Born and reared in Massachusetts,  Gail had never picked up a sleeping bag or slept in a tent until she ventured to Africa in 1994.  As a safari assistant and photographer, Gail shifted away from group travel after five trips to Tanzania. Fluent in Swahili (debatable among some of her Tanzanian friends!), Gail returned for three solo trips: 2001 to photograph for her lecture Jambo Africa which investigates the culture, wildlife and landscape of Tanzania; 2004 to complete several service projects through Rotary International; and 2007 to initiate the LifeWaterAfrica.org project, again with support from Rotary International.

Gail graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School, MA, received her A.B. from Mount Holyoke College and an MBA from Boston College. She has taken classes in Swahili at Boston University and Spanish at the International Institute of Language/Boston.

Involved in numerous volunteer activities in Winchester, MA where she has resided for three decades, Gail was on the Board of Directors of the Winchester Rotary Club for a number of years and is now an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Moshi Tanzania. 

In addition to lecturing on Tanzania, Gail is an interior/exterior house painter and fitness instructor.

Gail LaRocca doesn't expect that her volunteer endeavors with LifeWaterAfrica.org will get her into heaven (since she figures she is starting out on a fairly low ladder rung) but she is passionate about making a difference for people while she is earthbound.