The Jua Foundation is led by a dedicated team of volunteers, community leaders, and board members in the United States, Europe and Kenya who share a commitment to expanding access to education for children in Dandora, Nairobi. By combining local leadership with global expertise, we work together to provide educational opportunities, strengthen communities, and help children build brighter futures beyond landfill work.
Our Team
Our Founders
Soleil Sabalja
Co-Founder & Executive Director
New York, US
Soleil is a co-founder of The Jua Foundation and a former New York City public high school teacher of 14 years who inspired her Environmental Science students to design and implement real-world solutions for a more sustainable planet. In addition to The Jua Foundation, she founded Nasty New Yorkers, an environmental collective in New York City. A National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow with master’s degrees from Columbia University and New York University, Soleil’s work has been featured by National Geographic Society, Univision, and Conscious Curriculum, among others.
Joyce Wangari
Co-Founder & Kenya Programs Director
Nairobi, Kenya
Joyce is a co-founder of The Jua Foundation and a former waste picker from Nairobi’s Dandora Landfill. As Assistant Secretary of the Nairobi Recyclable Waste Association and The Jua Foundation’s on-the-ground lead, she advocates for the 7,000 waste pickers working daily in Dandora. From school check-ins to managing the Saturday Lunch Program for 200+ children, Joyce uplifts her community with heart and determination. Her inspiring work has been featured by Global Citizen, Nation.Africa, The Fuller Project, and Environmental Health News, among others.
Board of Directors
Ali serves as The Jua Foundation’s Marketing & Operations lead and a founding member of its Board of Directors. Involved since its inception, she helped establish the organization, develop its visual identity and continues to guide operations and communications strategy. Ali is a Senior Marketing Manager at Teneo, overseeing global brand management, marketing strategy and operations. Previously, she worked in marketing and business development at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Ali also volunteers as a Marketing Advisor with the Foundation for Education in Honduras, where she previously served as volunteer Director of Marketing, leading marketing and fundraising initiatives.
Marketing & Operations and Founding Board Member
New York, US
Ali Krukowski
Jen Whitbeck
Treasurer
Florida, US
Jen serves as The Jua Foundation’s Treasurer and finance lead and a member of its Board of Directors, helping build a strong financial foundation to support sustainable, long-term impact. She brings nearly two decades of experience in financial strategy, organizational operations and business growth. Previously, Jen served as Chief Operating Officer at C Street Advisory Group, where she led financial planning and analytics, strengthened operations across marketing, human resources, technology and compliance and oversaw daily operations. Earlier in her career, she spent more than a decade at Goldman Sachs in investment management, contributing to the launch of a firmwide capital markets and strategy group.
Ali serves as The Jua Foundation’s Secretary and a member of its Board of Directors, drawing on her legal background to support the organization’s growth and governance. Based in New York, she is a licensed attorney with experience in claims defense, appeals, compliance and operations. She volunteers with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, assisting low-income tenants with housing-related legal matters. Her pro bono work earned the 2025 New York State Bar Association Pro Bono Presidential Award. Previously, she served on the board of Chappaqua Friends Nursery School, supporting governance initiatives. She is passionate about child advocacy, community engagement and mission-driven organizations.
Secretary
New York, US
Ali Sindorf
Paulina Valverde
Board Member
Barcelona, Spain
Paulina serves as a member of The Jua Foundation’s Board of Directors. She is a senior marketing and brand leader with more than 15 years of international experience, including extensive work in the education sector. Based in Barcelona, she has led integrated marketing, communications, and go-to-market strategies for education organizations, helping launch programs, strengthen brand presence, and connect with diverse audiences across global markets. Her experience includes senior roles at The British College of Gava and Global Alumni, where she worked on program launches, stakeholder engagement, and growth-focused marketing initiatives.
Executive Team
Solomon is former waste picker at Nairobi’s Dandora Landfill, one of the largest dumpsites in Africa. Drawing from his lived experience, Solomon is a tireless advocate for the waste pickers who work daily in Dandora, championing better safety, dignity, and opportunity for his community. His insight and community relations are central to the Jua’s efforts in Kenya. Solomon’s story and advocacy have been featured by Global Citizen, Nation.Africa, The Fuller Project, and Environmental Health News, among others.
Community Liaison
Nairobi, Kenya
Solomon Njoroge
Janet Chemitei
Global Ambassador
Accra, Ghana
Janet is an environmentalist, waste and slow fashion educator, and storyteller passionate about reshaping how people see and manage waste. With a background in environmental education, she trains communities in sustainable waste management and leads art-based projects that inspire environmental awareness among youth. Also serving as Youth Chairperson for Clean Up Kenya and Africa Regional Director for Threading Change, Janet’s work has been featured by Greenpeace, France24, Twyg, and Threading Change, among others.
Jeff serves as The Jua Foundation’s Chief Medical Advisor, having supported the organization since its early stages. A physician with over 50 years of experience, he has dedicated much of his career to serving underserved communities and medical education. He previously held leadership roles at the NYC Department of Health, Mount Vernon Hospital and Montefiore Hospital. Since 2013, he has served as Senior Advisor on Medical Affairs at BioReference Laboratories. Jeff is also the author of the children’s book Milton’s Moment, whose proceeds have supported pediatric HIV/AIDS care in Uganda and educational programs for Ethiopian Jews.
Chief Medical Advisor
New York, US