About us
reFocus Afrika is a Pan-Afrikan organization with a vision to identify, develop and maximize potentials on the continent by connecting opportunities to resources. We aim to support global initiatives by implementing transformative projects and programs focusing on agriculture, clean water, energy, housing, education, sports, training, and business development.
Dr. Mabel Phifer
Chairperson, reFocus Afrika Group | Chairperson, reFocus Afrika Academy
Dr. Mabel Phifer brings an extraordinary 63 years of expertise in higher education leadership, institutional advancement, strategic planning, distance education, telecommunications, online learning, and accreditation. She currently holds three senior leadership positions: Chairperson, reFocus Afrika Group, Chairman, Board of reFocus Afrika Academy and Founder & CEO, Center for Leadership, Development & Research (CLDR), Inc. — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1987 to deliver transformative technical assistance and consulting services to HBCUs, universities, national organizations, corporations, and federal agencies.
Dr. Phifer founded and launched the Black College Satellite Network (BCSN) in 1982—the first African American satellite network in the U.S.—and the Central Educational Telecommunications Network, extending access to over 5,000 local education agencies and hundreds of higher education institutions. She also Designed and provided crucial infrastructure, training, and distance learning programs for institutions ranging from K-12 schools to universities, state and federal agencies, NGOs, and international partners, including the CDC’s Public Health Training Network.
Dr. Phifer served as a Peer Reviewer for the NTIA for 20 years and acted as a U.S. Department of State consultant to RASCOM, guiding 54 African nations in developing satellite communication capabilities. In 2001, coordinated the NASA Engineers Training Program for Management Technology Associates, Inc., based in Alabama, and served as a NASA Peer Reviewer for 25 years.
She held the presidency of the Robert R. Moton Institute beginning in 1981, following her tenure as Vice President for Planning, Management & Institutional Advancement at Tuskegee Institute. In this role, she led workshops on university advancement, long-range planning, and MIS for higher education leaders. Dr. Phifer also chaired the ACE National Commission on Women in Higher Education, advocating for and securing growth in the number of women presidents at major U.S. institutions.
She founded the International Telecommunications Services, Inc., providing consulting, telecommunications infrastructure design, videoconferencing, distance learning, and telemedicine services to African telecommunication ministries, the UNDP, and other NGOs.
Dr. Mabel Phifer is a visionary in deploying technology to expand educational access and capacity — a leader whose lifetime of work spans programming, strategic institutional advancement, and global partnerships. Her leadership continues to shape reFocus Afrika’s mission of unlocking African potential through innovation, learning, and connectivity.