INCOMING Fellows
Courtney graduated with a bachelor’s in Public Health from the College of Saint Rose in 2019, and continued on to earn a master’s in Community Health Education from Merrimack College in 2020. She earned these degrees while playing basketball at the NCAA Division I and II levels.
Following her collegiate career, she played professionally overseas for the Newcastle Eagles from 2021 to 2024, while simultaneously completing a master’s degree in International Development from Northumbria University and a postgraduate certificate in Research Training from Newcastle University. She also participated in a sport-for-development program known as Volunteer Zambia, where she spent two months up-skilling local coaches through workshop delivery, mentorship, and community outreach, contributing to the sustainable growth of grassroots basketball and pathway development in Zambian communities.
Courtney is excited to join Shooting Touch as a Rwanda Fellow after serving on the organization’s Emerging Leaders Board and witnessing the continuous growth of it’s programs. She is eager to embrace a new culture, enhance her understanding of sport-for-development operations, and use the mobilizing power of basketball to bridge health and opportunity gaps for youth and women facing racial, gender, and economic inequalities.
Courtney Clasen | Program
Operations Fellow, Rwanda
Hailing from Bronx, New York, Kojo holds an MPA in Public & Nonprofit Management & Policy from NYU and a bachelor’s degree in Human Biology from SUNY Albany, where he graduated cum laude. With a passion for social impact, Kojo’s professional journey spans roles in marketing, college advising, and community engagement. Notably, he developed and executed social media strategies for Hue Capital, boosting engagement by over 150,000 impressions in just four months. He also planned and led college fairs for 3,000 students, fostering partnerships with universities and community organizations.
In addition to his marketing expertise, Kojo has experience leading teams, such as coordinating an intern team at Twenty Six Entertainment to identify strategic brand partnerships. His diverse experiences, from coaching youth sports to managing events for NYU's Black Student Association, reflect his commitment to building community and creating positive change. Kojo is excited to apply his skills and passion to support the mission of Shooting Touch in Rwanda.
Kojo Dadzie | Marketing & Development Fellow, Rwanda
Duwe was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and went on to compete as a DI NCAA basketball player at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel-Hill for five years. He graduated in 2024 with a BA in Political Science and a Master’s degree in international business and development. He gained professional experience as an intern with a private investment firm in Chapel Hill while working towards his degrees.
Outside of hoops and academics, Duwe plays the guitar, performing with several local bands and working on a solo musical project. He also spent time in Hong Kong during the summer of 2024, launching his own company operating international youth basketball camps. The focus of the program is to unite people from different cultures through sport by engaging with a diverse group of communities and organizations committed to a common goal.
Duwe loves building relationships and working collaboratively in team settings, and he can’t wait to join the Shooting Touch family in Rwanda!
Duwe Farris | Basketball
Operations Fellow, Rwanda
RECENT Fellows
Madison recently graduated from California Lutheran University in May 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management. Currently, she holds the position of a girls’ high school basketball coach at Castaic High School in Castaic, California.
As an incoming Rwanda Fellow, Madison is particularly enthusiastic about the practical insights she will acquire in the realm of basketball and the opportunity to delve into diverse cultures during her time in Africa.
Madison Knight | Basketball
Operations Fellow, Rwanda
Lucy graduated from the University of Tennessee in May 2023, where she was a member of the varsity women’s rowing team. She was also a member of the VOLeaders Academy that travelled to Rwanda in 2022 and partnered with Shooting Touch.
After graduating with a bachelor’s in political science and minors in business and global studies, Lucy worked for the U.S. House of Representatives as a legislative correspondent for Tennessee’s 2nd district.
Lucy is excited to travel back to Rwanda and experience the power of sport while becoming immersed in a new community.
Lucy Marret | Corporate Operations Fellow, Rwanda
Alexandre is a 24-year-old French American hailing from New York. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University in 2021, majoring in English with minors in Political Science and Communication Studies.
Before joining Shooting Touch, Alexandre garnered experience at two prominent public relations agencies in NYC, Wachsman and MATTIO Communications, catering to clients in blockchain and cannabis. He engaged in media relations, collaborating with journalists to enhance brand recognition and secure media coverage in both trade and national publications.
Alexandre came across Shooting Touch while building his blog, Elixir Sports, which spotlights individuals and organizations operating within the sport-and-development sector. Alexandre is eager to learn more about how the sports industry can join forces with the public and private sectors to drive social and economic development across Africa.
As a Marketing and Development Fellow, Alexandre will assume the responsibility of crafting and amplifying Shooting Touch’s organizational narrative while cultivating relationships with local and international partners.
Alexandre Sherman | Marketing & Development Fellow, Rwanda
PAST Fellows
Nathaniel recieved his BA from Michigan State before going on to live and work in New York City, gaining experience in the advertising industry. Prior to joining Shooting Touch, Nate completed his Master’s in International Relations from IBEI in Barcelona.
In his role as Operations Fellow in Rwanda, Nate became the first Fellow to ever be based in Bugersera District, living in close proximity to our two newest Shooting Touch courts (Mayange and Rilima). Nate focused on the continued development of these programs - namely, growing participation of women and girls in Mayange, and ironing out the details of staffing and programming in Rilima. He also took on a variety of basketball and corporate operations tasks, including planning and managing our major events and league play, coordinating beneficiary registration and the Mutuelle Health Insurance program, and gear distribution.
Nathaniel Cueter | 2023 Corporate Operations Fellow, Rwanda
Laine graduated from Yale in December 2022, where she was a member of the varsity field hockey team.
As Health Operations Fellow in Rwanda, Laine was based in Mukarange, Kayonza District, where she used her extensive pre-med knowledge to review and update all Turikumwe Health Curriculum units, while stepping up to oversee a great deal of the health-related monitoring and evaluation.
Laine also worked closely with the Program Director and CEC to oversee health coaching clinics and daily health education, traveling throughout the region to make sure all health programming was being delivered effectively and to schedule.
Laine Garber | 2023 Health
Operations Fellow, Rwanda
Won was originally selected for the 2020-2021 STR Fellowship cycle shortly after graduating from Yale University in 2020. Unable to travel to Rwanda due to the pandemic, Won spent several months working remotely for Shooting Touch, assisting both Rwanda and Boston programs with communications and development tasks. He ultimately chose to defer his fellowship for a year, but remained engaged with Shooting Touch as a member of the Emerging Leaders Board.
Prior to rejoining Shooting Touch in 2022, Won served as the Director of Programs and Administration for the Boys & Girls Club of New Haven, working to offer free after-school and summer programs in academics, arts and crafts, athletics, and much more to the youth of New Haven in the midst of a pandemic.
In his role as Director of Operations Fellow, Won frequently visited all STR courts, but made history as the first fellow to live in Rukara (one of our most remote communities)! Won oversaw coach and employee engagement, assisted with organizational strategy, system optimization, and STR’s sustainability plan, while facilitating daily programming, ancillary courses, and events.
Won Jung | 2022 Director of
Operations Fellow, Rwanda
Although Jerry grew up in Wisconsin, he has spent a great deal of time visiting family in Uganda, so a return to East Africa with Shooting Touch was a natural fit. Jerry studied economics and played basketball for four years at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he also spent one season serving as a graduate assistant coach.
A passionate basketball coach with experience coaching for Giants of Africa, Jerry was selected as a STR Fellow in 2019, but after just 3 months in Rwanda he was forced to return to the US due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jerry returned to Shooting Touch in 2022 as the Director of Basketball Operations Fellow, where he has picked up where he left off.
Spending much of his time coaching in Kayonza and Nyamirama, Jerry focused on player development, training STR’s coaches, and delivering a custom health-education curriculum to hundreds of boys, girls, and women. He also worked to maintain and cultivate sports partnerships, distribute sports gear and materials, and organize STR’s league play.
Jerry Ngobi | 2022 Director of Basketball Operations Fellow, Rwanda
Sam attended UC Santa Barbara, where he earned a degree in communication and a certificate in sport management while gaining experience in collegiate sport marketing and athletic event management. During his senior year, Sam studied abroad at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, focusing on Media and African Studies and interning with a local nonprofit.
Prior to joining Shooting Touch, Sam spent three years working at the Santa Barbara Foundation, supporting the organization with marketing and communications, public relations, fundraising and development, and more.
As the Director of Marketing & Development Fellow, Sam lived in Kigali, Rwanda where he assisted both the Boston and Rwanda teams with digital marketing and storytelling, copywriting, public relations, and fundraising. He also helped manage existing partnerships and cultivate new relationships with local partners, international funders, and donors.
Sam Waterstone | 2022 Director of Marketing & Development Fellow, Rwanda
Originally from Upstate New York, Hillary Chidsey studied sport management as an undergraduate student at the University of Kansas and earned her Masters in International Commerce & Development from the University of Kentucky.
Before joining Shooting Touch, Hillary gained experience with a number of sports and international development organizations, including the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, World Affairs Council of Cincinnati, and Atlas Corps. She also spent two years abroad in South Africa, teaching English and health-related curriculum with the United States Peace Corps.
Hillary served as STR’s Director of Health Operations Fellow in Rwanda, focusing on training coaches on the health curriculum, facilitating all health programming, distributing health materials to beneficiaries, and organizing the Health Insurance Sponsorship Program. She also assisted with monitoring and evaluation efforts, maintaining and cultivating health partnerships, and managing health screenings at STR events.
Hillary Chidsey | 2022 Director of Health Operations Fellow, Rwanda
Graduating from Davidson College in 2020, KiShawn studied Sociology, Gender and Sexuality, and played on the men’s basketball team. As the 2020 Director of Basketball Operations Fellow, KiShawn worked remotely for Shooting Touch as the ongoing pandemic halted international travel. Taking advantage of the virtual workplace, KiShawn focused on helping Rwanda create monthly coaching clinics, while co-developing a mentorship program for Boston girls alongside the ST Boston staff. After completing his fellowship, KiShawn returned to school and is currently working on his Master’s in Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. For his MSW year one field practice, he is interning with the Good Stress Company, a Charlotte-based counseling organization that focuses on combating the negative stigma of mental illness by promoting holistic health within their community.
KiShawn Pritchett | 2020 Director of Basketball Operations Fellow, Rwanda and Boston (Remote)
Nolan McCoy attended Northeastern University, where he earned his undergraduate degree and a Masters of Science, Finance, while working with the Northeastern women’s basketball program. Nolan began his Rwanda fellowship in October 2019, and immediately took on the challenge of establishing STR’s programs at the newest court location, Masoro, in the Northern Province.
Working with newly-hired coaches to understand the sports, education, and health systems in the North, recruit players, and schedule programming, Nolan expertly guided the Masoro team and helped build a strong new Shooting Touch community. With an interest in youth involvement in the local economy, he took charge in tightening up STR’s Pathways To A Better Future program, where he developed a new business proposal competition with a monetary prize. Nolan streamlined internal reporting for STR staff, managed our participant registration system, and assisted local staff in providing insurance for over 7,000 people for the second year in a row.
Nolan was forced to return to the US in March of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, where he completed his fellowship while working remotely. Nolan now resides in New York City and works as a Senior Associate, Management Consulting at PwC, one of the Big Four multinational consulting firms.
Nolan McCoy | 2019 Health Corps Fellow, Rwanda
Maureen Taggart | 2018 Health Corps Fellow, Rwanda
Current role: Corporate Operations Coordinator at 3STEP Sports
Nick Kairys | 2018 Health Corps Fellow, Rwanda
Current role: Creator/Publisher at NBA Top Shot (Dapper Labs)
Liz Jenkins | 2018 Health Corps Fellow, Rwanda
Current role: Team Operations Coordinator at Philadelphia 76ers
Jordan Dillard | 2017 Health Corps Fellow, Rwanda
Current role: J.D. Candidate at University of Georgia School of Law
Matt Barr | 2017 Health Corps Fellow, Rwanda
Current role: Director of Sales at Breezeway
Chloe Rothman | 2016 Health Corps Fellow, Rwanda
Current role: Director of International Programming & Strategy at Shooting Touch
Jake Mendys | 2016 Health Corps Fellow, Rwanda
Current role: Strategic Operations at Mosaic
Jasmine Bishop, Thomas College | 2015 Health Corps Fellow, Rwanda
Current role: Talent Coordinator at Elevo
Matt McGinley | 2015 Health Corp Fellow, Rwanda
Current role: Customer Success Manager at G2
Lisanne Comeau | 2014 Health Corp Fellow, Rwanda
Current role: Strategy Advisor at Paper Crown Rwanda
Remy Ndiaye | 2014 Sabbatical Grantee, Rwanda
Current role: Video Operations with the Miami Heat
Kevin Kettl | 2013 Sabbatical Grantee, Rwanda
Current role: Global Partnership Development at SoFi Stadium, YouTube Theater & Hollywood Park
Priscilla Dodoo, University of Bridgeport | 2013 Sabbatical Grantee, Rwanda
Isaura Guzman | 2012 Sabbatical Grantee, Rwanda
Casey Stockton | 2012 Sabbatical Grantee, Rwanda
Current role: Dean of International Studies at America's Finest Charter School
Leah Rutherford | 2011 Sabbatical Grantee, South Africa & Zimbabwe
Current Role: Homeless Services Manager at Peter McVerry Trust
Tome Barros | 2010 Sabbatical Grantee, Brazil, Cape Verde & Senegal
Current role: Community Engagement Manager with the Boston Celtics