Steve Solbrack joins board, takes on treasurer role

When and why did you join the Mwendo Congo board of directors?  What other roles have you had?

I joined the Mwendo Congo board of directors in November 2025 and was elected treasurer.  I visited our partners and the communities they serve in the DRC in August 2015 and again in 2022.  I was active with the health working group during the years we were in partnership with Idjwi Initiative.  I accepted an invitation to join the board of directors because of my appreciation for the staff and leadership of our partner, Let Africa Live, and the courageous and impactful work they do with youth and young adults in the eastern Congo.

Tell us about your education and work background that connect to the work we support in the Dem. Republic of Congo (DRC).

I have a B.A. in accounting and computer science from Gustavus Adolphus College.  I worked for five years as a CPA, followed by a thirty-year career as a business executive and business owner with several technology companies.  I am retired and live in Golden Valley, Minnesota.  I believe my many years of work experience in finance, planning, and project implementation will be an asset for the work as Mwendo Congo’s treasurer.

Are you involved in other service work?

Over the past 20 years I have held significant leadership roles at Grace University Lutheran Church, The Nature Conservancy, and Rotary.  I have made nine international trips for Rotary international service projects, including leading three trips to Western Honduras for a Rotary Global Grant project to bring safe water, sanitation and hygiene education to sixteen rural communities.

What else do you do in your life for enjoyment?

I enjoy international and domestic travel, time with friends and family, hiking, other outdoor activities, pheasant hunting, and golf.  I care deeply about the environment and continue to learn and take deliberate actions toward leading a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle.