Maurice Carney is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Friends of the Congo. He is an independent entrepreneur and human rights activist who has fought with Congolese for over a decade to bring about positive change in the heart of Africa. Maurice has degrees in French Education and Geography. He also holds a Masters Degree in Geography and is pursuing a Ph.D. in political science with a focus on Africa and Black Politics. He has worked as a research analyst at the nation's leading Black think tank the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. While at the Joint Center, Mr. Carney worked with civic associations in West Africa providing training on Research Methodology and Survey. He served as the Africa working group coordinator for Reverend Jesse Jackson while he was Special Envoy to Africa for President Clinton. Mr. Carney also worked as a research consultant to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation addressing issues such as the politico-economic condition of African American communities.