Board of Trustees
Jennifer Millett-Barrett
President of Dream On International
Jennifer is the founding president of Dream On International. Her nonprofit work has taken her to several African countries, with a particular dedication to West Africa, where she has facilitated life-changing projects for seventeen years. Through Jennifer’s leadership, Dream On has established a number of community-based programs aimed at the prevention of human trafficking, child labor, gender-based violence, and other human rights violations afflicting children and women.
Dream On initiated and maintains various protection programs, including witness protection for children involved in legal cases, safe houses for girls who were victims of sexual violence, and a long-term residential home for teenagers and young adults. Jennifer has collaborated with officials in government institutions and agencies, tribal elders, and private NGOs to advance the well being of women and children.
Jennifer has been recognized with honors, including being conferred the title of Development Queen of Hohoe, Ghana by Paramount Chief Togbe Gabusu VI and a humanitarian award from the National Council of Ghanaian Associations and the Ghana Consulate of New York. Her groundbreaking research titled “Bound by Silence: Psychological Effects of the Traditional Oath Ceremony Used in the Sex Trafficking of Nigerian Women and Girls” was published in Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Sexual Exploitation and Violence. Jennifer is currently serving as an expert on country conditions in Ghana for asylum cases that are presented in court at the US Department of Homeland Security and US Citizen and Immigration Services.
Jennifer holds an MA in Human Rights Studies with honors from Columbia University, a BA in Social Work from the University of New Hampshire, and a BFA from the University of New Mexico. She is also a licensed practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Jennifer and her husband, Bill, adopted their sons — Mensah, Koku, and Godsway — from Ghana.
VINCENT KWARULA
President of Kwarula Society for Kenyan Education
Born in rural Shihalia, and raised in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, Vincent was in his words “one of the lucky ones.” A natural athlete with a passion for playing soccer, Vincent’s ability enabled him to rise through the ranks and become captain of the national Kenyan soccer team, earning 90 caps and a place in two World Cup Qualifiers. His ability on the field of play resulted in a scholarship to America.
Today Vincent can be found inspiring young players in the art of the beautiful game in New York and Connecticut. His love of soccer is equaled by his passion for education. Vincent received his Master’s Degree in Education at Manhattanville College. His joy for learning and his belief that knowledge is power is evident in the classroom as a teacher and in his humanitarian work in his home country of Kenya.
Vincent is the president of the Kwarula Society of Kenyan Education (KSKE) where he has transformed the lives of children in his ancestral village and beyond. In 2011, Dream On partnered with KSKE to install a borehole, above ground water tank, and electricity in Shihalia. Through this partnership, KSKE and Dream On discovered a shared interest in the development of programs that prevent at-risk children from become victims of systemic poverty, human trafficking, and child labor. Vincent’s upbringing, experience with traditional leaders and government agencies, hands-on approach, and devotion to building children’s futures strengthens our leadership at Dream On.
Bill Barrett
High School Principal of ASK Academy
Bill has had 30 years of experience in education as an administrator, teacher, coach, curriculum coordinator, and counselor. Bill was the President of St. Mary’s Academy in Englewood, CO, a private K – 12 school which focuses on the values of faith, community, justice, and respect and provided the foundation for students to be powerful agents of change. Previously, Bill was the Division Head at Rippowam Cisqua School in Bedford, NY where he oversaw the day-to-day operations of grades 5 – 9.
Bill’s experience in education has given him the opportunity to interact and problem solve with students, parents, faculty, administration, and board members. Bill has exceptional communication skills and has a long history of speaking at a wide range of school and community functions. Bill has extensive experience is strategic planning, governance, intuitional advancement, innovative program developing, and fundraising. Bill has spearheaded many enriching initiatives such as school-wide character education, professional growth and development programs for faculty and staff, and DEI and STEAM integration.
Bill has been to Ghana several times and organized a trip for students to volunteer at one of the schools that was funded by Dream On. Bill has a M.S. Ed in Counseling and Personnel Services from Fordham University, a M.A. in Special Education from the University of New Mexico, a M.B.A. in Business Management from Iona College, and a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of New Hampshire.
Brandon Millett
Executive Vice President, American Way Productions
Brandon Millett is an award-winning communicator, writer, producer and media entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience leading creative teams to deliver exceptional storytelling products on behalf of top brands, including Disney, MGM, Paramoung, NBC Universal, Discovery, PBS, and numerous nonprofit organizations. Brandon is currently an Owner and Executive Vice President of American Way Productions, a full-service film production and distribution company, CEO of the GI Film Group, which supports military-themed film and television projects and Co-Founder and President of the GI Film Festival, a national non-profit organization dedicated to tell the stories of American veterans.
As a communications and media professional, Brandon has advised a variety of organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to non-profit start-ups. Brandon's media campaigns have earned coverage from virtually every major news outlet worldwide, including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian, to name a few. As a spokesperson, Brandon conducted hundreds of interviews on national radio and television programs from Dennis Miller to NPR’s To the Point to Fox and Friends, while his written work has appeared in numerous top publications, including The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and the Baltimore Sun.
Brandon previously served as Director of Communications at the nation’s largest government watchdog organization. Brandon holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a Master's Degree in Psychology with a concentration in psychology and communication.
Lois Martino
Lois Martino is a skilled child right’s advocate. She has provided protective services for vulnerable and victimized children in West Africa for 20 years, with a concentration in Ghana and Liberia. Lois’ introduction to West Africa was through the adoption of her child, Lillian.
In her early years of development and advocacy work, Lois lead the effort to establish programs at a children’s home and school in the central region of Ghana. After learning about abuse that was taking place at orphanages across Ghana, she became an advocate of the Care Reform Initiative and sought alternative methods of rehabilitation for survivors of abuse who could not be reintegrated with family.
Lois was a founding partner in the Dream On Home, first as a volunteer, and later through her daughter’s nonprofit organization, Fahodie For Friends (FFF). As a child adopted from Ghana, Lillian felt a need to give back to her country and established FFF to provide awareness about human trafficking and provide protective care to victims of abuse.
Through her role at FFF, Lois and her daughter worked side-by-side to rescue victims of human trafficking, protect victimized children, and pursue justice. Fahodie for Friends expanded services to Liberia to care for vulnerable children and initiate culturally sensitive community-based programs.
Lois’ steadfast quest for justice led her to play a significant role in assisting the FBI in gathering information on an ex-intelligence officer who received hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation for selling information to Chinese agents from 2014-2018. The criminal was charged with espionage and sentenced to ten years in jail.
In 2009, Lois was honored with the Hall of Fame Award from LDS Family Services in recognition of her humanitarian efforts in Ghana.
ADVISORS
MOSES KAKAW
Former Senior Officer, Department of Social Welfare
Sogakope, Volta Region, Ghana
Moses retired in 2023 after 36 years of dedication to children’s rights in his positions at the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) in Bolgatanga, Denu, Mafi Adidome, and Sogakope, Ghana. In the early years with DSW, Moses was appointed the Welfare Officer in the Togolese Refugee Camp and was in charge of distribution of relief and management of income-generating activities.
When relocated to the South Tongu district in 2004, Moses was appointed the District Officer of Social Welfare and Community Development. By 2006, Moses was also given the responsibilities to be the Officer in Charge on the elimination of the worst forms of child labor. In 2008, he was also assigned as the District Coordinator for Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Program (LEAP) and continued to serve in this role until his retirement. Moses also served as the District Chairman of the Disabled Fund Management Committee from 2011 – 2023.
Moses has worked tirelessly to lead his team in combatting human trafficking, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, child marriage, child labor, and denial of basic human rights. He has been instrumental in the courtroom and tribunal courts in seeking justice for victims of these abuses.
During home visits and community functions, Moses has spent copious hours speaking about parental and moral responsibility. He has extensive experience in conducting investigations, mediations, rehabilitative oversight, and has been an influential advocate for foster care of vulnerable children and deinstitutionalization.
Moses holds a diploma in Social Work and Administration and a BA in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Ghana.
Millicent Ohenewaa
Officer, Department of Social Welfare
Koforidua, Eastern Region, Ghana
Millicent has more than a decade of experience as a social welfare officer with a specialty of working with vulnerable and exploited girls. Millicent served as the Deputy Program Manager of the Ark Foundation, Ghana’s first shelter for battered women and children. She managed the caseloads, new admissions, implemented the organization’s advocacy strategy plan, monitored state action including legislative policy, and was the Project Manager for Ark’s Community Awareness Program (CAP) where she facilitated training programs, represented the organization publicly at meetings and in the media, and networked with other NGOs and government agencies. Millicent also worked as a trauma counselor at Ark’s Crisis Response Center in Seben where she collaborated with staff to support children and women who were survivors of domestic or sexual violence.
Millicent was Lead Coordinator of the following Ark programs: (1) Girl Power Project, which focused on ensuring the equal rights and opportunities of girls and young women in developing countries to ensure their full participation in the socio-economic and political development of society; (2) The Ambassadors Girl Scholarship Program (AGSP), a program funded by the U.S. President to enable educational opportunities for needy girls. Under Millicent’s leadership, 1000 girls were awarded scholarships in 10 different regions of Ghana; (3) Annual “16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence;” (4) Sexual Assault Awareness Week Campaign; (5) Evidence for Better Life Study (February, 2019), an integrated research study in collaboration with the University of Cambridge (UK) on violence during pregnancy.
In 2013, Millicent joined the Department of Social Welfare in the Eastern Region to advocate for human rights, mediate on family reconciliation, counsel victims of defilement and coordinate services and legal representation on their behalf, monitor child development centers and residential homes, oversee efficient juvenile justice administration, and serve as a panel member of the Family Tribunal Court. Millicent holds a BA in Social Work from the University of Ghana.