the board
Katie Patrick | Founder
A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, Katie graduated from the University of Nebraska and received a M.A. in Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University. After graduate school, Katie spent nearly two years in the Great Lakes region of Africa, primarily volunteering in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was in 2011 that she founded Totonga Bomoi. While in the U.S., Katie has worked for a number of nonprofits serving refugee and immigrant communities. She is currently the Executive Director for Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska. After ten years of defining her significant partner as the Congo, she married the man of her dreams in October 2019. They have one baby in heaven, Imogen Rose, and twin daughters, Keira and Saoirse.
Randy Bretz | Board President
Randy’s career has involved broadcasting, telecommunications, higher education, church leadership and public corporation leadership. He finished his formal education in 1982 but has never stopped learning. Randy works with Leadership Lincoln to guide and direct their communications, serves on the Broadband Community Council for Nebraska, is an active member of Rotary 14, the curator of TEDxLincoln, and teaches at Nebraska Wesleyan.
Peter Ruhl | Board Treasurer
Peter has a degree from Concordia University in Nebraska and serves as Comptroller at Southeast Community College in Lincoln. He's married to his high school sweetheart, Christy, and they have four children. Peter enjoys being with his family, traveling, and serving in various capacities in his church and community.
Tabitha Sindani | Board Member
Tabitha is a resident tea drinker and a doctoral researcher in business studies at the University of Roehampton Business School London, where she is currently researching Jua Kali (informal sector) rural women entrepreneurs in Kenya. She received her MSc. in Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Newcastle University Business School, UK. She is also a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow in civic leadership from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. Previously, Tabitha worked for the African Union Commission in Ethiopia on strategic policy planning and resource mobilization for the continent’s development policy framework – Agenda 2063.
Karen Ziegler | Board Member
Karen is a Denver, CO native, born and raised. She attended the University of Denver and earned a degree in International Relations and Religious Studies. After graduating, she spent nearly a year in Guam before volunteering in the Democratic Republic of Congo for two years, where she was present at the founding of Totonga Bomoi. After earning her master’s degree in Theology, she is now the master chocolatier at her family run chocolate shop in Denver.
Lydia Shyleyko | Board Member
Lydia was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Currently she resides over the Rockies in Calgary, Alberta where she met her husband. Lydia pursued a degree in Kinesiology as well as a Nursing degree and has made her specialty in maternal and child health. It was prior to the start of her nursing career that Lydia met Katie in the village of Aru, D.R.C just as her yearlong stay was ending. The crossing of paths made it clearer that the women and families of the Congo would not be lost from her mind and heart through the creation of Totonga Bomoi.
Mary Fankam | Board Advisor for the Watsa Project
Mary (Loeven) Fankam grew up in the Delaware Water Gap region of NE New Jersey. She received her BA in Sociology at Montclair State University, and her MA in Diplomacy and International Relations with a duel concentration in Africa and Economic Development at Seton Hall University. After graduating Mary spent roughly a year and a half in West Africa, spending some time in Benin before moving to Burkina Faso. While in West Africa Mary volunteered at a women's rights organization, as well as an orphanage that helped take girls/young women off the streets. She is now a stay at home wife and mother, and spends her spare time volunteering in the community and practicing yoga.