ZAP’s People

In the ZAP Gallery

Theresa BurksTheresa Burks

Joining ZAP as Executive Director in summer of 2010, Theresa is thrilled and honored to continue the work that Dick started and nurtured, along with the support of Heather, ZAP’s Board of Directors and ZAP’s many loyal supporters and customers. Her love of Africa’s people and cultures began with her first visit to the continent in 1985 and grew during her time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Namibia. Before coming to ZAP she earned her Master in Social Work and most recently worked at the World Affairs Council of Oregon for seven years. Currently she serves as co-chair of the Portland Area Global AIDS Coalition and board member of Jubilee Oregon, a non-profit that advocates for the cancellation of debts to alleviate extreme poverty and injustice in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Theresa looks forward to working with the artists and enhancing the knowledge, appreciation and celebration of the people, culture and art of Zimbabwe.

Heather MacKenzieHeather MacKenzie

Heather joined Zimbabwe Artists Project as the Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator in the spring of 2008 after her involvement as a volunteer with ZAP. She graduated in 2002 from Brown University with a degree in Visual Arts, focused on textiles. Since graduating, she has spent significant time studying textiles in South America, in India, and in Ghana, West Africa. In the summer of 2009, she traveled with ZAP to Weya, Zimbabwe and worked for four weeks with a group of newer artists to improve their art. In Portland, Heather is an active volunteer with the Portland Fruit Tree Project and Project Grow. She spends much of her spare time in her studio making things.

Dick Adams with artist Grace DzombaDick Adams

Dick was a professor of sociology at Lewis and Clark College for 24 years. He retired early in 2000 to give his full attention to being Executive Director of Zimbabwe Artists Project, which he founded in 1998 at the request of the Weya artists. After retiring in the summer of 2010, Dick will continue to stay connected to ZAP in a variety of volunteer capacities.

ZAP Board of Directors

Bob HazenBob Hazen

Bob Hazen has been Board Chair of ZAP since it was started. Bob started and directs the Executive Transition Services program for TACS and is a long-time consultant in the nonprofit world. His background includes a degree in international nonprofit management, several entrepreneurial start-ups, and a lot of time working overseas.

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Joy Leising-KelleyJoy Leising-Kelley

Joy was a student at Lewis and Clark College and traveled to Weya in 1999, where she lived with many of the artists and families. Since then she has chose to continue her connection and commitment to the women & families of Weya by serving on the ZAP board. Joy is also the co-owner of The 100th Monkey Studio in Portland.

Mary LindMary Lind

Mary came to know many of the Weya artists in the late ’90s, when she co-led a study-abroad program in Zimbabwe with Dick Adams through Lewis & Clark College. She has been a board member and enthusiast of ZAP since 2003. Mary currently serves as program coordinator for the City of Beaverton’s Dispute Resolution Center. She facilitates dialogue groups among local African people who come from conflict zones, and she teaches global inequalities at Portland State University.

David WestbrookDavid Westbrook

David lived in East Africa in Uganda in the late 1990’s and more recently spent time in Nigeria while working on his master’s degree in Conflict Resolution. He is the owner of Dew Point Productions, Inc. and has been volunteering Website development for ZAP for a number of years. He Joined the ZAP Board in 2010.

ZAP Super Volunteers!

Sigrid Boyer

Sigrid Boyer

Sigrid first became involved with the project in summer of 2007 as a Hands On Greater Portland volunteer while completing her Bachelor of Apparel Design at the Art Institute of Portland. Drawn to ZAP by its social and artistic impact, she is inspired by the artists and their work and hopes to combine art and design with non-profit work in an effort to empower both local and global communities.