Our Leadership
Located both in Uganda and the United States, members of our dedicated team bring a wide range of experience to their work at The Greater Contribution. Read more about our team by clicking on the images below.
Karon Wright
President, co-Founder and Executive Director
Karon Wright is the President, co-Founder and Executive Director of The Greater Contribution. She is a passionate advocate for the poor and a frequent speaker about the fight against poverty. In 2006, Karon and her co-founders were motivated by recognition of the abundance of their own lives and a desire to make a greater contribution – to give back and make a difference in the lives of those who are so much less fortunate. They formed The Greater Contribution. Since 2006, under Karon’s leadership, during the last 11 years, The Greater Contribution has provided over 18,000 micro loans to women living in abject poverty, allowing them to start small businesses and begin to work their way out of poverty.
Karon was given national recognition with a “Vibrant Giver Award” for her dedication to poverty relief worldwide. She was one of the featured speakers at the TED conference in Thousand Oaks in 2010 and was named A 2016 Peace Hero as part of a nation-wide celebration commemorating the 15th anniversary of 9/11 and honoring those in local communities working toward peace. She has been nominated for a CNN Hero Award in both 2017 and 2019. She travels to Africa every six months to monitor the TGC loan program there.
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Karon Wright
President, co-Founder and Executive Director of The Greater Contribution.
Karon Wright
President, co-Founder and Executive Director
Karon Wright is the President, co-Founder and Executive Director of The Greater Contribution. She is a passionate advocate for the poor and a frequent speaker about the fight against poverty. In 2006, Karon and her co-founders were motivated by recognition of the abundance of their own lives and a desire to make a greater contribution – to give back and make a difference in the lives of those who are so much less fortunate. They formed The Greater Contribution. Since 2006, under Karon’s leadership, during the last 15 years, The Greater Contribution has provided over 20,000 micro loans to women living in abject poverty, allowing them to start small businesses and begin to work their way out of poverty.
Karon was given national recognition with a “Vibrant Giver Award” for her dedication to poverty relief worldwide. She was one of the featured speakers at the TED conference in Thousand Oaks in 2010 and was named A 2016 Peace Hero as part of a nation-wide celebration commemorating the 15th anniversary of 9/11 and honoring those in local communities working toward peace. She has been nominated for a CNN Hero Award in both 2017 and 2019. She travels to Africa every six months to monitor the TGC loan program there.
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Toffister Aloyo
Program Manager, Uganda
Toffister Aloyo is an enthusiastic young lady who joined The Greater Contribution (TGC) in 2016 as the Program Manager in Uganda.
She left a lucrative job in the capital city to pursue her life time dream to help mothers and girls in families experiencing abject poverty, to give them hope that one needs just a little push and it is upon them to work hard to work their way out of poverty with dignity.
Toffister grew up in a remote poverty-stricken part of Uganda. She was raised by a poor mother who worked hard to ensure all her children, daughters, obtained a formal education. A dream she realized and one that inspired Toffister.
Toffister has a bachelor’s degree in Business administration and a diploma in Business administration.
Toffister is proud to be at the forefront of helping these very poor families fight hard to walk out of poverty with dignity. She recognizes that it is a true source of inspiration to these mothers showing them that it is possible, with hope and determination, one can work hard out of poverty.
Toffister’s passion to work with TGC is beyond a salaried job. She is happy to work through TGC to make a tremendously successful impact in alleviating poverty in families through loans to finance businesses, girl’s retention in school programs and advocating for women’s equal treatment in the community.
She reports: “I am so honored that in working with TGC I am realizing my dream to give back to the world by one helping one to make the world a better place for every one of us.”
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Toffister
Aloyo
Program Manager,
Uganda
Toffister Aloyo
Program Manager
Toffister Aloyo is an enthusiastic young lady who joined The Greater Contribution (TGC) in 2016 as the Program Manager in Uganda.
She left a lucrative job in the capital city to pursue her life time dream to help mothers and girls in families experiencing abject poverty, to give them hope that one needs just a little push and it is upon them to work hard to work their way out of poverty with dignity.
Toffister grew up in a remote poverty-stricken part of Uganda. She was raised by a poor mother who worked hard to ensure all her children, daughters, obtained a formal education. A dream she realized and one that inspired Toffister.
Toffister has a bachelor’s degree in Business administration and a diploma in Business administration.
Toffister is proud to be at the forefront of helping these very poor families fight hard to walk out of poverty with dignity. She recognizes that it is a true source of inspiration to these mothers showing them that it is possible, with hope and determination, one can work hard out of poverty.
Toffister’s passion to work with TGC is beyond a salaried job. She is happy to work through TGC to make a tremendously successful impact in alleviating poverty in families through loans to finance businesses, girl’s retention in school programs and advocating for women’s equal treatment in the community.
She reports: “I am so honored that in working with TGC I am realizing my dream to give back to the world by one helping one to make the world a better place for every one of us.”
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Cathy Cole
Board Member
A native of New York, Cathy completed her undergraduate degree in Biology at Rutgers University, Nurse Practitioner training in Women’s Health from Harbor-UCLA and her Master’s degree from CSU, Northridge in Community Health Education. Cathy currently works at the Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks California as a program coordinator and is involved in program development for the hospital’s accredited breast program. Her academic interests include early detection strategies in breast cancer and community health outreach to disparate groups of women. She appears in Who’s Who in American Nursing. Cathy also has a strong commitment to human dignity and has spent her career in meeting the challenges of the underserved in her community. She has been involved in many nonprofit organizations with noble missions and believes strongly in The Greater Contribution.
She has been honored with The Frist Humanitarian Award from the HCA Corporation; and the Lane Adams Quality of Life Award from the American Cancer Society. This year she will receive the Excellence Award from the Cancer Support Community.
Cathy lives in Thousand Oaks, California with her husband Larry and their dog Symon.
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Cathy
Cole
Board Member,
USA
Cathy Cole
Board Member
A native of New York, Cathy completed her undergraduate degree in Biology at Rutgers University, Nurse Practitioner training in Women’s Health from Harbor-UCLA and her Master’s degree from CSU, Northridge in Community Health Education. Cathy currently works at the Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks California as a program coordinator and is involved in program development for the hospital’s accredited breast program. Her academic interests include early detection strategies in breast cancer and community health outreach to disparate groups of women. She appears in Who’s Who in American Nursing. Cathy also has a strong commitment to human dignity and has spent her career in meeting the challenges of the underserved in her community. She has been involved in many nonprofit organizations with noble missions and believes strongly in The Greater Contribution.
She has been honored with The Frist Humanitarian Award from the HCA Corporation; and the Lane Adams Quality of Life Award from the American Cancer Society. This year she will receive the Excellence Award from the Cancer Support Community.
Cathy lives in Thousand Oaks, California with her husband Larry and their dog Symon.
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Scott Gibb
Board Member
Scott and his wife Marilyn have lived in Thousand Oaks for 13 years. Scott is retired from his most recent career as a Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor. He also had careers in the Telecommunications and Broadcasting industries.
Scott has always been involved in his community; from his time in Virginia with the Salvation Army, Jaycees, United Way and Chamber of Commerce. Most recently he served as a Board member of the Westlake Center for Spiritual Living and now The Greater Contribution.
“I have rarely seen a charity as effective and impactful as The Greater Contribution,” Scott exclaimed. “The dedication and devotion to this noble cause shown by Karon and her supporters is inspiring and I had to be a part of it.”
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Scott
Gibb
Board Member,
USA
Scott Gibb
Board Member
Scott and his wife Marilyn have lived in Thousand Oaks for 13 years. Scott is retired from his most recent career as a Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor. He also had careers in the Telecommunications and Broadcasting industries.
Scott has always been involved in his community; from his time in Virginia with the Salvation Army, Jaycees, United Way and Chamber of Commerce. Most recently he served as a Board member of the Westlake Center for Spiritual Living and now The Greater Contribution.
“I have rarely seen a charity as effective and impactful as The Greater Contribution,” Scott exclaimed. “The dedication and devotion to this noble cause shown by Karon and her supporters is inspiring and I had to be a part of it.”
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Rebecca Harrington
Administrative Coordinator
Rebecca has over 15 years of experience in administration and office management of all kinds. Her previous work includes management, bookkeeping, and self-employment.
Both in her personal and professional life, Rebecca believes passionately in supporting others to help them change the trajectory of their lives. The ability to help support the work of The Greater Contribution and the micro-loan program is a gift.
Rebecca is a wife to one and a mom to 3 children and resides in Texas.
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Rebecca
Harrington
Administrative Coordinator,
USA
Rebecca
Harrington
Administrative Coordinator
Rebecca has over 15 years of experience in administration and office management of all kinds. Her previous work includes management, bookkeeping, and self-employment.
Both in her personal and professional life, Rebecca believes passionately in supporting others to help them change the trajectory of their lives. The ability to help support the work of The Greater Contribution and the micro-loan program is a gift.
Rebecca is a wife to one and a mom to 3 children and resides in Texas.
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Laura Mackenzie
Web Designer
Laura serves as web designer, keeping our website updated and running smoothly. She works as a software engineer at Microsoft, and her background in web development and online content production spans 14 years. She has volunteered extensively in her own community in various positions, including maintaining the website for her local PTSA as VP of Communications.
Laura has always had a strong desire to expand her reach beyond her own community and is passionate about helping women lift themselves and their families out of poverty. When she noticed that The Greater Contribution needed a web designer, she knew she had found her opportunity.
Laura grew up in northern Canada, but now lives with her husband and two children in Seattle. She enjoys spending time traveling with her family whenever she has the chance.
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Laura
Mackenzie
Web Designer,
USA
Laura Mackenzie
Web Designer
Laura serves as web designer, keeping our website updated and running smoothly. She works as a software engineer at Microsoft, and her background in web development and online content production spans 14 years. She has volunteered extensively in her own community in various positions, including maintaining the website for her local PTSA as VP of Communications.
Laura has always had a strong desire to expand her reach beyond her own community and is passionate about helping women lift themselves and their families out of poverty. When she noticed that The Greater Contribution needed a web designer, she knew she had found her opportunity.
Laura grew up in northern Canada, but now lives with her husband and two children in Seattle. She enjoys spending time traveling with her family whenever she has the chance.
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”Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world…Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead
