Linden Fund USA Newsletter - September 2025
- Linden Fund USA
- Sep 29
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 30
LFU Annual General Meeting Thank You
Our 2025 annual general meeting (AGM) was held on September 13. Thank you to those who attended this virtual meeting highlighting our activities of the past year and the challenges and opportunities of the year ahead. At the AGM, we announced the officers who will be leading the organization for the next two years, including the four new Board members highlighted below.
Welcome New Members of the LFU Board: Secretary Kadifa Marshall-Greene
Kadifa serves in the pivotal role of Secretary. She is an entrepreneur and marketing professional who is passionate about community development. Since 2022, she’s been a valuable LFU team member, first serving as a volunteer and then as the Director of Economic Development. In 2023, she successfully coordinated LFU’s first grant-awarded project funded by the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme, which is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme. Kadifa graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from the University of Guyana.
Board Director Cheryl Blair-Kijewski
A founding member of LFU, Cheryl returns to the Board as an engaged and enthusiastic champion of the organization since its inception in 1999. For four decades, she’s worked on behalf of the U.S. government, recently retiring as a Senior Appellate Attorney at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC. Cheryl has been a passionate advocate for inclusion throughout her professional career. As one of the earliest women of color and one of its few Certified Diversity Professionals at Labor, she mentored countless junior attorneys, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. Cheryl earned degrees from Rutgers University and Georgetown Law.
Board Director Ele Cayana
Ele is a global citizen, learning and teaching throughout the western hemisphere, and for the past seven years, at the high school and middle school levels in New York, Florida and Georgetown, Guyana. He’s in the process of pursuing a terminal degree in Higher Education Policy and Governance from Arka Jain University, India. Ele’s decision to remigrate and relocate to Linden is one of personal and professional significance. His passion project to create a CXC CAPE lesson program ties directly into his current Ph.D. studies. Ele is eager to share his passion and skills to assist LFU in its mission to make a difference in the lives of young people in Linden and Region 10.
New Jersey Chapter Chair Richard Seetram
Richard’s association with LFU was inspired by his long-standing friendship with the late Godfrey “Ram” Richmond, who invited him to contribute to the organization’s annual Family Fun Day, where he is fondly recognized as the “grill master.” Although not a native Lindener, Richard acknowledges that the years he spent there profoundly shaped his character and fuel his commitment to service and giving back. Richard received his secondary education at Multilateral Secondary School in Linden and worked at the Ministry of Works before migrating to the U.S. He is a Senior District Manager at CubeSmart with responsibility for 17 facilities.
Farewell to Outgoing Board Members:
Kenneth Fogenay, Board Secretary 2021-2025
Kenneth is a 34-year U.S. Army Veteran whose military service took him to West Germany, Iraq, South Korea, and across the U.S. Midwest. Throughout, he was actively engaged with the LFU and joined the Board as Secretary at a time of transformative growth. Speightland-born, Kenneth attended Mackenzie High School and furthered his experience as a Guymine Constable, District Field Officer for Region 10, and Subject Secretary for Linden Youth Sports and Culture, among other roles. Armed with a degree from the American Military University and proven leadership and organizational skills, he made meaningful contributions to LFU and has pledged to continue supporting our mission in Linden and Region 10. Thank you for your military and LFU service, Kenneth!
Damani Corbin, Board Director 2020-2025 A proud Guyanese, Damani is the son of Linden stalwarts and embraces all of his Linden roots. He is passionate about making a lasting impact, by empowering people and organizations to thrive, and affecting social change through economic initiatives. He brought that particular focus to the LFU Board in 2020, launching our Economic Development Initiative and giving birth to our ongoing agricultural internships & seedling house initiatives. We were delighted to recognize Damani’s forward-thinking contributions at our 25th Anniversary Gala last year. We say a fond farewell and wish him well in his future endeavors. His outstanding contributions to LFU have cemented his legacy as an innovative community development partner. Thank you, Damani!
September is Education Month in Guyana
Education is one of the primary focus areas for Linden Fund USA. We work alongside the Department of Education, Region#10 to help deliver impactful programs for students in the community and welcome news of infrastructure improvements to schools, like the planned new Wismar Christianburg Secondary School. As students return to school this month, we take a moment to salute all students, especially our LFU scholarship awardees – from primary to university levels. We also remember our young volunteers, like NY-based Lauren Meertens, who has faithfully served LFU for the past several years and who headed off to college this month. In her words: “I was introduced to the Linden Fund USA (LFU) organization by my grandmother, Eugenie Alleyne, who is a long-time member. I am currently attending Adelphi University as a Nursing major. I hope to become a Pediatric Nurse. Throughout my life, I’ve learned the importance of being an active member in my community. I like to do my part by volunteering to help others, including events hosted by LFU, We Are GUTSY Inc., and clubs at school. I also enjoy modeling in my spare time and have walked in a few shows within the Guyanese diaspora.” Good luck Lauren and all students! Shoot for the stars! #success #education #givingback
Support LFU’s work in Linden, Region 10 by becoming an annual contributing member. Your annual contribution of $75 plays a vital role in helping LFU sustain and grow its mission and vision. Please support our work by making a generous contribution. After 26 years of service to Linden, Region 10, there is still much to be done and we need your help to do so!
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