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Meet Our Staff

The African Center staff is dedicated to fostering a thriving and engaged African community in Dane County. Scroll down to see staff names and contact information.

African Center staff Esther Ama Ptak

Ama S. Ptak

Executive Director

Languages: French, Twi, Fante, and English

E-mail Ama
Ama's Bio
African Center staff Henry Obeng

Henry Obeng

Housing and Operations Coordinator
(608) 957-5623

Languages: Twi and English

E-mail Henry
Henry's Bio
African Center staff Sekati Sanneh

Sekati Sanneh

Community Programs Manager
(608) 294-0066

Languages: Mandinka, Wolof, Fula/Peul, and English

E-mail Sekati
Sekati's Bio
African Center staff Binta Ceesay

Binta Ceesay

Community Engagement & Resource Specialist

Languages: Mandinka, Wolof, English, and French (intermediate)

E-mail Binta
Binta's Bio
African Center staff Laura Green

Laura Green

Grants & Communications Coordinator

Languages: Spanish and English

E-mail Laura
Laura's Bio
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African Center staff Esther Ama Ptak

Esther Ama Safia Ptak (Ama)

Originally from Ghana, Ama holds two Masters degrees, from the University of Cape Coast and UW-Madison. With a background in sociolinguistics, Ama has a lot of experience navigating different socio-cultural contexts and is a strong advocate of language preservation. To her, language, in whatever form, is a capital gain. At the African Center, Ama previously served as the community outreach coordinator, developing programs and implementing community engagement initiatives. As Executive Director, Ama builds strategic partnerships and coordinates with the board and community to ensure the Center is the pivotal resource our community needs. Ama loves spending time with her family, listening to community members, and participating in community events and research.

African Center staff Henry Obeng

Henry Obeng

Henry is a multidisciplinary artist with a Masters degree in Fine Arts from UW-Madison and a Bachelor’s degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. His artwork explores migration, cultural identity, and storytelling through printmaking, book arts, and photography. At the African Center, Henry leads the housing support program, advocates for community members, conducts case management, and coordinates wraparound support services. Through art and community work, Henry is committed to cultural preservation and increasing social impact.

African Center staff Sekati Sanneh

Sekati Sanneh

Sekati is a dedicated professional originally from The Gambia, with a strong academic background in economics and environmental science, holding a masters degree in both fields. He previously served as a Senior Planner for the Gambian government, where he contributed to policy formulation and development planning. Since earning his degree from the University of Illinois Springfield, Sekati has been committed to working with local communities. At the African Center, Sekati actively prospects for funding, ensuring sustainability of our operations and programs. Sekati’s role includes assisting with the development and implementation of our community-focused Bantaba Support Circles.

African Center staff Binta Ceesay

Binta Ceesay

 Binta Ceesay has a wealth of experience in community development. After arriving in Wisconsin from The Gambia and completing her degree at UW Whitewater, she served in various local government and non-profit roles serving youth and immigrants. Most recently, helped develop and coordinate doula programming through Public Health Madison and Dane County to connect pregnant women and women who have recently given birth to quality, culturally informed care. Binta started as a volunteer in 2024, and joined the staff in 2026.

When not at work, Binta enjoys being a mom of two young children doing fun activities like dancing and karaoke with them. She is also an avid reader and a part-time doula, interpreter, and event MC/host, keeping her very busy and involved in her community!

African Center staff Laura Green

Laura Green

 Laura has more than 14 years of experience in fundraising, writing and marketing, community programming, and working with various immigrant populations. A Wisconsin native and an Edgewood College graduate, she has worked in the Madison non-profit scene her whole career.

Throughout her career, she has obtained and managed over $2 million in grant funding and has helped launch nearly 10 new community programs. She has published works in two languages in several local print and online publications. With a background in environmental and communication studies, Laura has also coordinated a community environment program and numerous small land restoration and ecological landscaping initiatives.

When not in the office, Laura loves doing anything outside, from hiking to paddling to walks around Madison.