Dr. Ajume H. Wingo is a Prince from Nso, a Kingdom in the North West Region of Cameroon. He is a Professor of Philosophy; Associate Director of the Center for Values and Social Policy; and the Director of the Law and Philosophy Program at the University of Colorado-Boulder. Ajume is the author of Veil Politics in Liberal Democratic States published by Cambridge
University Press.
Ajume hopes PridePads Africa will inspire women around the world to unite in supporting its mission to help free girls from senseless obstacles and empower them to change their communities for the better.

Stephanie Carter is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, activist and visionary. In 1999, Carter became one of the early pioneers of the sun protection apparel movement when she launched Boulder, Colorado based Wallaroo Hat Company. Since Wallaroo Hat
Company’s debut over two decades ago, Carter has grown the company into a leading global brand and certified B Corporation.

Carter is passionate about projects that have a global impact and she is one of the co-founders of PridePads Africa. She has been working alongside Professor Wingo and the PridePads Board for the last five years to bring menstrual hygiene education and access to menstrual pads to girls and women in Cameroon.

Mary F. Shackelton, MPH, ND is a mother of three, a naturopathic doctor, entrepreneur, author, avid gardener, and yogi. She is a board certified Naturopathic Doctor who owned and ran an integrative and naturopathic clinic in Boulder for over 27 years. She has a background in Public Health and has an eye towards prevention and health promotion in all areas of life.  This project has satisfied many of her desires to give back, to support girls in completing their education and in offering rural Africa a very simple solution to a widespread obstacle to the wellness of women and girls. As a co-founder of Pride Pads Africa and current Vice President, she brings her commitment to serving others and strives to make a significant impact on the educational outcomes for women and girls in Cameroon.

Celeste Carter is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C. Since meeting Professor Ajume Wingo in 2015, she has played an active and influential role in supporting PridePads. Deeply committed to advancing educational equity and access to menstrual health resources, Celeste is passionate about creating opportunities for girls worldwide. Her work with PridePads has been a transformative experience, fostering both personal growth and a deeper understanding of what it means to empower others. Celeste remains dedicated to making a lasting impact in the lives of women and girls, stating, “If I can change the life of just one girl, it will be enough.”

Having first joined PridePads Africa in 2021 as a volunteer, Elizabeth is honored to have served on the Board of Directors prior to becoming Executive Director in January 2023. Elizabeth received an MA in Gender Studies and Law from SOAS-University of London, having written her dissertation entitled Menstruation and Period Poverty: Undervalued and Overlooked Aspects of the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Arena, which was inspired by her work with PridePads. Prior to SOAS, she studied International and Comparative Politics and International Human Rights Law at The American University of Paris, where she discovered and fostered her passion for women’s rights and empowerment in development projects. Her focus, both in academia and the professional world, has been on community-based development projects that advance human rights and gender equity. In addition to her work as Executive Director of PridePads, Elizabeth works in the non-profit space in Washington, D.C.

Hillary began her career as a marketing professional in the children’s toy industry and is now part of the fashion industry at Wallaroo Hat Company in Boulder, CO. During her time in the toy industry, she was able to fulfill her love of giving back by working with organizations whose missions are to provide toys and more to children in need. Continuing that path, Hillary was honored to be asked to be part of the board at PridePads. Ensuring that girls and women in Cameroon have access to menstrual health education and menstrual pads is extremely important and she hopes that her small role at PridePads will help make a difference.

Jill Hammer brings 32 years of Media Relations experience to PridePads Africa.

She is the founder of HammerINK Media Intelligence, a full-service PR, event planning and social media firm.

Jill is no stranger to social causes and has been working for decades to advance the civil rights and freedoms of LGBTQ kids and adults. She has coordinated events and media campaigns for GLAAD, the Trevor Project, It Gets Better Project and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Jill’s entrée into activism came at sixteen years old, when she organized a national letter writing campaign urging then President Reagan to acknowledge the AIDS crisis. So yes, she has been at this a while.

When Jill watched the PridePads Africa video she was moved to tears, and knew she needed to use her philanthropic experiences and writing & public relations skill set to help the girls and women of Cameroon.

Jill is a recent addition to the PridePads Africa team. Her focus is securing media coverage for the organization and generating awareness through the PridePads social media channels.

Darby Moore has been in the accounting industry for 30 years,
most recently as the Director of Finance at Wallaroo Hat Company. Darby attended University of Colorado Leeds School of Business graduating with an BS in Accounting. She worked in public accounting for several years obtaining her CPA license. Prior to coming to Wallaroo she ran a private accounting business for 20 years. Darby specializes in financial accounting and has had experience being Treasurer of the Board for several non-profits in the Boulder area. Being a woman and mother of two daughters the mission of PridePads Africa resonated with her. If PridePads Africa can bring education and awareness to empower girls and women in Cameroon, she feels fortunate to use her skills to be part of that mission.

Derek Gerleit studied Astrophysics and minored in Business at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is a nationally registered EMT-IV and worked for Holistica Integrative Care. There he met Mary Shackelton in 2016. After working at her clinic for 3 years, he heard about the project she was a part of and immediately asked how he could help with PridePads while it was being developed. He was hired as the Director of Ground Operations for PridePads Africa, and moved to Ngaoundere Cameroon for 7 months. There he helped to establish the non-profit. Derek is passionate about bringing menstrual health education and menstrual pads to the women of Cameroon. After having worked in the medical field, he wanted to normalize menstruation. After living in Ngaoundere and helping initiate the production he is deeply invested in success and growth of the project, and hopes that the world will continue to support these women that are fighting everyday to prove themselves, fighting for the education of their children, and fighting for change in their country.

Alex is an Ohio native but for two years called Cameroon her home. Her journey with women’s rights began during her undergraduate studies at Miami University as a Peer Advisor for women. Her passion continued to deepen while working with the Peace Corps in a rural community in the North of Cameroon—not far from the PridePads Headquarters. She co-facilitated summer camps and after school programs that empowered females in the community. It was during this time she met the founder of PridePads and learned about its mission. She believes the best way to help women is by giving them the tools they need to improve their own lives, and she thinks Pride Pads does exactly that. She has a profound love and appreciation for Cameroonian women and hopes that PridePads is able to transform their future into one of prosperity, independence and stability.

I was born in Yaounde, Cameroon, and as the youngest of five children, I have always been driven by adventure and curiosity. I only knew five English words when I moved to the USA at the age of nine, having known French my whole life. This transition to my new life only served as an inspiration to pursue greater goals and to continuously challenge myself.

I am now a graduate with an Industrial & Systems Engineering (ISE) degree from the University of Oklahoma. Throughout my college career, I served on many
committees. One of which was the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), where I served as a regional international chair in order to bridge the gap between international students abroad, in the US, and others to create more opportunities and equity. 

 I am honored to serve as an ambassador for PridePads Africa. PridePads drew my curiosity through its advocacy for humanity by educating about the menstrual cycle, and through innovation by creating affordable, biodegradable menstrual products. My passion to serve through menstrual education stems from the fact
that the topic was seldom mentioned while living in Cameroon.

As the youngest of four, I hail from Houston, Texas, raised by my adventurous parents who left Cameroon to build a life in the U.S. Their leap of faith instilled in me a commitment to chasing dreams and giving my all. This ethos, cultivated in the diverse Texan landscape, fueled my journey from youth exposure in football to making history at West Virginia University, breaking records, and representing the U.S. Youth National team.

While my heart belonged to soccer since age 4, my passion evolved beyond the field. Playing for Cameroon in global competitions, like the FIFA Women’s World Cup, became the pinnacle of my career. Yet, my mission extended off the pitch, leading me to become an ambassador for PridePads Africa. This role brings me immense joy, as it aligns with my belief in breaking menstrual cycle taboos and promoting eco-friendly solutions. Growing up, discussing womanhood openly wasn't always accepted, but now, as an athlete, I embrace the opportunity to contribute to a more inclusive dialogue.

Marisa is proud to have served as Board President in2023, following 2 years of serving as PridePads Africa's first Executive Director. She is a Program Officer and Equity Pathway Lead at ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability USA, supporting more economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable forms of development and management. 

Marisa is passionate about female empowerment and spent over a decade coaching and mentoring youth female athletes in Boulder. Marisa spent 6 years as Co-Owner and Manager of The Fractal Society, Boulder’s premier woman-owned circus entertainment company. During that time, she created and directed 2 iterations of the groundbreaking circus theater production “Cirque de Menses: A Menstruation Celebration”, which broke taboos about menstruation at home while also raising awareness and funds for PridePads Africa. Marisa recognizes the critical value of amplifying women’s voices and normalizing menstruation in order to achieve a sustainable and just world.

Jordan Campbell is a journalist, photographer, and award-winning documentary filmmaker. He is the president of Ramro Global | Worldwide Humanitarian Action, an impact film production company spotlighting urgent global issues within the humanitarian space. Jordan has directed two acclaimed documentary films: Duk County: Peace is in Sight in the New South Sudan, which screened twice at the United Nations, and Ukraine Under Fire: A Film About War & Resilience, which world-premiered in Washington D.C. with the support of the Ukrainian Embassy. His international reporting has taken him to conflict-affected regions including Libya, Iraq, Lebanon, Kosovo, South Sudan, and Ukraine—highlighting critical health crises such as cataract blindness and pediatric heart disease. In 2019, Jordan traveled to Northern Cameroon with co-founding board member Prince Ajume Wingo to document PridePads Africa facility in Ngaoundere, amplifying the organization’s mission to destigmatize menstruation in rural communities.