OUR UGANDA TEAM
Ally Garvin: Ally is a dreamer and an inventor. Whether she’s picking at her guitar, taking her Holga camera on another adventure, or figuring out what she can do with a piece of yarn, she constantly makes you wonder what she’ll invent next. She majored in Cultural Anthropology at Vanguard University. A year after graduation, she got married to her best friend, David, and they committed to spending their first year of marriage in Uganda! She is one of our project managers and the process of improving quality, purchasing supplies, and shipping jewelry would not be possible without her!
Oyella Tina: Tina, an incredible and talented designer, is our Design Project Manager in Uganda. Her work is flawless and she does a fantastic job of cranking out samples of each jewelry design. She makes samples for every woman to use as a model for each piece they produce. She is a great problem solver and can usually figure out how to make seemingly impossible designs come to be. Along with her diligence and skill, her playful personality makes her a delight to work alongside. She is fun and witty and keeps the mood light even when there is a lot of work to do.
Orobmi Gladies: Our Livelihoods Program Manager, Gladies, is a vital asset to 31 Bits. Not only does she teach English and Financial Training lessons two times a week, but she meets with the beneficiaries one on one to check on their physical, mental, spiritual, and social well being. She will also be implementing a reproductive health and wellness training and a vocational training. She is a hard worker and takes initiative in finding out what it is that the ladies need and does her best to provide them with that help. Gladies is the serious one of the bunch but is also capable of busting out the occasional sarcastic comment or children’s song. Her diligence and effort in her work are directly related to her care for the beneficiaries, as that is her first priority. She is very driven and helps to keep everyone on the right track and focused on the same goal.
Atuhaire Carolyne: As one of our project managers in Uganda, Carolyne’s main role is to oversee production and improve the quality of our products. She is passionate about leading other women who are less fortunate than herself, and is happy to be a part of an organization that allows women to earn an income and learn the value of hard work. Carolyne is quite the comedian and keeps us laughing daily. She loves country music, lunchtime, and having her hair blow in the wind. She always tells us that people who laugh a lot and enjoy life will live long, and we can assure you that this one will reach a very old age. She also specializes in Acholi-English and when she is speaking to the ladies you can usually pick out the common phrases, “Oh by the way,” and “I’ve been telling you…”
Danielle Oakley: Danielle, our “Director of Design” joined our Uganda team in January 2011. She quickly adapted to life in Uganda and proved to be an incredible jewelry designer. Much of her time is spent getting supplies in Kampala (Uganda’s capital city), meaning many long bus rides back and forth, transporting the supplies to Gulu. Her artistic skills and creative eye for jewelry is a great asset to 31 Bits. “Daniella,” as she is referred to by most of the Bits ladies, enjoys the beauty and peacefulness of Gulu and the simplicity of hearing roosters crowing outside her window every morning. She loves that her job allows her to use her creativity and she enjoys laughing and spending time with our Ugandan women.
Nick and Julie Fetner: The Fetners are currently spending their first year of marriage as our Country Directors in Gulu, Uganda. They graduated college, got married, and moved to Africa all within the span of one month. Despite all of the recent excitement in their lives, they are enjoying the slow pace of life in Gulu. Together, they are tackling all of the challenges involved in running an organization in Africa. Julie is our Director of Production. She oversees the entire operation of making the jewelry, from processing orders all the way to shipping the final product to the States. Nick’s job title is the Director of Development, but he takes care of all of the loose ends in Uganda. He handles everything from payroll, taxes, and development programs to photography, video, and administrative duties. He is 31 Bits’ first male employee. While in Uganda, Julie has been developing her green thumb in her vegetable garden and experimenting in the kitchen. Nick has been reaping the benefits of Julie’s kitchen endeavors, and has been spending time reading, taking photos, and riding his motorcycle.
OUR U.S. TEAM
Brooke Hodges: Brooke is a go-getter…when she says “consider it done,” she means it. Currently residing in Gulu, Uganda, Brooke is our Director of Program Development. She is putting her Cultural Anthropology major to use, as she implements development programs for our beneficiaries. Hailing from the small mountain town of Auburn, in Northern California, Brooke spent high school tearing it up on the basketball court… Now she is tearing it up in Uganda! Brooke has mastered living out of a suitcase, and as long as she has a few good books and a box of Nerds in her backpack, she would travel the world forever.
Kallie Dovel: If we could describe Kallie in one word, it would be “Visionary”. She is constantly dreaming up what could be next for our organization. She is not only the founder of 31 Bits, but the creative genius behind our jewelry designs. Kallie is in constant communication with our Uganda team, perfecting designs and keeping our products current, innovative, and unique. You’d never know that this fashionista grew up on a llama farm in Klamath Falls, Oregon! Kallie also graduated from Vanguard University, and majored in Cultural Anthropology.
Anna Nelson: The U.S. side of 31 Bits would be in shambles if it weren’t for Anna. She’s the accountant that does it all…shipping, inventory, events, the list goes on. There’s a good chance she may even get invited to the local Post Office’s Christmas party. She’s from Denver, Colorado and frequently goes back to visit and enjoy a change in weather. She graduated from Vanguard University with a degree in Sociology. You might spot her at a local open-mic night displaying her singing and songwriting, enjoying a glass of wine with friends, or cruising Newport Beach on her roller blades!
Jessie Simonson: There are certain people in this world that have a million projects up their sleeves, ideas in their heads, and thrive off of little-to-no sleep. Meet our Director of Sales, Jessie. If Jessie isn’t by her computer, on her phone, or starting another project, chances are she’s at Peet’s Coffee drinking coffee like it’s water. Jessie’s proudly from Bakersfield, CA, which is no surprise if you see her cruising town in her ’96 pick-up blaring her favorite country tunes. Jessie graduated from Vanguard University with a degree in Cultural Anthropology.
Alli Swanson: Born and raised in San Diego, California, Alli’s had a chance to travel all over the world, and could tell you the best places to eat just about anywhere! She has a degree in Interpersonal Communications, is a networking guru, and a social media all-star, making her the perfect fit as our Director of Marketing. When she’s not dreaming up the next 31 Bits event or marketing campaign, you might find her in the kitchen fulfilling her recent baking kick, reading up on the latest trends in fashion, or checking out what country she wants to visit next. Oh, and we can’t forget… in Alli’s world, anytime is a good time for frozen yogurt.
