Our Team
Michael Hobbs
Michael, a former professional rugby player from New Zealand, founded the Blessed Hope Project in 2016 after spending 5-weeks volunteering in Kenya. After honing his vision for the project while studying for his MBA at Stanford University, Michael oversees all of the operations and fundraising. Michael and his wife, Aly, are based Orange County, CA with their four children.
Elsa Atieno
Elsa started the original Blessed Hope school in 2012 and is the school's principal. She has an unrivaled amount of love and compassion for the children at our school and is an integral part of the Blessed Hope Project. Elsa and her husband, Shem, live just outside of Kibera and she is a proud member of the wider Kibera community.
Kenny Vaccaro
Kenny is a former first round draft pick and Safety in the NFL playing for both the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints over an 8-year period. After traveling to Kenya with Michael in 2018, Kenny joined the team and has used his platform to raise money for the Blessed Hope Project. Kenny and his wife, Kahli, are based in Austin, TX with their four children.