Rafiki's Executive Team and Missions Staff welcome you to Rafiki!

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Rosemary Jensen, President and Founder

Rosemary, along with her late husband Dr. Robert Jensen and others, founded The Rafiki Foundation in 1985. At this time Rosemary was also the General Director of Bible Study Fellowship (BSF International), in which capacity she served from 1980-2000. Originally Rafiki was the mission sending arm of BSF, sending missionaries to start BSF classes in developing countries. Starting in 2000 Rafiki began concentrating on caring for orphans and providing education for impoverished children in ten countries in Africa. Rosemary retired as Director of Rafiki in 2012, but continues to serve as President of the Board of Directors and as an advisor in Rafiki’s operations. In 2017 Rosemary founded the Rosemary Jensen Bible Foundation (RJBF) to send study Bibles to African Church Partner pastors, seminary students, Rafiki students, and partner church school students. Rafiki works with the RJBF to ship these Bibles to Africa.

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Karen Elliott, Executive Director

Karen served as a missionary with Rafiki in Nigeria for nine years during the 1990s. In 2002 she came to work at the Home Office and served in a variety of roles. In 2012 Karen was named Executive Director upon the retirement of Rafiki’s Founder and Director, Rosemary Jensen. As Executive Director, Karen is on Rafiki’s Board of Directors, and is responsible for the execution of all Rafiki policies and procedures both at the Home Office and in Africa. Karen oversees all of Rafiki’s missionaries on the field and leads a team from the Home Office to visit each Rafiki Village at least every nine months. Karen represents Rafiki and works with our African Church Partners, supporters in the United States and elsewhere, and often speaks at conferences and other events on behalf of Rafiki.

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Geri Sullivan, Assistant to the Executive Director and Missionary Coordinator

Geri along with her husband Rob served with Rafiki in Nigeria from 2010-2011. Since 2014 she and Rob have been full time employees at the Rafiki Home Office. Geri assists Karen and Rosemary with administrative tasks, as well as coordinating missionary care and travel. As Missionary Coordinator, Geri coordinates events, travel, and accommodations for both short term and career Rafiki missionaries. This includes six mission trainings per year, Rafiki’s annual Enrichment Conference, Home Office Africa trips, career missionary travel, short-term mission trips, and African visitors to the Home Office. Geri communicates with those interested in learning about Rafiki missions opportunities and also coordinates Rafiki representation at conferences, mission fairs, and college career fairs. Geri assists Karen Elliott with care and communication with career missionaries. Geri oversees the Rafiki Area Representatives and receives all emails and phone calls from inquirers.

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Mary Claire Burguet, Assistant to the Missionary Coordinator

Mary Claire began working with Rafiki in 2024. She assists Geri and Karen with administrative and missions tasks such as Rafiki missionary care and travel. This also includes logistics for short-term missionaries and Rafiki Missionary visa and ticketing. She works closely with Geri to prepare for all conferences and events, such as Enrichment and short-term missionary trainings throughout the year. Mary Claire also assists in the finance and communications departments, planning events, and with general projects that pop up around Home Office. She has also recently taken on the role of administrating TREK!