The People Who Make It Happen

Build African Schools runs on volunteer commitment. Every member of our team, from the CEO to our advisors, donates their time. No salaries. No overhead. The people you see here believe in this work enough to do it for free. Our Kenya field team manages construction on the ground. When we can fund, they build. When the school is handed over, we move on to the next one. It is a lean model by design.

The result: 97 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to construction. Not one cent funds a salary.

Meet the Team

  • John Riordan

    CEO

    Since retiring from a successful career in 2021, John assumed the full time role of CEO and now leads the team in project development, planning, fund raising and ongoing execution of the BAS mission. John spent 30+ years working in the high tech sector in Europe and the U.S, most recently as Vice President of Operations for a San Francisco based technology company.

  • Dickson Mutaiti

    DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

    Dickson lives near Nairobi, Kenya. He is responsible for leading all operational aspects of the construction of our schools. He has been involved with BAS since its founding and has worked tirelessly on the execution of our plans to date. He is one of Kenya’s top Safari guides and he speaks several languages. Dickson is also chairman of the School Board of Directors in his village.

  • Joanne O'Sullivan

    SECRETARY & CFO

    Joanne manages our financial and legal administrative affairs. She has served on the Board of Directors of BAS since its inception in 2006. Joanne is an attorney at a business and litigation law firm in Silicon Valley, and brings to BAS substantial experience in business operations and nonprofit administration.

  • Philip Mutaiti

    PROJECT MANAGER

    Philip’s primary role revolves around overseeing project management activities during a school’s construction. He meticulously plans project timelines and schedules, keeping a close eye on progress and addressing any delays or issues that arise. He maintains close contact with team members, maintaining strict quality and cost control measures, ensuring that all work meets the highest standards. Philip is currently in his third year at university studying project planning and management.

  • Patrick O'Sullivan

    FOUNDER / ADVISOR

    Patrick founded BAS in 2005 following a very impactful visit to Kenya. During his visit, he witnessed first hand the challenging economic constraints which impeded the access to even the most basic education for African children. He personally funded the very first school project near the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Pat has visited Kenya many times to oversee projects and raise awareness on the need for children’s education. He worked with several major technology companies in Silicon Valley and Europe, for over 40 years.

  • Sean Riordan

    ADVISOR

    As a high school and college student, Sean supported Build African Schools in various capacities since 2005, including photo/video production, media support, and planning. These days, he supports the longer term development of the BAS vision. He is currently the Director of Strategic Ventures at Stanford Medicine where he develops and operationalizes the enterprise's key strategic priorities. Sean brings a wealth of experience from a career in innovation consulting for public and non-profit clients.