EFAC Welcomes New U.S. Executive Director

Nonprofit Leader Matt Gianino Joins Portsmouth, NH-based Nonprofit EFAC

September 20, 2022 - Education For All Children (EFAC) is pleased to welcome Matt Gianino, MBA as its U.S. Executive Director. Matt will lead U.S. operations and fundraising efforts as EFAC prepares to celebrate 15 years of impact in 2023 and plans for its next phase of growth well into the future.

Matt comes to EFAC with an 18-year career serving in nonprofit leadership positions, most recently as Associate Director of the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability. Matt has earned his MBA from the UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics and furthered his training at Georgia State University’s AUCD Leadership Academy.

With a focus on solutions-driven leadership and maximizing impact, Matt is poised to continue and expand EFAC’s transformative education-to-employment program based in Nairobi, Kenya. Reflecting on his new role, Matt comments, “EFAC’s groundbreaking education-to-career model is changing the world, and the opportunity to join the EFAC team is a huge honor for me. I am extremely excited to be part of an organization that not only has an extraordinary track record of transforming lives, but is extremely well positioned to build upon its tremendous momentum. I can’t wait to be a part of the countless innovative and impactful ways the impressive EFAC team will advance its mission.” 

EFAC’s program development and strategic positioning in Kenya are led by Mary Kiguru. She has served as Country Director for the past 7 years, with a history of supporting the organization since its inception in 2008. Reflecting on the new addition to the dynamic EFAC team, Mary notes, “We are excited to welcome Matt Gianino to the EFAC family. EFAC has a rich story and a great impact over the last 14 years. With Matt's strong background in development strategy and passion for storytelling, EFAC will grow into the next phase by telling our story to the right crowd and developing appropriate strategies to support our scholars to success.”

EFAC Co-Founder and Rye, NH resident Nancy Van Sciver is proud of the growth the organization has seen in the nearly 15 years since she and her husband founded EFAC with Kenyan education leader Professor Leah Marangu. EFAC is currently expanding, adding 100 new students each year to its roster of 700 students and 150 alumni. Beginning with education at Kenya’s top high schools and universities, students are exposed to leadership training, career development opportunities, health and wellness support, and peer and professional mentoring throughout their journey toward economic empowerment. EFAC’s comprehensive approach to the personal and professional development of the young adults in the program is continually expanded and refined to meet the needs of students and the resulting young professionals. In addition to accepting new scholars each year, EFAC is bolstering its career development support services to serve the increasing number of graduates entering the workforce. Looking to the next chapter of EFAC, Nancy explains why it is a significant moment for the organization, “Matt is a compassionate, experienced professional dedicated to helping others. We know the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for EFAC as we strive to be a continually more impactful organization, and we look forward to achieving those goals with his leadership.” 

###

About Education For All Children (EFAC):

EFAC was co-founded in 2008 by philanthropists Rod and Nancy Van Sciver of Rye, NH and African education leader Leah Marangu of Kenya, who became the country’s first female professor at Kenyatta University in 1978 and then its first female university Vice Chancellor at Africa Nazarene University in 1996. EFAC currently operates offices in Portsmouth, NH and Nairobi, Kenya, with active programming across Kenya. EFAC is an 8-year education-to-employment program serving Kenyan youth who demonstrate strong academic ability and who would otherwise be unable to continue their education beyond 8th grade for socio-economic reasons. EFAC supports students in their academic, social and pre-professional development throughout high school, college and into their careers. Our investment is both deep and long as the ultimate goal is the empowerment of EFAC Scholars to gain employment after post-secondary graduation, creating a path out of poverty that transforms their own lives and positively impacts their families, communities, and country.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jen Henriquez, EFAC

Phone: 347-268-9754

Email: jhenriquez@educationforallchildren.org