Gaborone Employee Association

U.S. Mission to Botswana

Community, Recreation, and Fellowship for the U.S. Mission Family

About GEA

Community, Recreation, and Fellowship

The Gaborone Employee Association (GEA) serves the U.S. Mission family in Botswana, fostering community connections through recreational facilities, social events, and member services. Since its founding, GEA has provided a welcoming space for diplomats, staff, and their families to build lasting friendships and create memories.

The GEA offers a combined tennis court/basketball court, a thatch-roofed meeting area (the Leobo), and a large children's playground at their plot on Presidents Drive, and a multi-machine gym at their plot on North Ring Road. The court and Leobo are available for reservations, while the gym and playground are freely available during normal operating hours of 6am to 8pm.

Our membership structure allows for members from a variety of communities connected to the U.S. Mission to Botswana to serve the diverse needs of the U.S. Mission family.

Board Officers

Matthew Mumm

Matthew Mumm

Acting Chairperson

Lieutenant Colonel Matthew N. Mumm is the Deputy Chief, Office of Security Cooperation and Defense Security Cooperation Agency C-12 Pilot for U.S. Embassy Gaborone, Botswana.

He was commissioned at the United States Air Force Academy in 2006, accumulated more than 1,600 combat hours in the AFSOC U-28 Draco, and entered the Foreign Area Officer career field in 2016 where he studied French and Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Studies before serving as the Air Attaché to U.S. Embassy Nairobi, Kenya.

Following that, Lt Col Mumm was the SOCAF/SOCEUR liaison to USAFE-AFAFRICA in the 603d Air Operations Center, Ramstein, Germany, and prior to this assignment, he served as the Commandant of the Inter-European Air Forces Academy, Kapaun Air Station, Germany.

Michael Raney

Michael Raney

Treasurer

Michael Raney is the Office Management Specialist for the Deputy Chief of Mission of Embassy Gaborone. In 2025, he celebrated 20 years in the Foreign Service. Michael has served as Treasurer of the board since April 2025. Michael and his wife Kristen arrived to post with their 5 children in 2024, and have become quite the masters of mixing up some great ice cream concoctions, among their other side quests. We are grateful for Michael for staying on as Treasurer.

Maria Ester Becerro

Maria Ester Becerro

Secretary

Maria Ester Becerro arrived at post in July 2025 with her husband, USDH Thomas Cecil. Ester most recently served as Community Liaison Officer (CLO) at the U.S. Embassy in Uruguay (2022-2025), where she participated on the Country Team, Housing Board, and Employee Association. In her CLO role, Ester managed arrivals and orientation programming, coordinated major embassy events including the 4th of July and holiday celebrations, and oversaw employee recognition activities and supervising staff and managing administrative operations.

Need to reach the board? You can contact any of the three officers directly, or send your message to board@geabotswana.org to reach all board members at once.

Our Facilities

Professional-grade recreational spaces available to members

🎾

Tennis Court / Basketball Court

  • Location: Presidents Drive (6am–8pm daily)
  • Access: By reservation or walk-in
  • Equipment: Full-size tennis court and open-air basketball court
  • Max Reserved Session: 2 hours
  • Reservation limits to promote fair use
🛝

Children's Playground

  • Location: Presidents Drive (6am–8pm daily)
  • Access: Freely available, reservations not permitted
  • Equipment: Swings, slides, and climbing structures

The Leobo (Covered Meeting Area)

  • Location: Presidents Drive (6am–8pm daily)
  • Access: By advance reservation only
  • Equipment: Covered area with adjacent charcoal/wood-fueled braai and barbecues
  • Max Reserved Session: 6 hours
  • Reservation limits to promote fair use
💪

Gym (Multi-Machine)

  • Location: North Ring Road (6am–8pm daily)
  • Access: Freely available, reservations not permitted
  • Equipment: Multiple machines for cardio & strength training

Rules & Regulations

All GEA members must follow our Rules & Regulations to maintain a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment for everyone. Log in to your account to view the full rules, or read a summary below.

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Get In Touch

General Inquiries

For membership questions or general information, contact the board:

board@geabotswana.org

Board Officers

Chairperson: chair@geabotswana.org

Treasurer: treasurer@geabotswana.org

Secretary: secretary@geabotswana.org

Location

U.S. Mission to Botswana
Gaborone, Botswana

www.geabotswana.org