Russell C. Ayers

The Director of SAIA, Inc. and editor of its web site is Russell C. Ayers. Mr. Ayers has long been interested

in information management for Sub-Saharan Africa. For several years he worked with others in Washington and Harare and with SAPES Trust in Zimbabwe to create an  information management program for the SADC countries and the Region. He has served in leadership roles with the Friends of Zimbabwe/USA, on the  Steering Committee of the Southern African Educational Campaign, the Southern Africa Drought Task Force and The Episcopal  Committee for Southern Africa. You have an option to continue writing dissertation conclusion on the topic you wish to analyze.

Presently, Mr. Ayers’ Africa involvement, in addition to the SAIA Web site design and maintenance, is largely
through the Episcopal  (Anglican) Church. He is the North American representative for the Bernard Mizeki Chapel
Expansion Program at the University of Zimbabwe; and also for Bishop Gaul College (the National Theological College of Zimbabwe) in Harare.  He represents St. Alban’s  Parish, Washington, DC on the Diocesan Companions for World Mission. He assists the Librarian at the Bishop Payne Library of the  Virginia Theological Seminary with the Africa Collection.  Recently he became a member of the Steering Committee of the Episcopal Council for Global Mission. Mr. Ayers is an Episcopal priest.

He holds memberships in the Association of Concerned Africa Scholars; the American Society for Information
Science; and the Africa Studies Association. He has traveled widely in Africa, and has visited Zimbabwe annually since 1985. In December 97 and January 98 he was in Togo, Ghana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. In the latter two countries he met with information specialists, researchers and parliamentarians.

Other SAIA team members: Ray Copson, Masimba Tafirenyika, Imad Samad and Karla Yoder.