Governance

Bibiana has been a member of the school board since its formation and today she is Chairperson of the board. With a strong belief in the power of education, Bibiana supports St Jude’s in our work to provide the poorest students of the Arusha region with free, quality education.

Bibiana has served on a number of school boards in Arusha and nearby Moshi. Her expertise is in medical technology and she currently works for a medical technologist with Jobi Medical and Laboratory services. Previously, Bibiana worked in human laboratory diagnostics.

Mark Cubit became a Director of The School of St Jude in 2010.

He manages two charitable foundations based in Australia which support over fifty projects in fifteen countries. In addition he advises on a number of investment portfolios, following 15 years with Merrill Lynch Australia.

Mark became involved with St Jude’s as a donor in 2005 and upon becoming more familiar with the school’s work, sought a greater involvement.

Rachael is St Jude’s current Donor and Sponsor Relations Manager. She has worked at St Jude’s since 2012 when she joined the school as a photographer. Rachael was raised in Sydney and Singapore, before attending the Australian National University. She joined the board in 2021.

Rachael is a mother to one daughter.

Mary has known about The School of St Jude since its foundation through her work at the bank used by the school. Following a 40 year career in banking, Mary retired and joined the board, motivated by her love of children and passion for development.

Mary is an Arusha local, a widow and a mother of 12.

Dr Richard holds a PhD in Structural Engineering. His career has spanned the private and public sectors. Most recently, Dr Masika worked at Arusha Technical College, where he helped girls from underprivileged background pursue careers in engineering. He is pleased to serve as a Director of St Jude’s as he sees education, particularly STEM, as a game changer. Dr Masika is married and a father of five.

Father Festus is a priest with the Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha and a committed Director of The School of St Jude. He enjoys being a board member as it allows him to learn from others and gives him the opportunity to help the fight against poverty through education.

Gemma is the Founder and driving force behind St Jude’s. She and her husband, Richard Sisia, are the loving parents of four children; Nathaniel, Jackob, Isabella and Louisa. Gemma is the only daughter among the eight children of Sue and Basil Rice and was raised on a sheep station in NSW, Australia.

During years of teaching and travel in East Africa in her early 20s, Gemma developed a conviction that education was the best way of fighting poverty. Later, her father-in-law gave her the land on which to build St Jude’s in Arusha, Tanzania.

Following Gemma’s fundraising in Australia, the school opened in 2002 and continues to provide a free, quality education to bright, poor students.