Lucy Mukaria – Champion of Ribui Valley
Lucy is our hero! She is the champion of all 250 families of Ribui Valley, where she grew up. Today she serves as a state representative and national advocate for women’s rights in Kenya’s Parliament. Lucy lives in Meru, Kenya where she is County Secretary General for Maendeleo Ya Wanawake, a Kenyan national women’s network and chair of the Women’s Caucus for the County Assembly. We call her “Lovely Lucy” for her firm but gracious leadership. She is head of our team of volunteers in Kenya implementing all details on the ground for #FEEDJOY.
Linda Higdon – FEEDJOY Director and Producer
Linda created, directed and produced the FEEDJOY Campaign from A-Z. The project was her saving grace through COVID-19, because it fed her creative joy! She is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, global champion for women and founder of Global Heart Journeys. She combines her nearly 20 years of philanthropic activism with her experience working with the Kenyan women into a one-of-a kind travel adventure called “Women’s Journey to Kenya”, featured in National Geographic, Forbes, and USA Today.
Rev. Moses Kibaya – Administrator
Pastor Moses’ heart lies with the families and children of Ribui Valley. For #FEEDJOY he is in charge of handling all funds once they arrive in Kenya and makes sure they go where they need to go! He founded “End-Time Harvest Christian Center” that boasts seven branches located in Meru, Kenya and ministers at a nearby village church. Years ago, he studied theology in North Carolina and returned to Kenya, in his own words, a “more holy man” with an acquired taste for cornbread!
Nick Maston – Video Editor
Nick is our talented video editor. He stepped in during COVID-19 to compose a compelling video using our extensive library of photos, film footage and sound effects, working alongside Linda. He is a young freelance director/content creator out of Detroit, MI. He has won awards on the global and national levels and is always looking for thought provoking ways to tell a story that also touch the heart.
Kellie Bambach – Design Advisor
Kellie is an amazing brand designer and owner of Sparklefurry Design, Ann Arbor. She holds numerous international design awards, has worked with large advertising agencies, small design houses and one of the largest entertainment companies in LA. She is adjunct faculty at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. We asked Kellie to advise us on important details to make our story come alive. She was always spot on!
Lena Mukaria – Field Photographer
Lena is a breath of fresh air! Young and ready to conquer the world, she is a civil engineering student in Kenya. With her university closed, she is volunteering as our on- the-ground photographer and videographer, sending regular updates from the valley. In her words, “I try to live my life paying it forward. I believe that kindness is a virtue that all humans need to cultivate…”
Eric Koppen – Filmmaker
For over a decade, Eric has been an independent filmmaker in Chicago and is passionate about filming conservation hot spots around the world. He has taught film production at Columbia College of Chicago, a leading fine arts college in the US. Eric’s cinematography and editing are featured in selections of our video. In 2017, Eric and Linda co-created an award-winning short documentary called “Beauty in the Unexpected” that tells the personal story of Linda’s work with the Kenyan women.
Heidi Jundt – Spiritual Advisor
When we first learned of the urgent situation in Kenya, we called upon Heidi to pray with us and set the vision for the work ahead. She is a woman of deep faith who has transcended some of life’s toughest challenges. In 2013 she and her sons, Lucas and Isaac, traveled to Kenya and met Lucy and all 250 children at Ribui School. Her children Lucas, Emma, Joshua, and Isaac have donated to the school lunch program.
Paul Higdon – Financial Advisor
After meeting the children of Ribui Valley seven years ago, he returned to his corporate job as Dean of Global Credit Training at Bank of America and insisted, “We will not forget these kids!” He has served as Chairman of the Board at Ripples International, a children’s welfare operation in Central Kenya. He just published his first book, Hope and a Future: Life, Survival and Renewal on the Streets of an African Slum, a #1 New Release on Amazon in late April. Paul volunteers his expertise for #FEEDJOY.