Global Advisory Council
Ascent Soccer’s ‘Global Advisory Council’ is assembling a diverse group of experienced leaders, from a wide variety of sport, business and community disciplines, to support, challenge and improve everything we do in Southeast Africa.
TOM MURPHY is a member of Ascent Soccer USA’s Board of Directors, and brings a wealth of experience from the financial services industry. Tom is currently an Advisory Director at General Atlantic, a growth equity investment firm, where until recently he had served as Managing Director and CFO for over 20 years. Prior to joining GA, Tom was an accountant with Deloitte.
ANNE-MARIE KAMANYE has over 15 years of leadership, fundraising & international development experience in Africa. Anne-Marie currently based Kenya as the Director of Business Development for Amref Health Africa. Prior to that post, she spent eight years as the ED of the Canadian operation of Amref Health Africa, a global health leader since 1957.
ETHAN ZOHN is a humanitarian, author, inspirational speaker, former pro soccer player, cancer-surivor and advocate, and television host — who was the winner of Survivor Africa and the co-founder of global non-profit Grassroot Soccer. Ethan brings a global development and storytelling perspective to his role on Ascent’s Advisory Council.
STEVEN CALDWELL is a former Scottish international who had a 17-year playing career in the Premier League and the MLS. Today he is a soccer analyst for TSN and a member of the coaching staff for the Canadian Men’s National Team. Steven is committed to the development of young talent, including the boys and girls of Ascent Soccer in East Africa.
ALANNA RONDI is currently the Canadian Liaison for Partnership Development at RNW Media, a youth engagement NGO based in The Netherlands. Alanna has held various leadership and executive positions in international development including roles with Women Deliver in New York, the Devonshire Initiative in Toronto and Amref Health Africa.
NICOLAS BROWN is a member of Ascent’s USA Board of Directors. He holds an MBA and is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. Nick recently spent two years in Malawi, and developed his love of football growing up in Mexico, playing varsity soccer at Hamilton College and coaching in Bolivia and at home, in Portland, Oregon.
LUCY MILLS is a program manager for foundation of Fútbol Club Barcelona. She’s worked in football in Europe and Africa over the past 15 years and holds an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Cape Town. Lucy dedicates herself to local and international activist initiatives that unlock the transformative potential of the female game
DAVID BARENBORG retired from BlackRock in 2019 after 20 years as a Managing Director in Investment Mgmt. Prior to BlackRock, David spent 15 years at Deutsche Bank and Salomon Brothers. Educated at Middlebury College and the Wharton School, David played rugby and American football (sorry, no soccer), but has been closely connected to the game as a host family and is now deeply committed to Ascent's mission after a recent visit to Malawi and the academy program in Lilongwe.
ROB STONE hosts FOX Sports’ studio coverage of soccer, college basketball and football, and has anchored four FIFA World Cups, 11 MLS Cups, the US Men’s and Women’s National Teams, UEFA Champions League and England’s FA Cup during his time at FOX and ESPN. Rob graduated from Colgate University where he was an All-State and All-Conference soccer player for the Red Raiders, where he was team captain in his senior year. In 2018, Rob was inducted into the CT Soccer Hall of Fame, and he currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Lynn, and their four children.
RICK MANGAT has been a highly successful medical device executive for the past 20 years, while residing in Canada. Rick was born in Nairobi, Kenya and spent his childhood playing school football in London, England. Rick and his family are active philanthropists through their family foundation, which focuses primarily on education and health care.
MARTIN SCALES has over 20 years experience as a British diplomat working in the UK and on five overseas tours. Since 2016 he has been a ‘Queen’s Messenger’. Martin has been closely associated with Ascent from the early days and became our first ‘Ambassador’ whist Deputy High Commissioner to Malawi in 2015. He has a sporting background with a passion for football. He is a sports graduate of Loughborough University and a qualified FA coach, and he also plays for the Wycombe Wanderers over 50s.
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