President and
Co-founder

Masai Ujiri is the first and only African President, Vice-Chairman and General Manager of a professional sports franchise in North America – the National Basketball Association’s Toronto Raptors. In 2019, Masai led the Raptors to their first-ever NBA Championship and the first NBA Championship won by a team outside the United States in NBA history.

Born and raised in Nigeria, with a deep passion for basketball, Masai began to pursue a career as an executive when his professional basketball career came to an early end. In 2003, Masai co-founded the Giants of Africa (GOA) organization with longtime friend and professional basketball scout Godwin Owinje, based on the idea of using basketball as a means of enriching the lives of African youth – both boys and girls. Originally established in Nigeria, GOA eventually expanded into Kenya and since 2015 GOA has created camps and programs across the African continent, including in Ghana, Rwanda, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Botswana, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Benin and Somalia. In addition, GOA has built courts throughout Africa and conducted outreach programs for communities in need, including two of the largest United Nations refugee camps in the world in Dadaab and Kakuma.

With a strong sense of purpose and commitment to the continent, Masai is driven to ensure that Giants of Africa has a lasting impact on the lives of African youth for years to come.

Leadership Team

Board of Directors

Masai Ujiri

Masai Ujiri

GOA Co-Founder / Vice-Chairman and President, Toronto Raptors
Dennis Ogbe

Dennis Ogbe

Senior Global Well-being Specialist
Shannon Hosford

Shannon Hosford

Chief Marketing Officer, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment
Ralph Lean

Ralph Lean

Lawyer, Lean Global Advisors
Ramatu Ujiri

Ramatu Ujiri

Creative Advisor

Coaches

Brittni Donaldson

Brittni Donaldson

GOA Coach
Eric Khoury

Eric Khoury

GOA Coach / Raptors 905 Coach
Godwin Owinje

Godwin Owinje

GOA Co-Founder, Brooklyn Nets Scout
Arsalan Jamil

Arsalan Jamil

GOA Coach / Raptors 905 Coach
Patrick Mutombo

Patrick Mutombo

GOA Coach / Raptors 905 Coach
Abel Nson

Abel Nson

GOA Coach & Project Coordinator, Southern and Eastern Africa
Mike Akuboh

Mike Akuboh

GOA Coach & Project Coordinator, Western and Northern Africa
Patrick Engelbrecht

Patrick Engelbrecht

GOA Coach / Toronto Raptors Scout
Joe Touomou

Joe Touomou

GOA Coach, West Africa
Sarah Chan

Sarah Chan

GOA Coach & Basketball Development Associate / Manager, Africa Scouting, Toronto Raptors

GOA Team

Fred Odhiambo

Fred Odhiambo

Operations Manager, Africa
Jeff Landicho

Jeff Landicho

Director of Content
Anwar Mustafa

Anwar Mustafa

Creative Director
Josiah Rothenberg

Josiah Rothenberg

VP, Development & Production
Jacqueline Jordan

Jacqueline Jordan

Senior Director, Finance and Operations
Kimberley Gadwah

Kimberley Gadwah

Director, Philanthropy
Jessica Ciamarra

Jessica Ciamarra

Event Manager
Mélanie Danna

Mélanie Danna

Senior Director, Strategy & Operations
Yahya Sidow

Yahya Sidow

Manager, Global Partnerships
Sharon Allela

Sharon Allela

Manager, Partnerships and Media, Africa
Tamara Kamaka

Tamara Kamaka

Communications Director