Culture Kids International

Role with CKI:  Director of Creative Arts, Co-Chair of Education Adventures in Scotland. Elissa is from small town, central Minnesota. She grew up taking dance classes and performing in plays and musicals, as well as being an active member in band and choir. At the beginning of her college journey, she was involved in the International Traveling Classroom where she traveled to nine different European countries. This sparked her desire to travel and work overseas.  Elissa moved to Minneapolis to attend college at North Central University where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Intercultural Studies with an emphasis in Children and Youth in Crisis and a Minor in Biblical Studies. Besides her main coursework, Elissa earned many credits toward a Dance Minor.  While at North Central, Elissa took a trip to Uganda, Africa, with several classmates. She also completed an internship in Macedonia.  After college, Elissa became an AmeriCorps member with Minnesota Opportunity Corps wh

Role with CKI: Director of Administration Loving the kids at Child Restoration Outreach in Mbale, Uganda. Born and raised in rural North Dakota, Kari moved to Minneapolis, MN, after graduating high school to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Studies with an emphasis in Children and Youth in Crisis at North Central University. After falling in love with the city and all of its potential, she added an Urban Studies Supporting Program to her list of studies. During those years, she spent two summers in Uganda, Africa, working with various organizations, one of which was Child Restoration Outreach in Mbale. Kari interned as a Teacher’s Aide for CRO while studying the various strategies and techniques used to minister to street children in a holistic way. She later took this information and developed a case study which she presented as her senior project. This project helped to shape her heart and desire to work with street children in Africa. Play time at CRO