OUR TEAM
MEET THE TEAM
Project Director
Dr. John Osae-Kwapong
Dr. John Osae-Kwapong is a governance and democracy expert. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from George Mason University, a master’s degree in public administration from Clark Atlanta University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Houghton University.
He is a Democracy & Development fellow with the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) where his research work focuses on the political economy of democracy and development.
BOARD CHAIR
Johnny Wilson
Johnny Wilson chairs the board of The Democracy Project Inc. He brings over two decades of exposure in business, corporate management, resource development, and policy governance. In his role, he is responsible for overseeing the overall strategy of The Democracy Project Inc. and fostering effective governance.
A dedicated career leader in Human Resources, he has held several leadership roles with responsibility for key strategic initiatives and enablers, driving optimization of resources in several reputable, multi-national organizations and contributed to business growth and success with a focus on effective people management. He has a broad understanding of organizational change and transformation management and has both program and project management expertise.
He has managed large teams and worked on several complex and high impact projects across Europe, Middle East and Africa. Johnny is an avid author and contributor to policies that drive corporate and social equality. He has offered advice and thought leadership on literature/books centered on policies and democracy in the sub-region of Africa.
A certified member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), he earned his BA (Hons) from the University of Ghana where he studied Economics, Resource Development and French and his MA in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations from Keele University, UK.
BOARD MEMBER
SUSAN HAYNES, PH.D.
Susan Turner Haynes is an Associate Professor at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. Her current research centers around the evolving relationship between state donors and NGOs in international development. Her prior research was in the area of international security.
Her publications appear in such journals as PS: Political Science & Politics, Asian Security, Asian Perspectives, Strategic Studies Quarterly, and The Nonproliferation Review. Her book, Chinese Nuclear Proliferation, was published in 2016 with University of Nebraska Press.
BOARD MEMBER
SHIN KUE RYU, PH.D.
Dr. Shin Kue Ryu is an Associate Professor at Idaho State University. He serves as the Academic Affairs Committee Chair for the Section for African Public Administration within the American Society for Public Administration. In that capacity, he organized three symposiums, including one in Cairo, Egypt.
He is the guest editor for the African Journal for Public Administration and Management. He also serves as the Associate Editor for the Journal of Policy Studies. Dr. Ryu is active in U.S. domestic matters through this Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Grant and his service to the planning commission.
MEMBER AND SECRETARY TO THE BOARD
LORETTA ASABEA OBUOBI
Loretta is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana. She was called to the Ghana Bar in 2022. She attended the Ghana School of Law, where she obtained her Qualifying Certificate in Law. Prior to this, she studied for her LLB at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Faculty of Law.
She also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Land Economy from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.(KNUST) She is a product of Wesley Girls’ High School.
She has over eight (8) years’ experience in Facilities, Estate Management and Administration. She has worked, first, as a Facilities Officer and then as a Manager throughout this period. She has keen interest in Land Law, Company Law, Corporate Governance, Financial Regulation and Alternative Dispute Resolution. She is open to learning and always ready to expand on her interests for personal growth and development. Loretta loves watching football, reading, baking and experimenting with new recipes. She serves as the Secretary to the board of Democracy Project, Inc.
Program Officer, Democracy Dialogues
Rebecca Adu Adjei
Rebecca Adu Adjei is a dynamic and motivated professional with over Eight (8) years of demonstrated history of administrative procedures and data analysis support in the Oil and Gas Downstream industry. She has strong skills in analytics, quality management, administrative processes, and procedures as well as business management.
She has performed Strategic planning, Root Cause Analysis, Monitoring & Evaluation, Customer Relation Management roles throughout her career. She is a strong information technology professional with a Graduate Degree in Energy and Sustainability Management from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
She also has post graduate certificates in oil and gas management, monitoring and evaluation, and human resource management. She also has a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the Ghana Institute of Public Management and Administration.
Program Officer, Democracy PLEDGE
Edem Adzo Dzebu
Edem Adzo Dzebu holds an MSc. in Development Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in French/ Law , from the KNUST. She also has a number of certifications in Business Management, Office Management, Gender equality and Social Inclusion and Project Management. Edem has previously worked in the mining support services industry as a Project Liaison Officer, and the finance/ e-commerce sector as a Client Service Officer.
She has extensive experience in Customer Service management, small business management, project communications and administration. As a a passionate Gender Equality advocate, she also volunteers as a Senior Mentor with the Girls Excellence Movement, an NGO which is into the empowerment and mentorship of teenage girls. Edem is also the founder and brain behind the Eagle Spices brand, a company that is into the production of natural food Spices in Ghana.