Meet The Board
Andrew will always be grateful to the people of Madagascar for welcoming him into their lives. Volunteering with Boky Mamiko from 2022 to 2025 convinced him of the value and effectiveness of small-scale, long-term commitments to developing individuals and schools as a means of growing their communities and promoting self-reliance.
Andrew visits students and partners in Madagascar at least twice a year, monitoring progress, interviewing prospective scholarship students, and co-leading workshops for students and teachers.
Andrew has served as the Chief Academic Officer of Franklin University Switzerland (Lugano), the American University of Afghanistan (Kabul, Afghanistan), and the Asian University for Women (Chittagong, Bangladesh). His degrees are from the University of Bath (UK), the University of Washington (Seattle, USA), and Williams College (Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA).
Andrew Starcher
President and Chair
Maura Feenan
Director & Secretary
Throughout her career, Maura has built a reputation for bringing clarity, compassion, and purpose to every organization she serves. With comprehensive experience in executive leadership roles, she has led teams, managed complex initiatives, and supported mission-driven work across multiple sectors.
Her background spans business ownership, corporate training, freelance writing and documentation, public speaking, and event planning, all of which have strengthened her ability to communicate effectively and mobilize support for meaningful causes.
Maura has also contributed her expertise to several nonprofit boards, deepening her commitment to community impact and organizational excellence.
Her dedication to the people of rural Madagascar began in 2023 and has deepened as she has witnessed both the challenges and the extraordinary resilience of these communities. Today, she is passionately committed to advancing Friends of Boky Mamiko's mission.
Amanda brings extensive nonprofit experience and seasoned senior management expertise to her role as Treasurer of Friends of Boky Mamiko. With close family ties to Africa and as a mother of four school-aged children, she feels a deep personal connection to Friends of Boky Mamiko's mission and to its partner schools and organizations.
As Treasurer, Amanda oversees all financial records and reporting, ensuring the organization’s funds are managed with transparency, accuracy, and care. Amanda recently earned a Master’s degree in Human Resources and stays current on best practices and innovative approaches that help Friends of Boky Mamiko remain compliant, efficient, and forward-looking. Her strong command of US professional standards, along with her collaborative leadership and communication skills, makes her an especially valued member of our international board.
Amanda Starcher
Director & Treasurer
Bridget Bilger
Director
A central belief of Bridget’s is that children’s futures should not be constrained by the circumstances they were born into, and that locally rooted, dignified education is one of the most powerful tools for lasting change.
Bridget volunteered with Boky Mamiko for four years. As a student at Franklin University Switzerland (Lugano), she founded and served as President of Naman’ny Boky Mamiko, a student organization dedicated to supporting Boky Mamiko. Bridget also completed two internships with Boky Mamiko and authored the children’s book Caroline et Leon, which was published by Boky Mamiko and is used in Malagasy schools.
Bridget is currently pursuing an M.S in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies at the London School of Economics (UK), critically examining how development goals can be profoundly human and humbling when viewed through the eyes of those who live within their realities and consequences.
Rossana co-founded the NGO Boky Mamiko (“Books My Love”) in 2018 to advance quality education in rural Madagascar.
Rossana is a macroeconomist, currently teaching at Franklin University Switzerland (Lugano). She has also collaborated with the International Labour Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, for more than 20 years as a researcher, focusing on poverty and decent work in low-income countries. Previous academic affiliations include the University of London (UK), the University of Zurich (Switzerland), the University of Southern Switzerland (Lugano), and the Catholic University of Milan (Italy). Her Ph.D. is from Birkbeck College, University of London (UK).
Rossana continues to lead Boky Mamiko, which currently supports six schools and serves more than 1,300 students and teachers. She has undertaken over 20 charitable missions to Madagascar and visits the country at least twice each year, sustaining long-term, on-the-ground partnerships that drive meaningful, community-centered impact.
Rossana Galli
Director
Valeria serves as Treasurer for Boky Mamiko in Switzerland and Italy, where the organization is recognized as a charity in both countries. A banking and finance consultant with many years of experience in the publishing industry, she brings strong financial stewardship and cross-sector expertise to the organization. Valeria regularly visits Boky Mamiko projects in Madagascar, maintaining close relationships with local parters and ensuring effective on-the-ground implementation.
In addition to maintaining Boky Mamiko’s financial records, Valeria plays a key role in fundraising, strategic decision-making, and project development. Valeria coordinated the complex partnership between Boky Mamiko, Italian renewable energy leader ERG Italia, and the international shipping line MSC—along with other contributors—to fund, build, and deliver an innovative solar power plant to Maherivaratra, Madagascar. This project now provides reliable electricity to St. Joseph School and the Casa Pasquale girls’ shelter and supports women-led startup enterprises in the village. Valeria graduated from Bocconi University (Milan, Italy).
Valeria Perucca
Director
Skylar is a passionate conservationist committed to environmental sustainability and equitable education. After obtaining a B.S. degree in Environmental Science from Franklin University Switzerland (Lugano), they are currently pursuing an M.S. in Conservation Leadership at Colorado State University (Fort Collins, USA).
During a first trip to Madagascar in 2022, Skylar was deeply inspired by the rich biodiversity and called to action by the unique challenges facing local communities. They returned to Madagascar a second time through internships with Boky Mamiko in 2023 and 2024.
Skylar is a dedicated advocate for developing sustainable education systems in Madagascar, fostering opportunities for students and communities in need. As a board member of Friends of Boky Mamiko, Skylar is driven by a desire to create meaningful connections between communities in the United States and the impactful work being done in Madagascar.
Skylar Tempel
Director