The Team

After her sophomore year of college, Kathryn Hall spent a summer in The Gambia volunteering at Sulayman Junkung General Hospital. There she discovered the devastating effects of power shortages on the hospital's ability to deliver adequate health care. The hospital's CEO, Kebba Badgie, asked her to raise $300,000 for solar panels to solve the hospital's energy needs. Upon her return home to the Delaware Valley, she started Power Up Gambia to accomplish this mission.

Lynn's early work with Peace Corps in Senegal in the 1980's inspired a life long interest in environmental issues in developing countries. She is a field biologist by training and has worked for both the private and nonprofit sectors in ecology and environmental education. Alternative energy systems have also been a passion, leading to a 2 kilowatt photovoltaic system on her roof and a hobby as an electric car club enthusiast.

Sesh spent the majority of his childhood between California and Western Africa. He is currently a 2nd year MD/PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania with a strong interest in tropical infectious diseases. Sesh joined Power Up Gambia in the winter of 2008 and currently works closely with the Somita Clinic as PUG's Director of Monitoring and Evaluation.

Michael is a 2010 candidate for a BA in Biochemistry and an MS in Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania but aspires to study medicine after he graduates. His mission is to make everyone healthy and he firmly believes that access to healthcare is a human right. For important medical progress new drugs and scientific research are necessary, but there is a lot we can do right now. Michael is inspired by Power Up Gambia's philosophy because it's a simple way of implementing fundamental and long-lasting effects in health.

Paul lived in The Gambia for four months, volunteering with a variety of community-oriented projects. When he returned to his hometown of Philadelphia, he was thrilled to discover he could continue to work for the Gambian good as a Power Up Gambia intern. A 2005 graduate of Juniata College with a BA in Theatre & English, Paul now heads Power Up Gambia's communications and public relations team.

With 6 years of experience working and studying in hospitals in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Andy is very familiar with the energy and vitality it takes to deliver good healthcare. He unites his background in bioengineering with his future career in medicine through his active participation in the design and development of solar energy and water projects for Power Up Gambia. He loves to solve problems, connect the dots, and make sure that passionate and motivated healthcare teams have the tools they need to get the job done.