Board of Directors

clifford duong

Clifford Duong is the founder and president of Anjiro Initiative, originally launched as a crowdfund named “Project Fo Mitambatra” in 2014. In addition to serving in the Peace Corps for over three years, Clifford has over fifteen years of experience in the public and private sectors, nonprofits, and various organs and affiliates of the United Nations System.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, where he concentrated on Economic and Political Development with a regional specialization in Africa. He currently resides in San Jose, California.

Christina Nielsen

Christina is the secretary for Anjiro Initiative. She is a practicing attorney in the State of California and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law, where she concentrated on employment and labor law. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from California Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Having served as a community economic development volunteer in Peace Corps Madagascar for over two years, she hopes to bring her personal knowledge and experience to Anjiro Initiative and its mission. Christina currently resides in Orange County, California.

KENNY PANKEY

Kenny Pankey is the treasurer and chief operating officer for Anjiro Initiative. With over ten years of experience in finance and operations, most of which has been spent in the nonprofit sector, Kenny was drawn to the opportunity to lend his skills to an organization with such a direct impact on the lives of students in Madagascar.

Kenny is the senior director of finance and Operations at the United Nations Foundation’s Clean Cooking Alliance. At the Clean Cooking Alliance, Kenny manages the financial compliance and reporting functions, as well as the organizational operations functions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland. Kenny currently resides in Washington, DC.

Our Program Advisory Committee

JULIEN FREDERIC HERMAN TOKINIAINA, Chairman of the Program Advisory Committee for the Anjiro Initiative Board of Directors

Julien Frederic Herman Tokiniaina grew up as an orphan and was raised by his grandparents, who had limited funds to support his schooling. With the help of Project Fo Mitambatra, Julien earned scholarships from US-based companies to pay for his secondary schooling in Anjiro. He was also the recipient of a small grant provided by the U.S. Embassy in Madagascar for gifted students designed to defray the costs of applying to universities in the United States.

Julien later became the first Malagasy and Francophone sub-Saharan African student to earn the prestigious MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program Scholarship in 2015. Because of this achievement, Julien was later invited by the U.S. Embassy in Madagascar to be interviewed on the nationally broadcasted news program “Dream’in.”

The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program Scholarship allowed him to travel to the United States to earn a Bachelor of Science in Earth and Environmental Studies and a Certificate in Energy and Sustainability from Arizona State University. Julien made it onto the Dean’s list during his senior year of college and is a Sun Devil through and through!

Julien realizes there are many academically talented but economically disadvantaged youth like himself. In his own words, “I firmly believe that all kids deserve equal access to education like me. I am on board with Anjiro Initiative to give back to my community and help kids that are working their face off to succeed in school, whose efforts are hindered by financial barriers.” Julien currently resides in Moramanga.