Our Team

Executive Staff

🇺🇬 EmmaLee Quisenberry
Founder and
Uganda Executive Director

EmmaLee Quisenberry is the Founder and Uganda Executive Director of The Gem Foundation. Her journey began with a deep-seated compassion for individuals with special needs, rooted in the impactful relationship she had with her Uncle Mark. This early empathy blossomed into a fervent desire to care for orphans, a calling that led her to Uganda at the age of 13. EmmaLee's connection to Uganda was profound, and at 19 she made the life-changing decision to move there and establish The Gem Foundation.
Alongside her high school sweetheart and husband Josh, they lead The Gem Foundation, dedicating their lives to the mission of caring for the children they affectionately refer to as "Gems." Together, they share their lives with seven remarkable children, finding their greatest joy in living in Uganda and nurturing the lives of those they serve.

🇺🇬 Joshua Quisenberry
Director of Operations

Joshua Quisenberry is the Director of Operations at The Gem Foundation, where he leads efforts to create meaningful change and impact. His journey has been marked by a deep commitment to service and aviation. A private pilot with a passion for missions aviation, Joshua's career has taken him to Uganda, where he has made a profound difference in the lives of many.
Married to his high school sweetheart, Joshua and his wife are devoted parents to seven children, balancing the demands of a large family with their shared mission of caring for orphans. Together, they embody a dedication to both family and service, creating a nurturing environment for their children and those in need.
Joshua’s life and work reflect a commitment to making a difference through compassionate leadership and unwavering support for those less fortunate.

🇺🇸 Amelia Breig
Ministry Development Manager

Amelia serves as the Ministry Development Manager at The Gem Foundation, cultivating partnerships and expanding opportunities to better serve children with special needs in Uganda. With a background in nursing and medical coordination, she brings experience in program development, team training, and donor engagement and is passionate about connecting supporters to the mission while strengthening sustainable systems that help every Gem thrive. Amelia and her husband, Jared, lived in Uganda for over two years, during which they adopted a former Gem child and welcomed a daughter born there. Deeply invested in the ministry’s work, she remains committed to ensuring every Gem is known, valued, and loved.

A woman with long blonde hair smiling outdoors in front of green trees, wearing a blue shirt with white text that reads 'The Gem Foundation'.

🇺🇸 Jennifer Pfleging
U.S. Executive Director

Having first visited The Gem Foundation on a mission team in 2021, Jennifer is pleased to lead the ministry as the U.S. Executive Director, finding new opportunities for the Gem to grow and bring awareness to the most vulnerable in Uganda. As a business and donor relations professional, she brings decades of experience in finance, consulting, project management, and client relations. Jennifer makes her home in Maine with her husband, Jim. They have eight children from adults down to elementary age. Jennifer travels to Uganda frequently to lead teams to the Gem Village and to visit the staff and Gems she loves so dearly.

USA Board Members 🇺🇸

A man with glasses wearing a black blazer and light blue shirt outdoors, standing in front of a tree in a park.

Dwight Saunders
Board Member

Dwight, the director of the US side of The Gem Foundation, is a man of diverse experiences. He practiced law for ten years in New York State before dedicating 20 years to pastoral work. In 2011, Dwight made a significant transition, co-founding International Voice of the Orphan and feeding over 2 million meals. His passion for caring for vulnerable and orphaned special-needs children is evident in his every action. One of Dwight's favorite things is visiting the Gem, loving on the Gems, and helping train and equip the Gem team.

Joshua Quisenberry
Board Member

Joshua Quisenberry is the Director of Operations at The Gem Foundation, where he leads efforts to create meaningful change and impact. His journey has been marked by a deep commitment to service and aviation. A private pilot with a passion for missions aviation, Joshua's career has taken him to Uganda, where he has made a profound difference in the lives of many.
Married to his high school sweetheart, Joshua and his wife are devoted parents to seven children, balancing the demands of a large family with their shared mission of caring for orphans. Together, they embody a dedication to both family and service, creating a nurturing environment for their children and those in need.
Joshua’s life and work reflect a commitment to making a difference through compassionate leadership and unwavering support for those less fortunate.

EmmaLee Quisenberry
Board Member

EmmaLee Quisenberry is the Founder and Uganda Executive Director of The Gem Foundation. Her journey began with a deep-seated compassion for individuals with special needs, rooted in the impactful relationship she had with her Uncle Mark. This early empathy blossomed into a fervent desire to care for orphans, a calling that led her to Uganda at the age of 13. EmmaLee's connection to Uganda was profound, and at 19, she made the life-changing decision to move there and establish The Gem Foundation.
Alongside her high school sweetheart and husband Josh, they lead The Gem Foundation in Uganda, dedicating their lives to the mission of caring for the children they affectionately refer to as "Gems." Together, they share their lives with seven remarkable children, finding their greatest joy in living in Uganda and nurturing the lives of those they serve.

A man in a pilot uniform taking a selfie outdoors, with parked cars, trees, and a clear blue sky in the background.

Jerrod Rogers
Board Member

Jerrod Rogers lives in the San Antonio area. He is a husband of 25 years and father of 4 boys. Jerrod is captain for a major US airline, and head coach of the Gloria Deo Academy Cross Country Team. Jerrod has served on the mission board at his church and served four years as board chair at Gloria Deo Academy. Jerrod became familiar with The Gem Foundation when he and his family moved to Uganda in 2018 while his wife worked with Pepperdine University Global Justice Program. Jerrod began bringing his 4 boys to volunteer weekly at The Gem Foundation and it quickly became the highlight to every week. Since moving back to the States, Jerrod has made regular trips back to Uganda and The Gem Foundation.

Steve Quisenberry
Board Member

I came to know the Lord at the age of 13, while attending a summer camp. Immediately, I started getting involved at church and my school’s campus ministry leading worship and teaching.
My wife Lori and I met in high school at our church and have been married for over 48 years. In that time the Lord has blessed us with 12 children, and soon to be 24 grandchildren.
After 40 years of ministry as a pastor in 7 states, we retired and moved to the Pacific Northwest. I’m still active in ministry at our church where I also serve on the Board of Directors and wherever else there is a need. I consider it humbling, and a great honor to serve on the Board.

Gus Bassani
Board Member

Gus Bassani, Pharm. D. currently serves as Chief Executive Officer for PCCA, a Houston-based supplier of pharmaceutical ingredients, as well as formulation and drug information consulting services to pharmacies, healthcare institutions, pharmaceutical industry and outsourcing facilities. He has been with PCCA since 2002. Gus makes his home in Texas with his wife, Beth, and is a great supporter of the work of The Gem Foundation.

Uganda Board Members 🇺🇬

George Sekalala
Board Member TGF Uganda

George W. Ssekalala is one of the original and long-time leaders of African Hearts Community Organisation as the Programs and Public Relations Director. African Hearts is a non-profit organization working with vulnerable children for the past 23 years. He is responsible for planning, marketing, coordinating visiting teams, corporate communication, and overseeing the entire organization's programming to realize its vision and mission. George holds a Bachelors' degree in mass communication and several other certificates working with children and has a vast experience with charity work. He is married and has two beautiful daughters.

A smiling bald man with a goatee, wearing a plaid shirt with a K-WAY pen in the pocket, standing outdoors with trees and a partly cloudy sky in the background.

John Kamanzi
Board Member TGF Uganda

Rev. John Kamanzi, an orphan at 13 after losing his parents to war, became the head of his family and dedicated his life to Jesus at 18. Called to minister to youth, he began his ministry in 1995, focusing on evangelism and later, full-time ministry starting in 2002. Now the National Leader of Hope For New Life Ministries in Kampala, Uganda, John is passionate about restoring childhoods and mentoring orphans. Since 2008, his focus has been on Kinship Projects through Warm Blankets Orphan Care International (now Kinship United). John is married to Pauline, and they have four children: Faith, Douglas, Angel, and Craig.

Joshua Quisenberry
Board Member TGF Uganda

Joshua Quisenberry is the Director of Operations at The Gem Foundation, where he leads efforts to create meaningful change and impact. His journey has been marked by a deep commitment to service and aviation. A private pilot with a passion for missions aviation, Joshua's career has taken him to Uganda, where he has made a profound difference in the lives of many.
Married to his high school sweetheart, Joshua and his wife are devoted parents to seven children, balancing the demands of a large family with their shared mission of caring for orphans. Together, they embody a dedication to both family and service, creating a nurturing environment for their children and those in need.
Joshua’s life and work reflect a commitment to making a difference through compassionate leadership and unwavering support for those less fortunate.

EmmaLee Quisenberry
Board Member TGF Uganda

EmmaLee Quisenberry is the Founder and Uganda Executive Director of The Gem Foundation. Her journey began with a deep-seated compassion for individuals with special needs, rooted in the impactful relationship she had with her Uncle Mark. This early empathy blossomed into a fervent desire to care for orphans, a calling that led her to Uganda at the age of 13. EmmaLee's connection to Uganda was profound, and at 19, she made the life-changing decision to move there and establish The Gem Foundation.
Alongside her high school sweetheart and husband Josh, EmmaLee together they lead The Gem Foundation, dedicating their lives to the mission of caring for the children they affectionately refer to as "gems." Together, they share their lives with seven remarkable children, finding their greatest joy in living in Uganda and nurturing the lives of those they serve.