Executive BoarD

Carol Brooks

Vice President/Head of Advocacy

In January 1993, Carol Brooks began her employment with the City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce and is currently the Manager of Business Services. She works with business to help them navigate the city process to start or retain their business in the city.

However, Ms. Brooks has a considerable amount of knowledge in international diplomacy and international trade. In 1996, she assisted in forming the Philadelphia Trade Office and later helped structure the International Division in the Department of Commerce. This office facilitated business relationships for firms seeking to expand into international markets, and helped identify local firms for international businesses seeking to do business in the United States. In addition, this office attracted foreign investment in Philadelphia, conducted trade seminars and workshops, as well as trade missions.

Appointed in 1997, Ms. Brooks became the City/State partner for the Export Import Bank of the United States a/k/a Ex-Im Bank for the Southeastern region of the Greater Philadelphia. She promoted Ex-Im’s export insurance and financial products and services to the local business community in the Southeastern region of Pennsylvania.

Ms. Brooks assisted in forming formal international partnerships through Memoranda of Understanding with countries such as Thessaloniki, Greece and Cape Coast, Ghana with the City of Philadelphia to strengthen educational, cultural and economic ties. As the Diplomatic Liaison to the City of Philadelphia, she oversaw matters concerning international protocol and worked closely with the consulates serving the Greater Philadelphia region. Ms. Brooks is a charter board member of Protocol & Diplomacy International - a Protocol Officers Association.

Ms. Brooks is a board member to the Japan American Society of Philadelphia, the U.S. Ghana Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Mayors Commission for African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs. Other boards and committees that Ms. Brooks served on included: U.S Greece Business Council, the Jamaica Trade Council of Greater Philadelphia, the African and Caribbean Business Council, the Greater Philadelphia Health Care Congress, the International Finance Council, the Foreign Policy Research Institute, Forum International, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Export Consortium, the City of Philadelphia Minority Enterprise Development Week, the Schuylkill River Development Council, and the Waterworks project for Philadelphia.

Prior to Ms. Brooks’s international work with the City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce, she was an Economic Development Program Monitor, and then the Enterprise Zone Manager and an Empowerment Zone Coordinator for West Philadelphia. Ms. Brooks has over 25 years of professional experience in economic development experience.

Ms. Brooks has traveled to various countries in West Africa, Southern Africa, Asia, Central America and Europe, representing the City of Philadelphia.  Ms. Brooks has a Masters in Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania and Bachelors of Art in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Mark Kofi Gyandoh, J.D., L.L.M

Vice President of the US Ghana Chamber of Commerce

Mr. Gyandoh is counsel to the law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP, located in the Philadelphia suburb of Radnor, Pennsylvania. He is a class action litigator protecting the rights of consumers and participants in retirement plans. Mr. Gyandoh received his B.A. in history from Haverford College in 1996 where he also studied corporate finance and financial accounting. He obtained both his J.D. (2001) and L.L.M. (2011) in trial advocacy from Temple University School of Law. While in law school, Mr. Gyandoh was Co-President of the Temple International Law Society, giving him his first taste in international relations.

Born and raised in Accra, Ghana until the age of 8, Mr. Gyandoh has been a member of the U.S. Ghana Chamber of Commerce for over five years. Being associated with the U.S. Ghana Chamber of Commerce is especially meaningful to Mr. Gyandoh given the strong family ties he maintains in Ghana and his desire to foster business relationships between Ghana and the United States.

An important aspect of global business necessitates being attuned to how businesses can affect and improve people’s lives. Mr. Gyandoh’s writings over the years reflects his understanding of this often overlooked aspect of business. While in law school, Mr. Gyandoh received the Henry J. Richardson, III Award for his contribution of scholarship in the areas of international law and human rights. And in 2004, Mr. Gyandoh was invited to speak at a conference in Prague, Czech Republic where participants explored the role of ecology and environmental ideas in the context of contemporary society, international politics and global economics, to begin to assess the implications for our understanding of fairness, justice and global citizenship. His presentation was published as an article titled Incorporating the Principle of Co-Equal Branches into the European Constitution: Lessons to be Learned from the United States, in Redefining Europe, pp. 89-107 (2005). He also authored an article about overcoming legal hurdles in litigating cases outside the United States titled Foreign Evidence Gathering: What Stands in the Way of Justice? 15 Temp. Int’l & Comp. L.J. (2001). Mr. Gyandoh has also been a past contributor to Afrikan Insight (later known as Afrikan Post), a Virginia-based newspaper serving the African diaspora, writing a column on immigration matters.

Donna Weber

Vice President/Project Manager

Donna Weber currently serves as the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF) Corporate Engagement Manager. PMIEF is the charitable arm of the Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s largest association for professional project, program and portfolio managers.

Donna has more than 30 years of professional leadership experience with a range of nonprofit organizations, including: an Ivy League university (University of Pennsylvania); a 65-year old national civics organization (Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge); a Presidential Library and Museum (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, Springfield, Illinois); a large public University (Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey); and a renowned philharmonic orchestra (The Philadelphia Orchestra).

Her work has been focused in the areas of: program development and fundraising; working with boards of directors and volunteers; and nonprofit management and governance.

Donna received both Bachelor and Master Degrees from Temple University’s School of Social Administration – the Planning and Administration Track. She also completed a program of study in staff development and training in Temple University’s School of Education.

Eric Acolatse

Treasurer

Stephen currently works as a political staffer for Tom Wolf’s campaign for Governor of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the campaign, Stephen worked as a law clerk for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Stephen received his undergraduate degree from Lafayette College, in Easton, PA and his law degree from The Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem, NC, and is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Eric is currently the Director of Business, Athletics at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania with the responsibility of monitoring all financial operations of the Athletic Department and adhering to the fiscal and administrative requirements of National Collegiate Athletic Association and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (NCAA/PSAC).

Eric joined Cheyney University of Pennsylvania in 2000 as the Controller, where he supervised business and financial operations, including budgets, cash and grants management, annual financial reports. Eric’s responsibilities also included independent audits and compliance review of operations.

Prior to joining Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Eric served as the Director of Finance and Administration at Opportunities Industrialization Centers International, Inc. which develops and implements sustainable solutions in: Food Security and Agriculture, Water and Sanitation, Technical and Vocational Training, Business and Entrepreneurship in close collaboration with International Development Agencies, Multi-lateral Agencies, Private Foundations and Host Governments and other Private Companies.

Prior to joining Opportunities Industrialization Centers International Inc, Eric worked at Lucas, Tucker & Company, Certified Public Accountants in Boston, Massachusetts as Senior Accountant where he performed financial statements and compliance audits, reviewed and compiled financial statements. Eric also performed management advisory services to develop operational policies and procedures and to establish adequate and effective internal control structure.
Eric is a Certified Public Accountant and currently licensed with The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs. Eric graduated from Babson College in Massachusetts with MBA in Business Management and also graduated from Northeastern University in Massachusetts with BS in Business Administration (Accounting Major). Eric has enormous experience in financial management, strong analytical, good organizational and interpersonal skills. Eric has been a board member on various entities and a member of Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

David M. Webster 

Founding Board Member

David M. Webster is currently CEO of Webster Marketing International LLC. Webster Marketing International LLC represents several major international companies in the area of fertilizers, seeds, low cost housing, medical devises, bio energy and telecommunications.

He has over 34 years of senior level management experience in sales, marketing, advertising, public relations and international trade. It includes skills in budgeting; forecasting, sales and marketing manual development; international, national and key account sales presentations, product development and promotional strategies. In the area of advertising, he was personally responsible for the creation, copy, design and layout of many leading and award winning ads for large national and international clients in the agricultural industry.

Webster has held key sales and marketing positions with companies including Castle & Cooke Inc., Dole Fresh Marketing, the Orval Kent Food Company and Coronet Foods. He also held the position of President & CEO of Agway CPG Technologies International. This was the technology division of Agway, Inc., one of the oldest and largest agricultural cooperatives in the United States. Webster was founder and managing partner, of an agricultural marketing and services firm AgraCo Technologies International LLC from 1999 to 2009. He sold his interest in AgraCo to his partner in 2009.

Dr. Samuel Quartey

Founding Board Member

Dr. Samuel F. Quartey has more than 30 years of experience as a podiatrist specializing in foot and ankle surgery. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at Temple University and the College of Podiatric Medicine in New York. The native of Accra, Ghana, is a graduate of the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi and University Legon, Ghana. He taught at Accra High School prior to moving to the U.S.

Quartey received his bachelor’s and master’s in chemistry from Howard University, Washington, D.C. He obtained his doctorate in podiatric medicine from Temple University and a doctorate in philosophy from Dayspring Christian University. Quartey serves on the boards of the African American Museum, AFRICOM, Imhotep Charter High School, the Police Advisory Board, all in Philadelphia, and the National Podiatric Medicine Association.

He is a founding member of Gadangme Association of Philadelphia, Gadangme Foundation of Pennsylvania and Gadangme Development International.

He was knighted by the Knights of Malta from Rome, and has the title of His Royal Majesty King Nii Kwate Obleshie II. Quartey serves on Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Affairs in Philadelphia. The NAACP of New Jersey presented him with the Physician Award in 2013.

Kwaku Amexo, MD, MBA, FACP

Founding Board Member,
Vice President of the U.S Ghana Chamber of Commerce

Dr Amexo is a medical doctor with over 30 years of clinical practice experience on three continents. He is specialized in Internal Medicine. During his medical career he developed expert skills in team building and in developing strategic alliances with hospitals and other healthcare professionals.

He brings with him a global perspective, having earned his medical degree in Ukraine, and completed his medical residency in his native country of Ghana, West Africa. He earned additional training via residency at the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Tyrone Hart

Founding Board Member,
Director of Operations

Mr. Hart has a double major B.A in Economics/Business Administration, York campus, City University of New York, (1978)— Advance study Master Degree Program, School of International Affairs, Columbia Universaity, NYC. Program Completion Certificate, Pace University International Trade Policies.

World Trade Center,(2000/2001) As a business owner & consultant Mr Hart has collaborated in structural development projects with numerous private Companies/ Governmental Ministries, internationally, with specific attention being directed within the arena of U.S. and Sub-Saharan Trade and Development initiatives.

Linda Kusi

Chairperson for Women’s Initiatives for the U.S Ghana Chamber of Commerce

Linda Kusi is an MPH Candidate at West Chester University, with over 5years working in the Public Health field. She is an Entrepreneur and Business consultant.

Linda has had the opportunity of working with women and children across the Globe mainly in Uganda, Ghana, United Kingdom, and the United States in areas of Maternal and child health, nutrition and mental health. She was Miss Black America Ghana 2017 and became the Global Ambassador for the Miss Black America beauty Pageant in 2018.

Stephen Y. Ekema-Agbaw

Secretary

Stephen currently works as a political staffer for Tom Wolf’s campaign for Governor of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the campaign, Stephen worked as a law clerk for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

Stephen received his undergraduate degree from Lafayette College, in Easton, PA and his law degree from The Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem, NC, and is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.