Sona Traore-Sesay
Executive Director
Sona Traore-Sesay is the Executive Director at LEAD Monrovia Football Academy. Sona previously worked as LEAD MFA’s Life Skills Director, and her promotion marks LEAD MFA’s first leadership transition since opening in 2015. Sona assumes her new role from William H. Smith, who served as ED for 5 years. Her personality, cultural fit, and experience at the Academy make her the ideal leader to steer LEAD MFA into the future. Sona is one of Liberia’s rising stars. At age 25, she is one of the youngest leaders of any nonprofit or company in Liberia. She represents everything the Academy represents – intelligence, determination, youthful innovation, and ethical leadership.
Sona first joined the Academy in 2018, after completing her BSc in Early Childhood Education at Gaziantep University in Turkey on a full scholarship. At the Academy, she has served as a Mathematics and Science teacher and gradually risen through the ranks to become the Life Skills Director. In her role as Life Skills Director, she worked closely with our student-athletes, staff, and global partners. Over the past three years, Sona has also participated in leadership workshops in Liberia and Rwanda, and she recently obtained a Master’s in Educational Leadership and Policy from Boston College.
Sona is a 2010-2011 YES Alumni and an emerging young leader who is making her mark amongst her peers in Liberia and around the world. She has inspired a lot of girls in several leadership roles, voicing her opinions about issues affecting girls and women in her community.
Musa P. Sheriff
Director of Academics
Musa Sheriff is the Director of Academics at LEAD Monrovia Football Academy. He arrived at the football school highly recommended by Mr. Sekou Konneh, an accomplished Liberian academic and a Professor of Sociology at the University of Liberia. Before joining the Academy, Sheriff taught biology at several of Monrovia's high schools, held a post as the Vice President of Student Affairs at one of Monrovia's top schools, worked as a consultant for multiple NGOs, and lectured at Liberia's United Methodist University. In 2014, Sheriff received WHO Ebola awareness training and worked as a community outreach officer for Ebola awareness and sanitization.
Sheriff holds an MPH in Epidemiology from Cuttington University in Liberia and a BSc in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Liberia. His work ethic and commitment to the lives of young Liberians make him the ideal leader of our academic program.
Cecelia P. Tyler
Vice Principal for Administration
Cecelia Tyler is the Vice Principal for Administration at the Academy. In her role, Cecelia works alongside the Director of Academics to manage the academic program. She joined the Academy in 2016 as a Language Arts and Reading instructor and has since helped to diversify the Academy’s instructional methods and curriculum. In her current role, Cecelia also manages student-athlete registration and maintains an up-to-date record of each student.
David Allison
Vice Principal for Instruction
David Allison is the Vice Principal for Instruction at LEAD Monrovia Football Academy. Allison previously served as a teacher, teaching General Science, Health, Mathematics, and Agricultural Science to 7th and 8th graders. In his current role, Allison supports the Director of Academics, managing the recruitment of student-athletes in addition to the academic and life skills programs. Before LEAD MFA, Allison taught Math and Science to secondary school students ages 8-14. He also worked with the Liberian Education Advancement Program (LEAP) and the Street Child of Liberia, where he focused on improving literacy and numeracy for Liberian children.
Allison holds a BSc in General Agriculture from the University of Liberia (2017). He is a staunch believer in early childhood education. At the Academy, Allison uses his immutable passion for teaching to improve students learning.
Abraham Monah
Finance & Compliance Officer
Abraham Monah is the Finance & Compliance Officer at the Academy. Monah has many years of experience as an accountant. He’s worked as an auditor for the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) and the renowned Baker Tilly Liberia. Today, in addition to working at the Academy, Monah works full-time as Finance Manager at Last Mile Health. Monah is a football lover and a member of the Swedish Institute Network for Future Global Leaders. Upon receiving his MSc in Sweden, Monah returned to Liberia with a drive to develop the next generation of leaders.
Monah holds an MSc in Business Studies from Dalarna University, Borlange, Sweden, and a BBA and AA in Business Administration from Stella Maris Polytechnic University, Monrovia, Liberia.
Ibrahim B. Nyei
Teacher & Vice Principal for Student Affairs
Ibrahim Nyei is a Vice Principal for Student Affairs and a teacher at the Academy. In his role as Vice Principal for Student Affairs, Nyei oversees student affairs at the Academy, drawing from the Academy’s student handbook to supervise student behavior and ensure that students understand and follow the Academy’s rules on student behavior.
In his role as a teacher, he is a self-contained teacher for grade 4 at the Academy. Nyei brings to the Academy over 10 years of teaching experience at both primary and secondary levels at institutions, including the St. Edwards Catholic High School, D. Tweh High School, and Robertsport Government High School in Grand Cape Mount County. He also served as the dean of students for the Sinje Public High School in Grand Cape Mount County in 2015/16.
Nyei holds an MPH in Epidemiology from Cuttington University in Liberia (2021) and a BSc in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Liberia (2010). Nyei uses his energy and many years of experience to nurture future leaders at the Academy.
John Kobeh Mills
Teacher
John Mills teaches Social Studies and Language Arts at the Academy. Mills began his teaching career in 2000 and has taught at several primary and secondary schools over the past 17 years. Notably, he taught Phonics, Reading, Writing, and Spelling at J.J. Roberts United Methodist School, one of Liberia’s best schools, from 2006-2011. From 2011-2017, Mills served as a teacher trainer in the southeast of Liberia with IBIS, a Danish education organization. Mills brings experience and expertise to our dynamic teaching staff.
Mills holds a BA in Sociology and Demography from the University of Liberia, as well as teacher training certificates from several international and Liberian institutions.
Tom B.N. Soliboah
Teacher
Tom B.N. Soliboah teaches English and Literature at the Academy. Tom is fluent in speaking, writing, and teaching English and has taught at some of the most prestigious schools in Liberia, including AWARE International School and Bethesda Christian Mission School. Tom has also served as an administrator and is one of Liberia's emerging leaders.
Tom holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Public Administration from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion University.
Charles Cooper
Teacher
Charles Cooper is a self-contained teacher for grade 5 at the Academy. Charles brings to the Academy more than 11 years of teaching experience at the primary and secondary levels. He is an avid supporter of education and works to improve the learning potential of students across Liberia.
Charles holds a BSc. in Education from the William V.S. Tubman Teacher’s college at the University of Liberia.
Ernest T. Nagbe
Teacher
Ernest T. Nagbe teaches Mathematics and Physics at the Academy. Ernest brings more than fifteen years of experience teaching at the primary and secondary levels. He loves teaching and utilizes his energy and wit to improve learning at the Academy.
Ernest holds a BSc in Geology from the University of Liberia. He has a B certificate in teaching from the Liberia Action Education Program (LEAD) national teaching program.
Promise Weetor
Teacher
Promise Weetor teaches Biology and Chemistry at the Academy to 10th graders. Promise also teaches general science in the junior high division. She has a great dedication towards her teaching duties and a positive attitude to improve students learning.
Promise holds a BSc in Biology from the United Methodist University in Liberia.
Florence Monboe
Assistant Football Coach
Florence Monboe is widely known as the best female footballer in recent Liberian history. As the former captain of the women’s national team and one of four women in Liberia with a FIFA ‘C’ coaching license, Monboe brings a wealth of leadership and expertise to MFA. In addition to participating in sessions with the entire group, she joins Naomi Peters and works closely with a few of MFA’s female student-athletes.
Winston Browne
Social Welfare Officer
Winston Browne is the Academy’s Social Welfare Officer. Prior to joining the Academy’s staff in September 2018, Browne was the head of the Academy’s Parent Association. After retiring from careers as a community worker and builder, Browne was reinvigorated to return to work upon seeing the Academy’s impact on his son and daughter, both of whom joined the Academy in September 2016.
Sametta Thomas
Guidance Counselor
Sametta Thomas is the Guidance Counselor at the Academy. Sametta brings many years of experience as a social worker to the Academy. She has worked for renowned institutions, including USAID and the Peace Corps Liberia, where she worked as a counselor for staff. In addition to her current work at the Academy, she also serves as the Country Facilitator for the Mental Health Leadership and Advocacy Program (mhLAP) in Liberia.
Sametta holds a BSc in Social Work, and she has a certificate from Harvard Medical School for research training in Mental Health Needs and Assessment.
Sharon Ajavon
Director of Catering
Sharon Ajavon prepares LEAD MFA’s lunches. As a young woman, she learned to cook under the tutelage of her mother, who is a renowned chef within the MVTC community in Paynesville. Since then, she has run a catering business and been the head chef at the Monrovia Vocational Training Center's restaurant. Ajavon has a wonderful rapport with the student-athletes, and we are lucky to have her.
Samuel Dennis
Facilities Manager
Samuel Dennis oversees the security and ensures the effective functioning of the Academy’s facilities. Samuel is a trained electrician, and, before joining the Academy, he worked for the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for three years as an electrician. In his current role, Samuel supervises the repairs of the Academy’s facilities and helps develop and implement a facility management program that includes preventative and corrective management strategies.