BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Terri A. Khonsari
Founder & Executive DirectorChairwoman of the Board
Terri Khonsari was born and raised in Iran and lived in Germany for 10 years where she earned her
Master's Degree in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Hannover. Terri is
also a graduate of the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
While leading Families Without Borders, Terri has been supporting the Techwomen program since its
expansion to Sub-Saharan Africa in 2013. She has served as cultural mentor as well as an impact advisor to different African teams.
Prior to founding Families Without Borders in 2011, Terri worked in corporate management, consulting
and coaching as well as in business management in the medical industry. Terri has a positive outlook on life and sees the potential in all people and situations. She strives to make the most out of everything in front of her. This attitude and perspective have been the key contributor for success and growth of Families Without Borders.
Terri currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband who always has been by her side
from the inception of Families Without Borders and supported the work wholeheartedly throughout the
years.
Terri is the recipient of a Global Citizen Award from the United Nations Association (2012) for the
impact of Families Without Borders on global development.
Arthur Bart‐Williams
Arthur Bart‐Williams, of Sierra Leonean descent, is a serial entrepreneur who has founded four technology companies in the last 20 years, including Canogle, a Smartphone‐based storytelling platform that is used by the San Francisco Bay Trail, National Park Service and John Muir Land Trust.
Arthur was a practicing licensed civil engineer, earning his BS from U.C. Berkeley after emigrating from
Sierra Leone. As a child, he primarily studied in London and traveled extensively with his parents who
served in the diplomatic service. Today Arthur is expanding his latest venture, Vizzit, a mobile platform
for destinations and venues to share stories about the places they love.
Arthur lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and three daughters.
Hamid M. Khonsari, M.D.
Dr. Hamid Khonsari has been working as a board-certified family physician since 1989. In addition to his
private clinic in Antioch, Dr. Khonsari offers his time and free medical services as Medical Director to
Rota Care, a free clinic for the less fortunate and uninsured patients in the Pittsburg area. Dr. Khonsari graduated from Ross University School of Medicine in New York in 1984 and completed his residency at Jamaica Hospital as chief resident. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Adelphi University in Long Island, New York.
Dr. Khonsari has been with Families Without Borders from its inception and has contributed to the work
financially and strategically throughout the years.
ADVISORY BOARD
Adam Goguen, J.D.
Adam Goguen brings over a decade of work experience in Sierra Leone and worked for the University of Makeni and Central University in a variety of key roles. Since 2012 Adam has been involved with Families Without Borders in a variety of capacities and was our strategic development consultant in Sierra Leone for several years.
Familiar with our day-to-day operations, organizational history, the conditions in Sierra Leone, and the students we serve, Adam joined our Advisory Board in 2021 to continue his support of Families Without Borders.
Adam received a Juris Doctor from Columbia University in 2011 and a B.S. in International Relations from Seton Hall in 2007. Adam brings years of international nonprofit and educational management experience and has worked in Jamaica, South Africa, Liberia, South Sudan and Sierra Leone. A specialist on legal theory and dispute resolution, Adam has used his knowledge and connections to further Families Without Borders mission.
Adam is currently Assistant Dean for Law Career Services at Western New England School of Law, where he works closely with students to help plan their transition into the workforce and to promote practical learning opportunities for law students.
Professor Linda Herkenhoff
Linda Herkenhoff is currently a professor in the Graduate School of Business at Saint Mary’s College
where she teaches Leadership and Organizational Behavior and Quantitative Analysis. She serves as the
Director of the Global MBA program where she supervises social service projects in countries at the base
of the economic pyramid. These projects strive to balance people, planet and profit.
Linda is the past executive director of human resources for Stanford University. Linda’s university
degrees include BS in geophysics from the University of Western Ontario in Canada, MBA from Saint Mary’s College, MA in engineering from U.C. Berkeley and Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Management at the University of Western Australia.
Chike Nwoffiah
Chike Nwoffiah is the founder and executive director of the Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF).
He is an award‐winning filmmaker and the president of Rhesus Media Group, a full‐service media
production and consulting firm in California and South Africa.
Chike was named as one of the “Top Ten Most Influential African Americans” in the San Francisco Bay Area by CityFlight Magazine in 2000.
Chike has been a guest lecturer and keynote speaker at many universities, conferences and events. He is
a graduate of the University of Lagos, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business INM program,
and the Hollywood Film Institute. He is a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum – Silicon
Valley and serves on multiple advisory boards.
LEADERSHIP
Terri A. Khonsari
Founder & Executive Director
Terri Khonsari was born and raised in Iran and lived in Germany for 10 years where she earned her
Master's Degree in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Hannover. Terri is
also a graduate of the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
While leading Families Without Borders, Terri has been supporting the Techwomen program since its
expansion to Sub-Saharan Africa in 2013. She has served as cultural mentor as well as an impact advisor to different African teams.
Prior to founding Families Without Borders in 2011, Terri worked in corporate management, consulting
and coaching as well as in business management in the medical industry. Terri has a positive outlook on life and sees the potential in all people and situations. She strives to make the most out of everything in front of her. This attitude and perspective have been the key contributor for success and growth of Families Without Borders.
Terri currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband who always has been by her side
from the inception of Families Without Borders and supported the work wholeheartedly throughout the
years.
Terri is the recipient of a Global Citizen Award from the United Nations Association (2012) for the
impact of Families Without Borders on global development.
Jill Petersen
Director of Finance & Operations
Jill oversees the finance and operations activities of Families Without Borders in the US and Sierra Leone.
