Leon Pyle, Ph.D. Leon’s first career was in the development of large scale housing communities, both in the US and in Europe. After taking early retirement, he returned to university and became a psychologist, followed by postdoctoral training in psychoanalysis. After 22 years of public and private practice, he retired from the work of therapy in 2017. Leon then became involved in the current work in Senegal.
Andrew Katz, MBA, CPA. After working at the Financial Accounting Standards Board and at Ernst & Young, Andy started his own accounting firm in 2005, Andrew Katz, CPA. He continues to manage the business today. In addition, Andy serves as treasurer of the nonprofit Los Angeles Youth Orchestra. Andy earned a BS in Accounting from UC Berkeley and a MBA from The Anderson School at UCLA. Andy has experience working in microfinance in both Senegal and Bangladesh.
Cathy DeForest, Ph.D. Cathy began her career as an English teacher to both underserved and gifted youth. At a very early age, she became the assistant principal of a large urban high school. After earning a doctorate in Organization Development and Systems Change, Cathy worked as a consultant to Fortune 100 companies, health care systems and nonprofits. Cathy is the founder and Managing Director of Vision Quilt (www.visionquilt.org), a nonprofit dedicated to the reduction of gun violence in the US, an organization in which she uses both her organizational and artistic expertise to mobilize grassroots efforts.