Elise is a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo. A wife and mother of four, she moved to the United States at a young age to live with her older siblings and pursue a better education.  After graduating from Kennesaw State University, where she received a degree in Information Systems, Elise pursued a career in the IT field as an Automation Engineer.  Most recently, she held the position of Test Automation Engineer at Macy’s.

 

Elise is passionate about helping children and women to realize their highest potential by providing them with the resources necessary to achieve their goals.  She has always believed that education is the path to a better life.  Especially in her native Congo, she is passionate about the potential that education holds to improve the economy and living conditions. 

 

In 2017, Elise was searching for an organization to work with to be able to share some of the knowledge and resources she had gained with women living in DRC.  She particularly hoped to be able to connect women with more opportunities to work with technology.  Knowing that many women in DRC were treated as their husband’s “objects” - for example, with the obligation to give all their money to their husbands - she was also passionate about helping more Congolese women to know their rights, and to find their own voices.

 

Elise connected with Neema online in early 2018, and was inspired by Neema’s personal story of overcoming adversity and persevering in her goals.  Hero Women Rising’s commitment to the development of women and children in the Congo captured her heart.  Elise became a committed supporter of the organization, and joined the board in 2019.  She is grateful to lend support to fulfill the organization’s mission, and looks forward to traveling to eastern Congo with her family and Neema.