The LCS Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall health and long-term future of the school. This governance role is essentially strategic rather than operational, with broad responsibility for:

• Establishing policies that guide school operations.
• Maintaining a long-term financial plan and approving an annual budget for the school.
• Hiring, evaluating, and providing feedback to the Head of School.
• Ensuring that the school’s Mission is reflected in its programs, and is adequately resourced.

While they help steer the strategic decisions that chart our school’s course, the Board is also part of the LCS community. All current board members are parents with students enrolled at the school. As such, they understand the importance of involving parents, teachers, and staff in decision-making.

The nine member Board of Trustees is made up of four trustees who are elected by parents, two who are appointed by the Board members, and three who are appointed by the U.S. Ambassador.

Governance Structure

The governance structure of the Board of Trustees consists of four (4) standing committees, Finance, Trusteeship, Facilities and Executive. They are made up by a combination of members of the Board, Administration, and members of the community.

The role of the Finance Committee is to exercise oversight over school finances, recommend draft annual budgets for Board approval, and develop a rolling seven-year financial plan for LCS.

The role of the Trusteeship Committee is to sustain an effective Board at LCS to carry out its mission using good governance practices, and to ensure that a strong pool of candidates stands for election each year.

The role of the Facilities Committee is to exercise oversight over LCS school facilities, and make recommendations to the Board on any facility maintenance or development.

The Executive Committee is composed of the four (4) Board Officers and the Head of School, and its role is to facilitate communication between and among Board committees, as well as with Board membership as a whole. As needed, the committee may also serve to support and provide guidance to the Head of School.

In any given year, the Board may create ad hoc committees, to perform specific tasks or goals. Such committees will normally exist for a predetermined period of time but will follow the same guidelines as standing committees.

Meet the Board

Emily Slota, Board Chair

Emily Slota was born in California and has called Ghana home for the past seven years. Her career at McKinsey & Company, leading tech and finance firms, and non-profits, is driven by a commitment to using technology for good. She is currently the President of Hugo Technologies, an AI ops and customer experience company committed to creating jobs in Africa. An alumna of Stanford University, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Kennedy School, Emily brings curiosity and a love of learning. She and her husband are lucky parents of two vibrant, imaginative daughters: one entering ECC, the other in third grade at LCS. As a member of Lincoln’s board, Emily looks forward to supporting academic excellence, diversity, and sustainable growth.

Christal Beeko, Vice-Chair, Elected by the LCS Community

Christal Beeko is a multiple award winning Events & Public Relations specialist and proud alumna of LCS. With expertise in media relations, strategic planning, and crisis communications, Christal excels in enhancing public images and leading impactful PR campaigns. She is also a dedicated parent, with two of her three children currently attending LCS. Christal looks forward to contributing to making LCS the best school in West Africa.

Vishal Bundhun, Facilities Committee Chair

Vishal Bundhun, a native of Mauritius, is a Chartered Banker (UK), currently leading a German multinational and overseeing its activities in West and Central Africa. Having resided in Ghana for the past 11 years alongside his wife and two sons, both enrolled at LCS since 2015, Vishal’s active involvement as a parent reiterates his commitment to the LCS community. 

With a career spanning over 27 years, Vishal has extensive experience in banking and shipping at executive levels in both Europe and Africa. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Vishal brings a proven track record of board service with multinational corporations, adding to the depth of expertise he contributes to the LCS board.

Jennifer Kmiecinski, Governance Committee Chair

Jennifer hails from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where she worked as a Physician Assistant in Family Medicine. With a background as a High School Biology teacher and a passion for teaching children to be lifelong learners, Jennifer hopes to work with the LCS Board to improve all of our children’s learning experience. Jennifer is the Medical Provider at the U.S. Embassy in Accra and spends her time exploring with her husband and three children.

Maryam Salman, Elected by the LCS Community

Maryam Salman is originally from Pakistan and has spent the past seven years abroad, living in culturally diverse places like South Korea and Kazakhstan. She holds a Master’s in English Literature and has worked as a lecturer at the University of Karachi and later led the content writing department at a multinational company. Maryam moved to Accra a year and a half ago and is an active member of the LCS community, with two daughters in Grades 7 and 11. She is deeply committed to the school’s well-being and is dedicated to supporting its multicultural spirit, goals, and inclusive vision. 

Raghav Mandhana, Finance Committee Chair

Raghav Mandhana is an Indian by birth and has been in Ghana with his family since 2018. His daughter Aarna will be joining back in sixth grade and has been in Lincoln since Kindergarten. He’s a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and also holds a B.Com. (Hons.) graduation degree from Delhi University, India. Through his 15 years plus of work experience, he’s held senior leadership roles in Finance with various large Corporates. With the intention of being able to contribute to Lincoln’s financial well-being and also to be able to learn in turn, he has been a member of the Board’s Finance Committee for the last five years.

Susan Nimo DeBor, Appointed by the US Ambassador

Nimo calls America home while remaining connected to her roots in Kenya. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and brings valuable experience in logistics and operations. As a dedicated parent to two children at LCS, one in 6th grade and the other in Kindergarten, Nimo is deeply committed to the continued growth and success of the school. She looks forward to serving with warmth, collaboration, and a shared dedication to the values that make LCS a special place for all families.

Elliot Fertik, Appointed by the US Ambassador

Elliot Fertik is a career member of the United States Foreign Service and works at the U.S. Embassy in Accra as the Consul General. His son Alexander just graduated from LCS in May 2025, and he has another son who will be starting 10th grade in August 2025. He and his family have previously lived around the world, including in Kenya, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Canada, and Mexico. Before joining the Foreign Service, Elliot was an attorney who practiced in Philadelphia, USA.

Charles Quao, Appointed by the Board of Trustees

Charles Quao is a Ghanaian entrepreneur and the founder of Quao Realty, one of Ghana’s leading real estate development firms. He brings valuable expertise in business leadership and growth.

As a dedicated parent of three boys, two of whom attend LCS in Grades 5 and 4. Charles is committed to supporting the school’s mission and values. He is committed to working with fellow board members to support academic excellence, strengthen the community, and advance the school’s vision for the future.

Lesley Tait, Head of School

Lesley has had a long career in education both in her home country of New Zealand and within the international schooling world. Prior to coming to Accra, she served as the Director of Teaching & Learning and Interim Head of School at the American School of Brasilia in Brazil. She has a Masters degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Apart from focusing on all aspects of educational leadership, she enjoys hiking, traveling and reading. She is excited to continue to work with the LCS Board bringing to life LCS’s amazing new mission, vision and values.