OUR TEAM
Global support, local impact
Our family of changemakers starts within our bakeries in East Africa and extends to our network of partners and supporters around the world.
Our bakers
The women who bake fresh bread and other nutritious foods in our bakeries are the heart of The Women’s Bakery. We currently operate in three locations in Rwanda and hope to expand our social enterprise to reach more communities.
A COMMITTED TEAM OF SKILLED PROFESSIONALS
51 people
are employed in our bakeries:
44 women and 7 men
5 years
is the average tenure of our bakers — several have been with us for 8 years.
100%
of our staff have health insurance, which also covers 102 dependents.
IN HER WORDS
“Before joining The Women’s Bakery, I was a poor potter. Now, I have medical insurance for me and my family. I am able to pay school fees for my children. I have gained much self-esteem, and I know a woman can do anything.”
Madina, Baker in Ruyenzi
Our management team
Our management team includes women in East Africa and the United States. We collaborate to develop innovative ways to grow and improve our social enterprise, creating a business fueled by purpose and the shared goal of improving women’s lives.
EAST AFRICA
Agnes Furaha
Accountant
Agnes is committed to fostering women’s economic independence through skill development and entrepreneurship. She brings a background in community development and is passionate about creating sustainable opportunities to help women unlock their potential and transform their lives. Agnes enjoys watching football matches and nature documentaries.
Annet Rusagara
Bakery Operations Production Unit Supervisor: Flagship
Annet is deeply passionate about giving back to her community and helping women gain financial independence. She is in charge of the daily operations at the Ruyenzi Bakery and spends her free time watching movies, reading, and watching sports.
Celestin Nsengimana
Production Training & Quality Control Officer
Celestin is a devoted family man and dedicated production manager across all three of our bakeries. He ensures the highest product quality, maintaining stringent hygiene standards, effective cost management, and overseeing the upkeep of our equipment. Outside of his professional life, Celestin finds solace in the rhythms of good music whenever he can spare some time.
Chantal Uwera
Bakery Operations Production Unity Supervisor: Ruyenzi
Chantal is passionate about serving people, bringing skills in operations and production to The Women’s Bakery. Her responsibilities include managing business operations, sales, production, costs, and client relationships at the Gicumbi Bakery. She enjoys traveling and participating in campaigns.
Denyse Manishimwe
Social Impact Communications and Programs Manager
Denyse believes in the transformative power of supporting women’s potential. She is focused on building a community of solution-oriented, empowered women and cultivating a culture where every individual is motivated to pursue their personal growth and development in all aspects of life. Denyse loves adventure, traveling, gaming, and arts.
Julie Cyizere Ishimwe
Human Resources and Administration Assistant
Julie is dedicated to creating a workplace where every team member feels valued and supported. Julie ensures that employees have access to the resources they need for growth, engagement, and success and is inspired to see how access to resources and a supportive environment can unlock new opportunities and drive lasting change. She loves immersing herself in nature and exploring new destinations.
Maureen Mutoni
Bakery Operations Manager
Maureen believes that women are capable of achieving great things when they are empowered. Her responsibilities include managing business operations, sales, production, costs, and client relationships at our flagship bakery in Kigali. Maureen is passionate about helping people, especially women, to improve their standard of living by creating social change, which also helps to give back to the community.
Pauline Kariuki
Chief Operations Officer
Pauline is passionate and dedicated to applying her experience in strategically directing business to help The Women’s Bakery grow. She brings over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing and 15 years of experience in business operations and management, and is inspired and thrilled to be part of our journey.
Ruth Uwera
Social Program Officer: One Bread Project
Ruth believes that for real change, it is important to understand what we do — and why — and how we can do it better. She uses existing frameworks for data collection to maintain, enhance, collect, and analyze our impact data, helping us understand what level of impact our program has, and how we can innovate and iterate to meet our clients’ needs. Ruth likes people, reading, watching movies, listening to music, and sports.
UNITED STATES
Darsey Landoe
Art Director and Designer
Darsey is a visual storyteller at heart, helping organizations show who they are through their brand. She’s been with The Women’s Bakery since the very beginning when she designed their first logo. Now, she leads design on the website and donor relations pieces, while helping the East Africa team create signage, packaging and digital pieces for their local audience. When she’s not working for TWB or her other freelance clients, Darsey’s probably looking at art, talking about art, or making art.
MG Huth
Development and Communications Manager
MG brings a background in teaching and community service to her work at The Women’s Bakery. She collaborates daily with staff members in East Africa on development, social impact, and communicating TWB’s efforts with our donor base. Outside of work MG enjoys being outdoors, playing Ultimate frisbee, baking, and spending time with her daughter, family, and friends.
Markey Culver
Chief Executive Officer
Markey views business as a medium—a solution-providing agency that consciously works for people, not exploitatively against them. With a background in business strategy, technical training, and communication, Markey manages personnel, implements strategic partnerships in the US and abroad, and manages business development initiatives. Markey is a strong advocate for all of our team members, ensuring that the workplace is equitable, thriving, and supportive. Markey enjoys summers on Lake Michigan, well-crafted prose, and heavy whipping cream.
Our Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors helps advise our management team and steer our social enterprise.
Valerie Wayland
Board Member
Senior Director of Corporate Regulatory Compliance, Flowers Foods, Inc.
LinkedIn →
Our COO Pauline Kariuki with Catalina Mihu, editor-in-chief of Baking+Biscuit International at the International Baking Association (IBA) Conference in Munich (2023)
Our partners
Partners across the global baking industry and beyond help make our work possible and expand our impact. Through our network of partners, we learn about and contribute to larger conversations about the potential for bakeries like ours to transform lives.
Learn more about how to become a partner →
BEMA members visit our Kigali bakery
Former team member presenting at the BEMA Convention in 2023
IN THEIR WORDS
“In 2018 in Rwanda, I saw firsthand the impact The Women’s Bakery was making in their community and in the lives of the women they employ. Since then, BEMA's leadership has invited Markey and several of her team members to share their stories and mission at BEMA events.”
Kerwin Brown, President and CEO, Bakery Equipment Manufacturers and Allieds (BEMA)
Our corporate partners
Join our global community
Your support can help us employ more women, nourish more children, and bridge gaps to maintain the steady incomes and benefits we provide.