Justin Hubbard’s journey with Congo Initiative began in 2007, when he was invited to help launch UCBC in Beni, DR Congo. What started as a one-year commitment quickly extended to two, then three, as he became increasingly passionate about the mission and witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of CI’s work. In 2010, Justin returned to the United States to pursue a Master of Divinity at Duke University, along with a certificate in International Development Policy from the Sanford School of Public Policy. During his studies, he explored theological and ethical questions related to race, identity formation, and the broader challenges within the international development landscape.
He remained committed to the important role that education and non-profit organizations play in empowering individuals and supporting community development. After working with World View at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (a public service program that offers professional development in global education for K-12 and community college educators) Justin was invited to join Congo Initiative USA in 2016 to help improve its communications and development.
After serving a year and half as interim Executive Director, Justin was appointed as permanently in January 2022. Justin is dedicated to ensuring the sustainability and scalability of CI and UCBC, believing it serves as a beacon of hope and leader in developing changemakers to ignite systemic change in Congo.
Justin has 18 years of experience working with public service and non-profit organizations, 12 of which are with Congo Initiative. He currently lives in Mountain View, CA, with his wife, Thaniyyah, and their two sons.
