meet the faces behind project rudisha
Dawn Murai
PROJECT RUDISHA FOUNDER
Dawn's love for the outdoors was shaped by her childhood, spent camping, hiking, and fishing with her family. Her most cherished memories are of sunny days with cousins on the beaches of Maui, where her parents were born and raised.
A transformative journey to climb Mount Kilimanjaro gave her renewed energy for creating meaningful change that is possible when you are willing to help others. This experience led to the founding of Project Rudisha—meaning “give back” in Swahili—a nonprofit dedicated to providing educational opportunities for guides and porters in Tanzania.
Over the years, she has contributed her expertise and leadership by serving on various boards, including Schoolhouse Supplies, SunGarden Montessori, and Community Youth Services (CYS). Currently, she is a Senior Director on the Creative Cloud Product Marketing team at Adobe.
In her free time, Dawn enjoys hiking, running, and exploring the outdoors with her two Bernedoodles, Kauai and Klay. She also finds joy in spending time in the kitchen, trying new recipes and cooking for friends and family.
Jenni tan
SECRETARY
Jenni is deeply committed to empowering guides and porters in Tanzania, enabling them to enhance their own lives and positively impact those around them.
She served on the West Linn City Council for six years and has been a board member for several non-profit organizations, including Clackamas Women’s Services, Women’s Foundation of Oregon, Willamette Falls & Landings Heritage Area Coalition, and West Linn Library Foundation.
Jenni previously worked as a CPA at Arthur Andersen, where she specialized in auditing financial statements. Her professional experience also includes roles in financial accounting at Exelon Corporation, The Boeing Company, and Solo Cup Company.
In her free time, Jenni enjoys rock climbing, hiking, skiing, and swimming.
DARDEE LAYNE
TREASURER
Dardee understands the power of education as a means to elevate an individual's status, broaden their horizons, and share this enrichment with their family and community.
With a background in education and zeal for the outdoors, Dardee is anxious to blend her passions for both through the progressive work of Project Rudisha.
FERHaT HOKE
BOARD MEMBER
Ferhat is a passionate advocate for uplifting the guides and porters in Tanzania by providing them with better access to vocational training and essential resources.
Currently, Ferhat holds the position of Programmer Analyst Lead at Progressive Insurance, and with 29 years of experience in data management and coding, he brings valuable expertise to his role on the board.
Ferhat also has a strong background in leadership, having spent eight years as a Boy Scout troop leader in the Cleveland area. During this time, he created a safe and inspiring environment for young scouts to thrive, encouraging them to become active in their communities while fostering a connection to the outdoors.
In his free time, Ferhat enjoys spending time outdoors, mountain climbing/hiking and traveling.
George Gasper Mollel
MOUNTAIN GUIDE REPRESENTATIVE
George was born and raised in the Sekei region of Arusha, Tanzania. His journey to becoming a Kilimanjaro guide began after he finished secondary school. Like many, college wasn’t financially feasible, so with the help of one of his father’s friends, he started working as a porter on Kilimanjaro to earn an income.
He completed his mountain guide course work and has been a guide and porter for five years. Working as a guide has helped him provide for his family and he enjoys meeting new friends on the mountain.
Project Rudisha helped George in 2024 to begin school to become a safari guide and he hopes to complete his studies in late 2025.
HAILEY JENSEN
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
With a foundation in digital marketing, social media strategy, and brand-building, Hailey is excited to be the driving force of spreading awareness for such an impactful organization.