Governance Board

Latiyah

Co-president

She

English, French

Latiyah is a 28-year-old trans feminist activist, born and raised in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. She has recently joined as co-chair, bringing a wealth of experience spanning 5 years spent working with various organizations, such as the African Queer Youth Initiative (AQYI) board, which she has chaired, the FRIDA Global Advisory Committee for which she is an advisor, and Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE), of which she is an outgoing board member.

Latiyah holds a degree in mining, geology, oil, and environmental studies and is deeply passionate about gender equality, human rights, and social justice.

Latiyah is the founder of the Association Transgenres et Droits, with over 10 years' commitment to the LGBTI communities, and to the trans community in particular. Her passion for human rights and social justice has led her to hold a variety of positions over the years : for example, as Human Rights and Gender Officer for the West African Network of People Living with HIV, as a 2022-2023 Outright UN Rights and Religion Fellow, and more recently, as a UN Program Advisor to the Outright International team.

Latiyah loves gourmet meals, as well as traveling, sleeping, meeting new people, and getting to learn about other cultures and social movements. She is an extrovert with a keen sense for creating safe spaces around her.

Latiyah credits the amazing mother-daughter relationship she has built with her mother for giving her strength and hope.

Robert

Co-president

He / Him

English, Twi

Robert is an expert in governance, leadership, and organizational development with a strong commitment to human rights advocacy. In September 2024, Robert joined the inaugural Governing Board of ISDAO as Co-Chair.

Robert serves as the Advocacy Manager at Pan Africa ILGA, where he spearheads global and regional advocacy strategies. His leadership experience spans several prominent organizations, including his role as Country Director for Amnesty International Ghana from 2018 to 2021. Additionally, Robert has held senior management roles at the Human Rights Advocacy Centre, FHI 360, and Ghana's Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.

He provides strategic consulting to global philanthropic and nonprofit organizations, guiding them through organizational change management, leadership transitions, and crisis management. Robert has also contributed to thought leadership, publishing academic articles on LBTQIA+ intersectionality during the COVID-19 pandemic and social protection systems in Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa.

Robert holds a Master of Philosophy in Human Rights and Democratization in Africa from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Information Studies from the University of Ghana. Robert is also certified by Coach Masters Academy as a coach and the Learning and Performance Institute (LPI) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as a trainer and facilitator.

As a committed ally of the feminist movement, Robert contributes to initiatives that promote the rights and freedoms of women and girls. Robert is inspired by the strength and leadership of African women in his life, Robert remains deeply passionate about personal growth and the empowerment of others.

Marie-Jo

Secretary

She

French, English

Marie-Jo is a feminist activist who lives in Côte d'Ivoire. She is joining ISDAO’s Governance Board as its newly appointed Secretary.

Marie-Jo works for an LBQ organization, Initiative Tilé, as Program and Project Manager. She also administers Radio Tilé and hosts "Arc-en-ciel MAG, " an informational program focused on awareness and advocacy.

Enthusiastic about human rights and women's empowerment issues, Marie-Jo has been actively involved in the LBQ community for the past 5 years. She is also a founding member and Coordinator of the Réseau Ivoirien des Femmes LBQ (RIF-LBQ or Ivorian LBQ Women’s Network) as well as Regional Coordinator for Francophone Africa for Outright International's LBQ Connect program.

Marie-Jo holds a Master's degree in Law, specializing in Judicial Careers, and is co-author of the short story collection "Thérapies sans Conversions" ( Therapies without Conversions ) and the comic book "Trahie par la vie : l'Exilé" (Betrayed by Life: The Exile).

Marie-Jo loves writing, music, singing, spending quality time with her family and cooking. She also enjoys silence and moments of solitude.

She has come to appreciate travelling and meeting new people, and never gets tired of learning, improving, and fine-tuning her knowledge. Although she is her very own role model, she is learning a lot from the history of Black women's struggles, and most of all from her mother.

Foster

Treasurer & Financial Sustainability Lead

He / Him

English, French

Foster is an accountant and academic with over 11 years of professional experience spanning industry, academia, and the non-profit sector. He brings a strong background in financial management, capacity building, and advisory services, and has worked extensively as a financial consultant supporting non-profit and civil society organizations to strengthen their financial systems and achieve long-term sustainability. Foster joined ISDAO in December 2025.

Foster is a lecturer at the University of Ghana and a doctoral fellow on the Wits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures (WESAF) Doctoral Program, roles he held prior to joining ISDAO and continues to hold alongside his board responsibilities. He also serves as the Director for Research and Policy Development at BRAG-OLES Consult, where his work focuses on research, policy analysis, due diligence assessments, and organizational capacity development. Over the years, he has supported organizations and individuals through financial advisory services, professional training, and career and academic counselling.

Foster holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Accounting option) and a Master of Philosophy in Accounting from the University of Ghana. He also holds a Master of Science by Research in Sustainable African Futures from the University of Edinburgh and is currently pursuing a PhD jointly with the University of Edinburgh and the University of the Witwatersrand under the WESAF Doctoral Program.

With over eight years of experience consulting for organizations that advocate for gender and sexual minorities in Ghana and beyond, Foster is deeply committed to social justice, inclusion, and sustainable development. When he is not working, he enjoys cooking, listening to music, and supporting people to make meaningful decisions about their careers and academic journeys. He greatly admires Tyler Perry for his creativity and philanthropic impact.