Our Team

We’re proud to have a talented, diverse, and collaborative global team—serving in love around the world.

Executive Leadership

John Lyon, Esq.

President and Chief Executive Officer

About John

John Lyon, Esq.

President and Chief Executive Officer

About John

Ruth Ellison

Chief Financial Officer

About Ruth

Nancy Green

Chief Development Officer

About Nancy

Kristopher K. Meyer, MPA MSc PMP

Chief Operations Officer

About Kris

Kelsey Rwayitare, Esq.

General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer

About Kelsey

Global Directors

Allieu Samuel Bangura

Director of Health and Nutrition

About Allieu

George Beals, PhD

Director of Strategic Development

About George

Haley Clark, MA

Director of Anti-Trafficking and Gender-Based Violence

About Haley

Emelita Goddard, PhD

Director of Community Development

About Emelita

Heather Hill

Director of Communications and Marketing

About Heather

Dan Irvine

Director of Strategic Engagement

About Dan

Katie Kirkpatrick

Director of Child Sponsorship and Village Partnership

About Katie

Zachary Lawless

Director of Development

About Zachary

Keith Norris, MA

Director of Water and Sanitation

About Keith

Daniel Scott

Director of Information Technology

About Daniel

Global Specialists

Nicholas Boerema

CEO of TapEffect, a WHI Social Venture

About Nick

Carrie Jo Cain, RN

Health Programs Specialist

About Carrie Jo

Desmond Pratt

Senior Geologist

About Desmond

Tae Symons

Project Manager for Village Partnership and Measurement & Evaluation

About Tae

Kyle Winney

Conservation Specialist

About Kyle

Sierra Leone Team

Saidu Kanu, MA

Country Director, Sierra Leone

About Saidu

Abdul Bundu

Infrastructural Program Manager (Engineer)

About Abdul

Sahr Kpakima

Child Sponsorship Program Manager

About Sahr

Miriam Fullah

Trafficking-in-Persons Protection Manager

About Miriam

Salifu Samura

WASH Program Manager

About Salifu

Musa Tholley

Agricultural Program Manager

About Musa

Anna Vines, MCSP, HCPC

Program Director and Physiotherapist for Enable the Children Program

About Anna

Bernadette Veronica Udo

Trafficking-in-Persons Prevention Manager

About Bernadette

Liberia Team

Wellington Kollie

Country Director, Liberia

About Wellington

Adolphus Swen, MA

Child Sponsorship Program Manager

About Adolphus

Vera Woodson

Child Sponsorship Coordinator

About Vera

Eastern Europe Team

Joshua Carter

Country Director, Bosnia and Herzegovina

About Joshua

Haiti Team

Thony Querette

Country Director, Haiti

About Thony

Cambodia & Philippines Team

Talmage Payne

Country Director, Cambodia & the Philippines

About Talmage

Adesty Dulawan, RPsy

Trafficking in Persons Clinical Supervisor

About Adesty

Seng Mang, MS

Anti-SGBV Program Manager

About Mang

AN ORGANIZATION YOU CAN TRUST.

World Hope International is committed to sound stewardship and using your gift to deliver the most effective, sustainable solutions for alleviating poverty, suffering, and injustice. In the fiscal year 2018, 87% of all expenditures went to program services. In order to use our resources in the most efficient manner possible, we may deem it necessary to redirect your contribution to the greatest need or our general purposes.

John Lyon, Esq.

President and Chief Executive Officer
Location: USA/Alexandria, VA

John Lyon is a global development visionary and a licensed law practitioner with 18 years of experience working with World Hope International and 12 years of experience in international law. John was elected President of World Hope by the Board of Directors in September 2013. Prior to this, John served as General Counsel for Joule Africa, an innovative London-based, renewable energy company focused on developing hydroelectric and solar energy in Africa. John also served as a World Hope board member and volunteer. John’s foremost technical experience is with water, sanitation and construction projects. He has developed water and sanitation plans for several World Hope locations, including Sierra Leone. Prior to his time at World Hope, John practiced law at WilmerHale, an international law firm, where he helped World Hope develop its micro-finance and social enterprise program. John served in the United States Peace Corps in Jamaica from 1998 to 2000, where he raised more than $200,000 to build a primary school and helped popularize a typhoid-proof latrine model. John holds a bachelor’s degree from Houghton College and a JD from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law.

Ruth Ellison

Interim Chief Financial Officer
Location: Cambodia

Ruth Ellison has lived in Asia for most of her life and is now based in Cambodia, where she leads the accounting and finance teams at World Hope and ensures transparency, accountability, and integrity within the management of donor and grant funds. Ruth has over 40 years’ experience in finance and non-profits. Prior to joining World Hope, Ruth served as CFO of Hagar International and prior to that, she worked as the Finance Administration Director and later, the Asia Pacific Regional Finance and Grants Advisor for World Vision in Cambodia. Ruth has also worked in finance and accounting for World Relief and Capin Crouse; founded and ran her own successful accounting firm before successfully negotiating a merger for it; and served as Country Director for Catholic Relief Services in Thailand. Ruth holds degrees in Accounting, Finance, and Business Administration from Elmhurst College and the College of DuPage.

Nancy Green

Chief Development Officer
Location: USA

Nancy is a fundraising and marketing strategist with over 20 years of experience serving non-profit organizations in the field of international relief and development. As Director of Strategic Engagement, Nancy fosters relationships with individuals and family foundations in the US to meaningfully engage them in World Hope’s mission. With a deep knowledge of faith-based responses to international development, Nancy is passionate about serving the vulnerable, articulating their needs to philanthropic partners, and seeing lives transformed. She seeks to help partners to identify value and impact in their philanthropic commitments. Nancy holds a BA from The George Washington University in Art History.

Kris Meyer

Chief Operations Officer
Location: USA

Kris Meyer has almost three decades of operations, planning, and assessment experience across a wide sector of government and non-governmental work. A retired US Navy Commander, he has served in locations around the world conducting everything from direct patient care as a Hospital Corpsman, to planning for major contingencies in the Western Pacific as a Naval Planner, to maintaining continuous airborne alert as a Naval Flight Officer in preparation for strategic crises in the United States. As the Public-Private Cooperation Division Chief at US Southern Command from 2015-2018 he supported World Hope International’s disaster relief water production deployment to the Turks and Caicos immediately following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 and facilitated World Hope International’s medical volunteer support to the US Navy’s USNS Comfort hospital ship missions in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2018. He has directed operations for one of the largest US Navy aviation squadrons and most recently served as a principal assistant for operations aboard a US Navy aircraft carrier during an around-the-world deployment.

A strong proponent of partnership across all levels to maximize collective efforts in areas of common concern, Kris has a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School of Government, a Master’s in Human Resources from Towson University, and a BA from the University of North Florida. He is Project Management Professional certified and has completed additional training programs with USAID, OFDA, Naval Postgraduate School, and Defense Acquisitions University.

Kelsey Rwayitare

General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer
Location: USA

Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, Kelsey drove her beat-up Pontiac down to New Orleans and joined the United Way in the rebuilding effort. She lived in a tent city with displaced locals, cared for children in a FEMA trailer park, and learned the necessity of active community service. Kelsey went on to serve in the areas of poverty alleviation, human rights, and women’s empowerment, specifically by legal consulting for the Supreme Court of Rwanda, advocating for Habitat for Humanity, representing immigrants in their quest for political/religious asylum, and teaching in Central Africa, Japan, and Germany.

Upon graduating from law school, Kelsey joined Collins Aerospace where she led teams in multi-million dollar negotiations (over $1B in revenue) and equipped women leaders as the Women’s Forum Co-Chair. Kelsey joins World Hope International’s team as General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer.

George Beals, PhD

Director of Strategic Development
Location: USA/Holland, MI

Dr. George Beals is a development professional with more than 30 years of international experience. At World Hope, George engages both churches and individual donors with World Hope’s impact areas. He also oversees the organization’s work in Europe and Central Asia. Prior to World Hope, George was the Pastor of Global Ministries for his local church. George holds a doctorate in Intercultural Studies with concentrations in International Relief and Development and Business As Mission.

Haley Clark, MA

Director of Anti-Trafficking and Gender-Based Violence Program
Location: Sierra Leone/Freetown

Haley Clark is a psychotherapist who specializes in trauma treatment. At World Hope, Haley directs the organization’s Anti-Trafficking and Anti-Gender-Based Violence Program strategy and activities. Haley originally joined World Hope in 2013 as the Clinical Supervisor for World Hope’s Trafficking in Persons Recovery Centre in Sierra Leone. Prior to this, she worked with children impacted by trauma and abuse in Seattle, Washington. Haley completed her clinical internship in northern Uganda, where she worked with former child soldiers. In Uganda, Haley co-founded an NGO that provides educational support to high school students. Haley holds a bachelor’s degree from Seattle Pacific University and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology.

Dr. Emelita Goddard

Director of Community Development and Agriculture
Location: Cambodia/Phnom Penh

Dr. Emelita Goddard is a community development strategist with more than 20 years of experience in design, management, monitoring, and evaluation of integrated community development programs for vulnerable communities and key affected populations in the Asia-Pacific Region. Throughout her career, Milet has maintained a special focus on at-risk women and children and survivors of gender-based violence. At World Hope, Milet is the organization’s lead strategist and program designer, responsible for setting and implementing the vision for programs to serve vulnerable communities throughout World Hope’s target countries. Prior to World Hope, Milet served as a consultant to USAID and France Expertise Internationale for the Global Fund’s Governing Body in Cambodia, World Health Organization, International Labour Organization, TEAR Australia, World Vision, and several other global development agencies. Milet holds a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate in Technical Science in Aquaculture, which she received from the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand through scholarship grants from the British and Australian governments.

Heather Hill

Director of Communications and Marketing
Location: USA/Alexandria, VA

Heather Hill is a communications strategist who specializes in creating innovative solutions to challenges and has over a decade of leadership and multi-channel campaign, branding, and storytelling experience. At World Hope, Heather directs the voice, brand, and messaging of the organization world-wide. Heather joined World Hope in 2018, prior to which she worked as a communications specialist on contract with USAID, specializing in public-private partnerships, and as a photojournalist for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Heather serves on the Board of Directors for the United Nations Association – National Capitol Area (UNA-NCA) and chairs the UNA-NCA Human Rights Committee. Before joining the private sector as a contractor, Heather spent eight years in the development field in the non-profit sector. She has lived and worked in over nine countries and is pleased to make Washington DC her home for the time. Heather holds a bachelor’s degree from Houghton College and a master’s degree from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Rev. Dan Irvine

Director of Strategic Engagement
Location: USA

Rev. Dan Irvine has most recently served as the Caribe Atlantic Area Director for Global Partners, the overseas mission auxiliary of the Wesleyan Church. He is an ordained minister in the Wesleyan Church and has a combined thirty-eight years of ministry experience as Pastor, Christian Educator, Missionary, and Administrator. Dan has a Master of Arts in Ministry from Indiana Wesleyan University and has a graduate certificate in International Family and Community Development from Clemson University and is currently pursuing further graduate studies. Dan and his wife Joy have been married for forty-one year and have five children and five grandchildren. The Irvine’s have been engaged in cross-cultural ministry since 1981 and have resided outside of their home culture for more than eighteen of those years, most of that time in Haiti.

Katie Kirkpatrick

Director of Child Sponsorship and Village Partnership
Location: USA/Alexandria, VA

Katie Kirkpatrick is a community connection specialist with nearly 15 years of experience in the field of international development. At World Hope, Katie directs efforts to connect churches and individuals with the needs of their neighbors through our Village Partnership and Child Sponsorship initiatives. Katie served as a student intern with World Hope in 2004. Recently, Katie served with Global Partners in the Caribe Atlantic Region, primarily focusing on Haiti, from 2013-2017. In addition, Katie worked in HIV/AIDS prevention, supported refugee and homelessness ministries in Australia, and began a missions’ arm of a non-denominational church in South Louisiana. Katie was an AmeriCorps HealthCorps member. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from Southern Wesleyan University.

Zachary Lawless

Director of Development
Location: USA

Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, Zachary leads WHI’s grant positioning, pursuits, and acquisitions for WHI. With 10+ years of business management experience, including 7 years in business development, Zachary has led business development efforts across several relief and development sectors in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America for several organizations, including Samaritan’s Purse and World Vision. With Samaritan’s Purse, Zachary lived/worked in Liberia to lead post-Ebola recovery new business efforts. Most recently with World Vision, Zachary managed the USDA McGovern – Dole Food for Education portfolio out of the Food Security and Livelihoods department in Washington, DC. Obtaining degrees in Intercultural Studies and International Development coupled with working on projects in 25+ countries, Zachary is committed to designing projects that best meet the needs of vulnerable populations in developing countries in hopes that transformative, sustainable, and holistic development can be attained.

Keith Norris, MA

Director of Water and Sanitation Program
Location: USA/Alexandria, VA

Keith Norris is a water and sanitation strategist with extensive experience in construction and rural development. Keith joined World Hope in 2004 as the Water and Sanitation Program Director. Prior to this, Keith managed a construction business, and he also taught at the Wesleyan School of Theology in Indonesia. While in Indonesia, he founded a local NGO that focused on economic development and childhood education; this organization later became the implementing arm of World Hope in Indonesia. Keith holds a bachelor’s degree from Asbury College, a master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Kentucky, and a master’s degree in Cross-Cultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. Keith is an ordained minister in the Wesleyan Church.

Daniel Scott

Director of Information Technology
Location:

Bio Coming!

Carrie Jo Cain, RN

Health Programs Specialist
Location: Sierra Leone/Makeni

Carrie Jo Cain, who grew up in Sierra Leone, manages several Child and Maternal Health programs for World Hope there, including Helping Babies Breathe, Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS), and a Comprehensive Program for Ebola Survivors. Carrie Jo was instrumental in World Hope’s response to the Ebola crisis, designing a culturally-appropriate burial program that ultimately helped curb the spread of the disease. Prior to World Hope, Carrie Jo worked as a nurse in the US, including in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the Pediatric Emergency Department.

Desmond Pratt

Senior Geologist
Location: Sierra Leone/Freetown

Desmond Pratt is World Hope’s WASH Drilling Manager—a position he’s held since 2014. In this role, Desmond oversees activities such as geophysical surveys, drilling and pump installation, training and testing, and coordination with stakeholders. Desmond was born and raised in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Geology from Fourah Bay College at the University of Sierra Leone.

Tae Symons

Project Manager for Village Partnership and Measurement & Evaluation
Location: Southern Africa

Tae Symons is a community development specialist with over 10 years of experience in management, monitoring, and evaluation of programs for vulnerable communities in Southern Africa. At World Hope, Tae manages the Village Partnerships initiative to help address the needs of the community and assists in monitoring and evaluation of World Hope programs. Tae originally joined World Hope in 2008 as the Health Programs Manager, providing leadership and management in all aspects of project planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, including in areas of HIV/AIDS, community health and livelihood. She facilitated gender mainstreaming training in Ethiopia and conducted research on child health and well-being in northern Uganda and South Sudan. Tae holds a master’s degree in Public Health from Boston University.

Kyle Winney

Conservation Specialist
Location: Cambodia/Mondulkiri Province

A conservation scientist by training, Kyle has worked in the UK, Cambodia, Afghanistan and the Republic of Congo as a conservationist gathering a broad range of experience in wildlife conservation research, protected area management and developing policy initiatives aimed at reducing deforestation and promoting sustainable natural resource use.

At World Hope, Kyle is leading the conservation initiative and is responsible for integrating World Hope’s expertise in the market and community-based development approaches in delivering biodiversity conservation and environmental protection goals through projects such as community-based ecotourism.

Prior to joining the World Hope team, Kyle coordinated United Nations Environment Programmes (UNEP) community-based natural resource management projects and protected area management planning in Afghanistan’s newest protected area, the Shah Foladi Protected Landscape. More recently with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Kyle directed logistical support to protected area operations in Republic of Congo’s Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, supporting law enforcement, wildlife research, community development and the creation of nature-based tourism. Kyle has a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology from the University of Exeter and a Master’s degree in Conservation Science from Imperial College London.

Abdul Bundu

Infrastructural Program Manager (Engineer)
Location: Sierra Leone/Makeni

Abdul Bundu provides civil engineering expertise for World Hope’s projects in Sierra Leone. As a staff engineer at World Hope, Abdul uses his education and expertise to provide design and calculations from a civil engineering perspective on all relevant projects. Abdul is a native of Sierra Leone, and he began working for World Hope in 2014. Abdul holds a diploma in Architectural Desktop Designing and a diploma in Civil Engineering, both from OFEK ARCHITECTURAL in Isreal. Abdul also holds a certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation from Fatima College at the University of Makeni.

Sahr Kpakima

Child Sponsorship Program Manager
Location: Sierra Leone/Makeni

Sahr Kpakima manages World Hope’s Child Sponsorship Program in Sierra Leone. Sahr first joined World Hope in 2016 as an assistant coordinator for the Village Partnership and Child Sponsorship programs. Prior to this, Sahr worked as a trained health volunteer for Bread for the World during the 2014 Ebola outbreak. Sahr is a trained teacher and taught mathematics, management, and economics at Every Nation Academy School in Makeni for two years. Sahr holds a certificate in Civic Leadership from Young African Leaders Initiative. Sahr holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance, and he is currently pursuing an MBA in Entrepreneurship from the University of Makeni.

Joseph Abdulai Koroma

Human Resources & Administration Manager
Location: Sierra Leone/Makeni

Joseph Abdulai Koroma, a native of Sierra Leone, is the manager of World Hope’s Human Resources & Administration Department in Sierra Leone. Joseph joined World Hope in February 2017. Prior to this, Joseph worked for nearly a decade in a similar capacity with other organizations, including ASA Microfinance (SL) Limited, Concern Worldwide Sierra Leone, Childfund Sierra Leone, and Centre for Youth and Exploited Children. Joseph holds a degree in Political Science from Fourah Bay College at the University of Sierra Leone and three post-graduate certificates from the University of Australia. Joseph has recently begun pursuing a master’s degree in Human Resource Management and Development through the University of Salford online program.

Salifu Samura

WASH Program Manager
Location: Sierra Leone/Makeni

Salifu Samura is World Hope’s WASH Director in Sierra Leone. In this role, he oversees the day-to-day management and implementation of country-wide WASH initiatives. Salifu joined World Hope in 2010. Prior to this, Salifu worked for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as head of the organization’s field office in Kionadugu, Sierra Leone. Salifu holds a bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Wolverhampton, as well as a post-graduate degree in Sustainable Development.

Musa Tholley

Agricultural Program Manager
Location: Sierra Leone/Makeni

Musa Tholley is World Hope’s Agricultural Program Manager in Sierra Leone. For his role, Musa draws on extensive experience and education in both agriculture and rural development. Musa is a native of Sierra Leone, and he holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science Education and a master’s degree in Rural Development, both from Njala University in Sierra Leone.

Anna Vines, MCSP, HCPC

Program Director and Physiotherapist for Enable the Children Program
Location: Sierra Leone/Freetown

Anna Vines is a Physiotherapist and Program Director for World Hope’s Enable the Children program, which provides home-based therapy for children with disabilities in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Prior to this, Anna worked with Mercy Ships as the Rehabilitation Coordinator in Sierra Leone. She has been a training consultant with Handicap International and the Aberdeen Women’s Centre. Anna is from Great Britain, and she recently won a Point of Light Award from Prime Minister Theresa May. Anna co-authored the Trauma Orthopaedics chapters in The Concise Guide to Physiotherapy – Volume 1: Assessment and Volume 2: Treatment by Tim Ainslie. Anna has a bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy.

Bernadette Veronica Udo

Trafficking-in-Persons Project Manager
Location: Sierra Leone/Freetown

Bernadette Udo leads World Hope’s Makeni field office in the Bombali district of Sierra Leone. Bernadette was trained as a Registered Nurse and Certified Midwife in her home country of Sierra Leone, where she practiced nursing for ten years. During the civil war, she became a refugee in the Republic of Guinea, where she also practiced nursing. After this experience, she became committed to working on behalf of refugees and other highly-vulnerable people. Bernadette was awarded a scholarship by the Bill Gates Foundation to study in the US as a Population Leadership Fellow at the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Adoldphus Swen, MA

Child Sponsorship Program Manager
Location: Liberia/Monrovia

Adolphus Swen supervises World Hope’s Child Sponsorship Program in Liberia. A native of Liberia, Adolphus has more than twenty years of experience working within the education system in Liberia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Theology, as well as a master’s degree.

Vera Woodson

Child Sponsorship Coordinator
Location: Liberia/Monrovia

Vera Woodson supports World Hope’s Child Sponsorship Program in Liberia by processing student applications, maintaining sponsored student data, and distributing students’ supplies and gifts. Vera is a native of Liberia and is a currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in Primary Education with an emphasis on English at United Methodist University.

Seng Mang, MS

Anti-SGBV Program Manager
Location: Cambodia/Phnom Penh

Seng Mang is World Hope’s Anti-SGBV (sexual and gender-based violence) Program Manager in Cambodia. Seng is a professional clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma-informed care for victims of sexual and gender-based violence. Seng has experience providing direct counseling and trauma-focused therapy to victims of violence. Before World Hope, Seng worked as a counselor at Hagar International, where he provided therapy to victims of gender-based violence and sex trafficking. Seng holds a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

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Our Team

Executive Leadership

John Lyon, Esq.

John Lyon, Esq.

Ruth Ellison

Nancy Green

Kristopher K. Meyer, MPA MSc PMP

Kelsey Rwayitare, Esq.

Global Directors

Allieu Samuel Bangura

George Beals, PhD

Haley Clark, MA

Emelita Goddard, PhD

Heather Hill

Dan Irvine

Katie Kirkpatrick

Zachary Lawless

Keith Norris, MA

Daniel Scott

Global Specialists

Nicholas Boerema

Carrie Jo Cain, RN

Desmond Pratt

Tae Symons

Kyle Winney

Sierra Leone Team

Saidu Kanu, MA

Abdul Bundu

Sahr Kpakima

Miriam Fullah

Salifu Samura

Musa Tholley

Anna Vines, MCSP, HCPC

Bernadette Veronica Udo

Liberia Team

Wellington Kollie

Adolphus Swen, MA

Vera Woodson

Eastern Europe Team

Joshua Carter

Haiti Team

Thony Querette

Cambodia & Philippines Team

Talmage Payne

Adesty Dulawan, RPsy

Seng Mang, MS

AN ORGANIZATION YOU CAN TRUST.

John Lyon, Esq.

Ruth Ellison

Nancy Green

Kris Meyer

Kelsey Rwayitare

George Beals, PhD

Haley Clark, MA

Dr. Emelita Goddard

Heather Hill

Rev. Dan Irvine

Katie Kirkpatrick

Zachary Lawless

Keith Norris, MA

Daniel Scott

Carrie Jo Cain, RN

Desmond Pratt

Tae Symons

Kyle Winney

Abdul Bundu

Sahr Kpakima

Joseph Abdulai Koroma

Salifu Samura

Musa Tholley

Anna Vines, MCSP, HCPC

Bernadette Veronica Udo

Adoldphus Swen, MA

Vera Woodson

Seng Mang, MS

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