board of directors

Peter Osei-Kwame, PhD
President & CEO

Dr. Osei-Kwame was born in the small Asante village of Daboya in Ghana, West Africa. He was educated at the University of Ghana at Legon [BA Honors in 1969], and University of Iowa at Iowa City [MA 1971, Ph.D 1979]. He taught Geography and African Studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi Ghana [1972 – 1983], University of Iowa at Iowa City [1983-1984] and University of Wisconsin at Madison [1984 – 1985]. Since 1998 he has been working for the US Census Bureau, Department of Commerce, as a Supervisory Geographer. He is the father of three adult children, all university graduates. His philosophy regarding parenting is “to give children the education they need to survive and to render public service with love and humility. Every child deserves an opportunity to be educated.”

Garrett V. Ridgley, DDS
Vice President
Publicity

Dr. Ridgley was born in Boston Massachusetts. He was educated in Colby College in Maine [BSc], Howard University in Washington DC [DDS], and University of Michigan [MSc]. He was a Professor of Dentistry [Howard University] and practitioner of the Dental Art. He retired from teaching at Howard University in 1991 as Acting Chairman of the Department of Dentistry.

His philosophy regarding parenting and training of children is to “raise up a child to do right in the sight of God.” He is a father of 4 adult children who are all university educated. Garrett’s Organizational memberships include the following: Past program Director and President of Robert T. Freeman Dental Society, member of National Dental Association, DC Dental Association, American Dental Association, American Dental Teachers Association, American Dental Research Association, Honors member of Dental Honors Society, Fellow, American College of Dentists, member of the FACD, member of the International Association of Dental Research, member of the Dental Materials Section of American Standards Institute, member of the Dental Materials section of the subcommittee of International Standards Organization [ISO], Editor of the Plenary Session of the ISO.

Anna Osei-Kwame, CNA
Treasurer

Anna was born in the small town of Old Offinso Ashanti in Ghana. She had elementary and High School education in Ghana and college education at the Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is mother of 3 adult children, and Godmother for over 40 children. She followed her husband to the United States in 1970 and worked as elder caregiver for most of her time in the United States until her retirement in 2003. Her objective in children’s education is “to train them to become honest and reliable future leaders. Every child has a mission on earth” She spends half of her retirement time in Ghana monitoring and mentoring children sponsored by ACEF Inc. The other half of her time is spent in the United States raising money to support orphans and abandoned children in Ghana.

Susie P. Ridgley, PhD
Fundraising

Dr. Susie P. Ridgley was born, raised and educated in the Washington DC area. She is a retired professional school counselor and mother of 4 university educated adult children. She is especially interested in musically gifted children.

Her objective as a parent and teacher is to nurture, inspire, mentor, empower and lead children to the fulfillment of their God-given mission on this earth. She says her role with children is “to spiritually nurture and instill in them Godly wisdom, helping them to develop their heavenly endowed talents and skills, and encouraging them to reach out for excellence in their mission on earth. That is why I support the mission of ACEF Inc and serve on the Board of Directors”.

Jacob U. Gordon, PhD
Projects Director

Jacob U. Gordon is Professor Emeritus at the University of Kansas and curently serves as the President & CEO, American Health Coalition Inc., a national and international health and health-related issues organization. During his tenure at the University of Kansas, Dr. Gordon was also the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Multicultural Leadership and Rsearch Fellow at the Schiefelbusch Institute for Lifespan Studies. Educated in the U.S., the United Kingdom and Africa, Jake is widely recognized as a scholar and public intellectual. Throughout his more than 35 years of academic career, Jake's record of public service was deeply rooted in the application of research for the impovement of human quality of life. He devoted much of his research, teaching and public service to public education, human and civil rights, leadership studies, substance abuse services, and school and community program evaluation.