School Board

The ASOY Board consists of seven voting members, six of whom are elected and one of whom is appointed (the Ambassador’s Representative). (The Board may also include up to four ex-officio, non-voting members). The term of service for elected members is two years; the Ambassador determines the term of the appointed Ambassador’s Representative. Three Board members are elected in odd-numbered years, and three are elected in even-numbered years.

In even numbered years, two of the elected board members must be American citizens employed at the U.S. Embassy, and the other elected board member must be a Cameroonian national. In odd numbered years, two elected board members must be American citizens employed at the U.S. Embassy, and the other must be a non-American citizen.

Please meet our 2019-2020 Board members below:

Carol Backman

Carol Backman is the Human Resources Officer at the U.S. Embassy. She has previously been posted in Malaysia, Belarus, Australia, Turkey, and Washington. She is married and has three children, two of whom are enrolled at ASOY in elementary and preschool.

Austen Nwaochei

Austin Austen Nwaochei is an independent management and technology consultant with over 15 years of industry and consulting experience. Austen has worked and consulted for different Fortune 100 companies such as Chevron, Deloitte Consulting, Cisco Systems, Ross Stores, among others. Austen has an MBA from the University of California, Davis and a B.S in Computer Science from Lincoln University, PA. Austen is married and has two children enrolled at ASOY.

Vernelle T. Fitzpatrick

Vernelle T. Fitzpatrick is the Deputy chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy. She has worked mostly in developing countries in Latin America, Europe, and Africa. Her most recent assignment was as a Deputy Director in the Bureau of African Affairs’ Office of West African Affairs.

She is the Ambassador’s Representative.

Damiano Beltrame

Damiano Damiano Beltrame is Gemalto Cameroon SA Manager for Thales Group (the major international French Company). He is in charge of the IT technical assistance for the Cameroonian Police. He has lived in Cameroon since 2015 and has almost 15 years’ of experience in Africa and the Middle East. He has a doctorate in law and information system from Alma Mater Studiorum of Bologna (Italy). He is joined in Cameroon with his 3 children, all in ASOY.

Gid Bullock

gid Gid Bullock has 20 years’ experience in construction engineering. He works at the US Embassy. Gid is married and has 3 children who attend ASOY.