Faculty & Staff

Rachel Robinson, Director

M.A. Community Art, Maryland Institute College of Art 2006
B.A. Visual Art, Gordon College 2003

Much of Rachel’s life has been spent in East Africa; she was born and grew up in Kenya and now lives and works in Uganda. While studying for her BA in Visual Arts from Gordon College, she studied abroad on BestSemester's Middle East Studies Program. MESP affirmed a deep belief in the transformative value of cross-cultural living and learning as part of a college education. Rachel earned her masters in Community Art from the Maryland Institute College of Art--a program that incorporates art and the creative process to bring about community development, empowerment and social justice. She then directed community art programs at Baltimore Clayworks, a ceramic arts non-profit organization, before returning to East Africa in 2010 to work with USP as a Program Coordinator, and in 2015 became the Program Director.

Jonathan Tumwebaze, Interim Global Health Coordinator and Christian University Partnerships Manager 

PhD Public Policy A.B.D, University of Pretoria, South Africa 2022
M.A. Research and Public Policy, Uganda Christian University 2017
B.A. Development Studies,
 Uganda Christian University, 2014

Jonathan has a unique passion for cross-disciplinary learning and knowledge systems and has a breadth of experience working with students. As an undergraduate student at UCU in Development Studies, Jonathan was a member of the Honours College, serving as the Chairperson in 2013-2014. He roomed with several USP roommates during those years! He went on to obtain his MA in Research and Public Policy through UCU, while also serving as a Teaching Assistant and later a Lecturer. Jonathan is currently a Ph.D. Carnegie fellow in the School of Public Management and Administration at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He is a passionate cross-disciplinary child-focused policy researcher. Prior to his doctoral studies, Jonathan Coordinated the Institute of Faith Learning and Service at Uganda Christian University. His work involved designing, implementing, and later evaluating faith integration projects for both teaching and non-teaching staff at UCU's main and it's 4 regional campuses. Jonathan enjoys listening and learning alongside his students.

Emily Entsminger, Student Life Coordinator & Faculty

MDiv. Spiritual Formation, Portland Seminary (George Fox University) 2020
B.A. Christian Education, Youth Ministry & Adolescent Studies, Northwestern College, 2009
USP Alumna, Fall 2007

Emily is originally from Eastern Iowa. She earned her undergraduate degree in Christian Education/Youth Ministry from Northwestern College. While earning her bachelor’s degree Emily was a student with Uganda Studies Program (Fall 2007) in the IMME emphasis. She has spent her professional career serving students in a variety of contexts. She started as a congregational youth pastor in Northwest Iowa. Then served young adults with Amagara Bible Institute of Discipleship and Evangelism in Mbarara, Uganda. And most recently served in higher education as the Director of Campus Ministry. Emily earned her Master of Divinity with a specialization in Spiritual Formation from Portland Seminary (George Fox) in 2020. She is passionate about journeying with students and helping them navigate life’s big questions.

Rashida Namirembe, Social Work Coordinator and Faculty 

M.S.W. Washington University 2021
B.S.W. Uganda Christian University 2012

Rashida completed her Bachelors of Social Work and Social Administration from Uganda Christian University in 2012. She went on to complete her MSW from Washington University in 2021, specializing in Children, Youth, and Families. Rashida comes to USP from her work as a Study Coordinator for the M-Suubi Project, working with the International Center for Child Health and Development (ICCHD) in Masaka, Uganda. 

Ronald Ssenyonga, Global Health Faculty

PhD fellow, Health Sciences, University of Oslo 2019-
MSc. Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Makerere University, Uganda 2015
MSc. Statistics, Makerere University, Uganda 2009


Ronald is a research associate and part time lecturer in the department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University (Kampala, Uganda) and Uganda Christian University respectively. He teaches on the Epidemiology and Biostatistics courses and has extensive community-based research experience in designing, managing and analyzing data from randomized trials, longitudinal studies, national and regional surveys. He supervises the PMA-Uganda data management and analysis team on the Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) project that works in 12 countries to collect data at community level and health facilities.

George Ntambi, Global Health Faculty

MSc. Biochemistry, Reva Institute of Science & Management, Bangalore University, India 2015
Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT), Colaco Academy of Paramedical Sciences, Bangalore, India 2015
BSc. Biotechnology Reva Institute of Science & Management, Bangalore University, India 2010

George works as the director of Laboratory Services at Mukono Church of Uganda Hospital and as a part time lecturer for the Uganda Studies Program (USP) Global Health Emphasis. He has extensive laboratory experience pertaining to the fields of clinical pathology and biochemistry, hematology and histopathology. Since 2017 George has been with USP as a part time microbiology lecturer.

Lydia Wankuma, Administrator

M.A. Biblical  Counseling, Westminster Theological Seminary 2011
B.A. Social Work and Social Administration, Uganda Christian University 2006

Upon attaining her BA from Uganda Christian University, She worked as a research assistant with International Potato Centre - a private organization that seeks to reduce poverty and achieve food security. She later joined the staff at Uganda Christian University as a teaching assistant. As part of her MA Program, she interned with Bethany Christian Services in Pennsylvania with the Post Adoptions department. Upon returning to Uganda, she joined the faculty at Uganda Christian University to teach in the Social Work department and the Counseling Program. Lydia loves helping other people reach their dreams and her work with Uganda Studies Program enables her to do that. 

Lisa Tokpa, Social Work Coordinator and Faculty

M.S.W. Washington University 2002
B.A. Psychology, Business Administration, William Jewell College 2000

After studying abroad her last semester of college at Daystar University in Kenya, Lisa pursued her MSW, specializing in children, youth and families. She has since been a caseworker at a Christian child placement agency in Denver, the Director of Aftercare at International Justice Mission, Kenya and the coordinator of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children Program at Samaritan’s Purse, Liberia. Upon returning to the US she worked at The Adoption Exchange as the Director of the Colorado Post-Adoption Resource Center. Lisa now uses her experience in both domestic and international social work within her role as the Social Work Coordinator with the Uganda Studies Program.

Elizabeth Nabukeera, Program Assistant

Law Development Center, 2022
Bachelor of Law, Uganda Christian University, 2019
UCU Honors College 2017-19

Ashabahebwa Kwesiga, Program Assistant

Diploma Certified Accounting, Uganda Christian University, (In Process)
Bachelor of Science, Accounting and Finance, Uganda Christian University, 2019
UCU Honors College 2017-2019

Madison Lowe, Program Assistant

Bachelor of Arts, Social Work, Cornerstone Universtiy, 2022
USP Alumna, Spring 2022

 

John Kabugo, Driver

Cert. Motor Vehicle Tech Part 1, Mukono Vocational Training School 1990
License, Class CM, B, A, DL 1988
Cert. Business Administration and Accounting,
Mukono Vocational Training School 1990

Uganda Studies Program at Uganda Christian University