRIO programs. Under her leadership, UDC experienced a 17.5% increase in enrollment and improved student retention through the development and execution of the university’s first comprehensive strategic enrollment and success plan.

Prior to her role at UDC, Dr. Tyus held several key leadership positions, including Interim Vice President and Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at The Catholic University of America. There, she led initiatives that resulted in the most ethnically and socioeconomically diverse freshman class in the university’s history, increasing Black/African American enrollment by 59% and Hispanic enrollment by 44%. She also restructured enrollment services, implemented new technology platforms, and developed policies to enhance student access and engagement.

She has deep expertise in strategic enrollment planning, financial aid optimization, student information systems, and accreditation compliance. As Vice President, Assistant Dean, and Registrar at The Institute of World Politics, she played a pivotal role in securing full accreditation compliance and modernizing practices. Her ability to align institutional goals with innovative student success strategies has been a hallmark of her career.

A champion for equity in higher education, Dr. Tyus has led initiatives focused on fostering a sense of belonging for underrepresented students. She has served as a peer evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and contributed to research on enrollment diversity and institutional assessment.

Dr. Tyus earned her Bachelor of Arts and doctorate degree in Higher Education Administrative and Policy Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University.  She is a member of many higher education professional organizations and is a long-time member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

She is a proud wife and mother and enjoys spending time with her family, serving her community, and helping others.