Our Team

Jacob Manyang is the Founder and Executive Director of Education Refuge Inc. In 1987, Jacob was born in modern day South Sudan amid the Second Sudanese Civil War. Finding himself both an orphan and refugee at the age of 6, Jacob traveled on foot to Dimma Refugee Camp in Ethiopia where he spent 8 years of his life. In 2006, Jacob sought refuge in the United States and began his formal education and start to a new life. In 2015, Jacob received his Bachelor of Science in Agronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Jacob continues to use his education and resources to serve others back home uprooted and devastated by the ongoing regional conflicts. 

"Through my experiences and struggles as a former refugee, I still feel the effects and the pain that people displaced by war go through. I believe if I were not brought to the U.S by generous people, I would still be struggling in the refugee camp now like others who have been there for more than two decades. I believe refugees desire educational opportunities combined with the possibility of peace to go back to their own countries and rebuild their lives once again."

Anna Spethman is the Director of Operations of Education Refuge Inc. Anna met Jacob during her undergraduate studies and was inspired by his story and selfless mission to support the displaced through philanthropy, storytelling, and advocacy. Anna has worked extensively with refugees and asylum-seekers in various capacities, both in NE and abroad. In 2020, Anna received her Master’s in Humanitarianism and Conflict Response from the University of Manchester. Currently, Anna works in project management at a research institute where she provides operational and technical support for international development projects focused on global food security.

Leadership