Our Values
Accountability: We are responsible to do our best and work our hardest to ensure children are safe, healthy, and learning.
Integrity: We are honest and act according to strong moral principles. We follow our policies, procedures to ensure the dignity, respect, and safety of all.
Teamwork: We work together to run effective, excellent programs for safety, health, and education. We respect each other.
Equality: We treat everyone with fairness. We ensure that all students, staff, and community members are supported with opportunities to thrive.
Gratitude: We show appreciation for each other and for the opportunity that we have to grow and learn every day.
Empathy: We seek to understand how others feel and experience the world. We design our programs to meet the unique circumstances of our students and communities, listening and seeking to understand their needs and desires. We care about our students, our team, and our country. We nurture each other’s growth and well-being.
OUR TEAM
SYLVESTINE GBESSAGEE, DIRECTOR OF SAFEGUARDING/ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Sylvestine brings over 25 years of direct social work experience working with at-risk and marginalized populations including children, young adults, the elderly, women and others in need of therapeutic counseling and support. Sylvestine is a Professor of Social Work at University of Liberia. She holds a BA and a Master's of Social Work, as well as a certificate of training in Gender, Governance and Transformative leadership from UNESCO. At Hilltop Schools, Sylvestine currently acts as Executive Director and is the Director of Safeguarding. In her new role, she oversees the everyday operations of Hilltop Schools Inc. As Director of Safeguarding, she is responsible for management and oversight of psychosocial support, wellbeing, and safety of More Than Me Academy students, scholarship and alumni students and survivors.
KLUBO KESSELLY WESEE, SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
ANTOINETTE THORNHILL, FINANCE OFFICER
Antionette has worked for over 20 years in Finance, Operation & Administrative Departments.She began her career in auditing, with an Audit Firm, Delotte & Touche Voscon Inc. CPAs, which enhanced her ability for proper documentation of financial transactions and compliance. She spent four years in Freetown, Sierra Leone in the Finance Department of a Travel Agency, ensuring that refunds of tickets were properly tracked and the Agency receive those due amounts. After that, she returned to Liberia and spent seven years with USAID projects in 3 Counties in Liberia, in the Finance, Operations & Human Resource Departments. Most recently, she worked with More Than Me in the Human Resource and Finance Department assisting the Finance Director in maintaining a good Financial System of proper Supporting Documentations, Filing and Government Compliance. At Hilltop Schools, Antionette serves as the Finance Officer
THOMAS WILLIAMS, HR GENERALIST, IMPACT OFFICER
Thomas has over 15 years of work experience as Community Outreach Specialist, NRECA-Int’l., HR-Generalist, WVS Tubman University, Director, Clubs & Activities, WVS Tubman University, Credit Officer, Access Bank-The Micro-Finance Bank-LTD. Thomas earned a BSc. in Economics, pursuing a Master's in Econometrics from the University of Liberia, and Cuttington Graduate Sch., respectively. In his role as HR-Generalist, HSI, Thomas is responsible for recruitment, communicating policies, procedures, laws, standards, and gov’t. regulations to other staff, etc. As Impact Officer, he reviews program reports and provides feedback to improve learning outcomes. He also works closely with the Director of Growth in fundraising by fostering meaningful, lasting relationships with donors in Liberia and abroad and helps in the development of proposals.
GERALD HODGES, DIRECTOR OF GROWTH
Gerald is a Development Management Professional and Entrepreneur with close to ten years of experience within the development sector. He believes in a world where everyone flourishes, and therefore, he is committed to developing and supporting solutions that empower people to achieve their potential and fight poverty. Gerald currently serves as Growth Director at Hilltop Schools Inc, where he leads its resource mobilization efforts to educate and protect Liberia’s female leaders at its all-girls tuition-free school in Monrovia. He is a Watson and DAAD alumnus, 2019 UNLEASH Innovation Lab Talent, a Resolution Social Impact Fellow, Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum (WEF), and 2021 Mandela Washington Fellow.
SAM COLE, OPERATIONS OFFICER
Sam Cole obtained High school Diploma from New Era, professional carpenter and general construction with almost 8 years of practice, worked about 2 years as Logistic Officer with More Than Me. Currently in the same role at Hilltop schools Inc. his responsibilities include taking care of the Academy ensuring that all aspect is well functioning for students to have quality education, supervising securities and janitors at both MTMA and HSI head office, construction and renovation for both LEAP and the Academy facilities as well.
VARNEY MARSHALL SAMBOLLA, OPERATIONS/IT MANAGER
Varney has over seven years working experience in the field of Information Technology (IT) and head logistics. Currently in role as Operations Manager / IT for HSI. His responsibilities cover the gamut of ensuring all of our schools are properly stocked and all staff have adequate functioning resources and logistics to accomplish their goals. Marshall also manages ICT to repair and troubleshoot all network and computer related issues.
He is a BBA degree candidate in Management and Accounting from the University of Liberia. Enrolled in project management courses at the Liberia institution of Public Administration (LIPA). earned series of professional certificates from the Starz college of science and Technology such as; Hardware (A+), Networking (N+) Microsoft Certified Technology professional (MCTP) and Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS).
JEREDINE K. GWILLY, SCHOOL NURSE
OUR BOARD
Dr. Gracie-ANN DInkins
Dr. Dinkins is a trauma and acute care surgeon. She was born in Northern California to Liberian parents. They returned home to Liberia when she was 5 years old, where she spent most of her childhood and early adulthood. her university degree was interrupted by a civil war that led her to relocate. She later went on to represent Liberia in three separate Olympics. She is the only athlete to ever do so.
After hanging up her spikes, from 2006 to 2012 she took many teams of Liberian track and field athletes to various Continental, World and Olympic events. Currently she is an athlete mentor.
Her passion is for helping people in acute need. She has served on mission trips and worked in various locations such as Haiti, Vietnam, and Sierra Leone. She has completed 3 missions as Surgeon-in Chief to Cambodia as part of the Cambodian Health Professional Association Mission, beginning in 2017 and continuing to serve in that capacity up to the present. She is also the CEO of Kutoa Afrika Foundation, established in early 2019, a non-profit organization that responds to communities in crisis, in Africa and the diaspora.
Dr. Dinkins is the Current Acting Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Hilltop Schools Inc.
JAMES DORBOR JALLAH
Dorbor serves as the Director at the Carter Center of Liberia that focuses on peace-building, mental health services, and access to information and justice. Prior to this role he served as CEO of Public Procurement and Concessions Commission. In this role he led and coordinated support services (including logistics, supply chain, finance, etc.) for Liberia’s emergency Ebola response, which resulted in ending the world’s worst health pandemic in record time. He also led and coordinated Liberia’s development planning process across sectors and regions culminating in the execution of about $350 million annual national expenditure and foreign direct investments of more than $12 billion.
Dorbor led the post-war restoration of tertiary education in Liberia at Stella Maris Polytechnic now providing college education to more than 3,000 students annually. In December 2018, Dorbor was awarded the Integrity Idol Award from Accountability Lab, an award created to honor public officials for honest, and responsible approach to work, ensuring standards even in challenging circumstances. Dorbor served as the Chairman of the Liberian Advisory Board for More Than Me.
EUGENE GRAY
Eugene is currently the Education Program Manager for a DAI project funding through the USAID Liberia Accountability and Voice Initiative (LAVI). In this role, Eugene is the primary technical lead for the Education Thematic Window and provides overall technical direction and accountability for the Thematic Window quality and success. Eugene has 12 years of experience managing and implementing education programs and projects, and has extensive understanding and detailed knowledge of learning abilities and appropriate strategies and methods, management and financial oversight on complex and large-scale multi-year projects and programs with international and local non-governmental organizations, and government entities.
J. KERKULA FOEDAY
Dr. Foeday is currently the Chairman of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Liberia. Throughout his life he has committed time and energy to educating young Liberians, and ensuring the necessary social support for their success. He brings a strong lens for psycho-social support programs and proper safeguarding and protection activities for our schools. Dr. Foeday holds a doctorate (DSW) in social work.
FIONA WEEKS
Fiona Weeks is currently the Director of Product Marketing at RINGIER AFRICA DIGITAL PUBLISHING, Nigeria. Fiona is a communications and logistics professional who deeply passionate about ensuring that Liberian children have access to quality education. She previously served on the Liberian Advisory Board of More Than Me.
TANYA DEBBLAY-Burrell
Tanya Debblay-Burrell has over 20 years of global and digital experience as an IT and Business Process professional working for a number of financial institutions including Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, and Citibank, delivering exceptional value to senior management in the areas of Data Research, Business Analysis and Project Management.
Born in United States and spent 15 years in Liberia with her Father J. Bennie Debblay, until the civil war. Tanya has dedicated herself to transforming the lives of children and women around the globe by working for several foundations and organizations in the United States and Africa.
GBANJA SCOTT
Gbanja Scott is a media and marketing specialist who is helping tell the story of Hilltop Schools in Liberia.
MORRIS SIASSAY
Mr. Siassay represents the West Point Community and has been deeply involved in parent and student advocacy at the Academy.
SOLOMON DENUE
Mr. Denue serves on the PTA Leadership Board for The Academy and is a Parent Representative on the Board. Both Morris and Solomon represent an important voice for community needs, experiences, and perspective on the Board of Directors.