Meet the Leadership at Rafiki
Karen J. Elliott
Rafiki Executive Director
Karen has served with Rafiki since 1990, including 12 years on the mission field, primarily in Nigeria. Upon returning to the U.S., she became the Director of Africa Operations, responsible for managing the Orphan Care and Education Programs and curriculum development for all ten Rafiki Villages. In 2012 she was named Rafiki's Executive Director.
Prior to joining Rafiki, she worked for ten years in the banking industry as a commercial lender, management trainer, and Vice President. She holds a BBA in finance/accounting and a music minor from Southern Methodist University, a Master’s degree in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) from the University of Texas (Arlington), and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at Faulkner University.
Karen is a member of St. Andrews Chapel in Sanford, Florida, and served many years as a teaching leader for Bible Study Fellowship while in Texas and Africa. Karen served as a founding board member for LifeHouse, a home for unwed mothers in Houston, Texas. She also serves as President of the Rafiki Education Foundation, the umbrella organization of the Rafiki Classical Academy in Eustis, Florida.
Her paper was published in The Consortium: A Journal of Classical Christian Education with an article entitled "What Does Athens have to do with Abuja?: Why a Christian Liberal Arts Education is Appropriate for and Essential to African Church Schools."
Steve Kranz
Steve joined Rafiki in 1998, serving six years as a missionary in Kenya. During that time, he also served as a teaching leader for Bible Study Fellowship. Steve currently oversees Rafiki’s printing, procurement, and shipping and logistics for the United States and Africa. He also manages Rafiki’s Outreach ministry with our African church partners.
Steve has a BS in Business Administration and a BS in Economics from the University of California Riverside. Steve and his wife, Carol, founded and operated a ministry for adults with developmental disabilities between 1980 and 1998.
Karen Gobert
Karen joined Rafiki in 1998 and oversees the production of Rafiki’s publications, website, and promotional materials. In addition, Karen manages Rafiki’s Widows Program, which helps impoverished women in Africa by marketing and selling their handcrafts.
She previously worked for 16 years in the advertising industry as an Art Director, as well as serving as a missionary in both Romania and Ecuador. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts.
Tom Kreamer
Tom joined Rafiki in 2001, serving as a missionary in Kenya for nine years with his family. During that time, he handled the finances for the Village and served in the school.
He has an MBA from Belhaven University and is a Certified Management Accountant. He previously worked as a Senior Information Specialist at Electronic Data Systems in Troy, Michigan.
Erica Robertson
Erica oversees the operation of Rafiki’s PreK-12 classical Christian schools, teachers colleges, and orphan homes in Africa. She joined Rafiki in 2010 as a missionary and served for three years as the headmaster of the Rafiki School in Rwanda, then for five years as the headmaster of the Rafiki School in Nigeria.
She has a BS in Accounting and an MS in Education, both from Virginia Tech. She also holds an MA in Classical and Christian Studies from Knox Theological Seminary.
Rob Sullivan
Rob and his wife joined Rafiki in 2010 as missionaries in Nigeria. They later joined the Home Office staff in 2014, where Rob now assumes his current responsibilities.
Before Rafiki, Rob was an engineer and a senior manager for a well-known tech company for decades, planning and evolving the technology we depend on today. Rob oversees Rafiki’s cybersecurity and technological innovation for the Home Office and the ten African Rafiki Villages served as an elder and a Bible teacher in his local church.
Anne Burguet
Anne oversees the development of Rafiki’s PreK-12 Classical Christian School Curriculum and has interfaced with over 60 curriculum writers in the last 13 years in this process. Joining Rafiki Foundation in 2011, Anne has written curriculum and served as general editor of our school curriculum, collaborating with authors of PreK-12 grade classical Christian curricula to ensure accurate content, biblical worldview, intentional classical pedagogy, and teacher-friendly lesson plans.
She has a BS in Education from Belhaven University, 11 years of classroom teaching experience in classical Christian education, and 13 years of classical Christian curriculum development experience.
Carol Kranz
Dr. Carol Kranz is an educational consultant overseeing the development and accreditation of Rafiki’s early childhood and primary teacher training colleges in Africa. She began her work with Rafiki in 1998, working as a missionary in East Africa alongside her husband and daughter. Carol has served as a teaching leader for Bible Study Fellowship both in the United States and Africa.
Rafiki Board of Directors
The Foundation is overseen by a board of directors comprised of individuals who are united by a commitment to the vision and mission of the Foundation. Rosemary Jensen (Founder), Karen Elliott (Executive Director), Rev. Dr. Dennis Johnson (President), Rev. Dr. Tim Hoke, Mayhoward Johnston, David Kumpe, Lanny Nixon, Carla Northington, Tom Shoquist, and Dr. Guy Waters.
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Financial Accountability
The Rafiki Foundation is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. See the ECFA’s profile on The Rafiki Foundation.
Rafiki has received a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities. See Charity Navigator’s evaluation of The Rafiki Foundation.
Rafiki's 2023 990 Form
Rafiki's 2023 Audited Financial Statements