Board of Directors
Rachel Akusake
Founder/CEO
I love seeing the diversity of both deaf and hard-of-hearing people, including immigrants and refugees, joining us as part of the Board of Directors. We also welcome hearing people of color and Children of Deaf Adults (CODA) to join us in making a meaningful impact. As the saying goes, “Two heads are better than one,” and together, we can achieve greater things for the communities we serve.
Sarah Franco
Board Member, USBDAF
Sarah Franco holds a B.S. degree in Child Development and Guidance. Born and raised in the United States, her family immigrated from Puerto Rico.
Sarah has been a Direct Support Professional for The ARC of Monroe in New York since 1996, where she has worked extensively with individuals with diverse disabilities. She is passionate about advocating for clients with disabilities, particularly in intellectual development.
Jeremy Yankey
Board Member, USBDAF
Jeremy, born in the UK and raised in Ghana, is the founder and CEO of Hope Deaf Africa. His organization focuses on supporting deaf children, youths, and adults in seven war-torn African countries, ensuring they have access to essential services such as education, employment opportunities, independent living, healthcare, and sign language interpreters for effective communication. Despite his dedication to helping those in need, Jeremy acknowledges that the challenges are significant, and more help is required. He is calling for volunteers and donors to join his efforts and contribute to making a lasting difference in the lives of deaf individuals across Africa. I am partnering with USBDAF so we can contribute the useful concepts or resources benefit deaf communities inside and outside the United States.
Samuel K. Asare
Board Member, USBDAF
Samuel K. Asare, originally from Ghana, is hard of hearing and currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Deaf Action Foundation & Advocacy (DAFA).
He previously served as the President of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf for eight years. Since 2014, Samuel has been working as a tutor at Hope College, a senior high school for hearing students in Ghana.
Samuel is committed to continuing his work with DAFA, helping the organization achieve its goals for the benefit of Deaf Ghanaians.
Musu Golley
Board member
Musu Golley, a deaf woman from Sierra Leone, is the Founder and Executive Director of Deaf Women Advocacy Networking - Sierra Leone. In July 2024, she traveled to the United States, where she met Rachel Akusake, the founder of USBDAF in Oakland, California. During her visit, Rachel taught and trained Musu on various skills and knowledge important for her work. After learning about programs across different states, Musu returned home to Sierra Leone in August 2024 and began using the knowledge she gained to teach deaf youths and adults in her community. Musu is proud to be a member of USBDAF and looks forward to continuing her collaboration with Rachel to learn more and enhance her efforts in the future.
Martha Joy Kamara.
Board member, USBDAF
I was born and raised in Sierra Leone, West Africa. I attended the National School for the Deaf and later transferred to Vine Memorial Secondary School for Girls, a high school full of hearing students. It was a challenging experience, but it was worthwhile. I’ve had the opportunity to be a great leader and a drama/dance teacher for deaf youth in Sierra Leone.
In 2005, I moved to the United States of America and have been living in Minnesota with my family ever since. I have been married to my husband for almost 28 years, and we have two children. I pursued a degree to become a nursing aide at Hennepin Technical College but decided.
Mai Vue
Board member,USBDAF
I am Mai Vue. I’m a Deaf Hmong-American, born in Thailand. When I was just two months old, my parents and I flew to the USA in 1980. I have two sisters and two brothers. My family moved around a few states before finally settling in Minnesota in 1997, after I graduated from the American School for the Deaf in Connecticut.
I attended the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York and graduated with an Associate’s degree in Administration Support Technology in 2001. I moved back to Minnesota in 2010, where I became actively involved in deaf community events. I volunteered by assisting deaf youth in elementary and high schools. In 2011, I became an assistant teacher in the Deaf Adult Basic Education program.
I later enrolled at Minneapolis College, majoring in Education, and graduated with another Associate’s degree in 2014. I taught deaf, deaf-blind, and hard-of-hearing adult students in the Deaf Adult Education program for a total of 15 years at ThinkSelf, a nonprofit organization in Minnesota. I am grateful to my former deaf adult immigrants who taught me a lot through their beautiful international sign languages. I strongly believe that deaf people can do anything successfully except hear!