Our Team

Meselech has a Masters in Transformational Leadership and Change from the University of Greenwich in United Kingdom and a BSc in Nursing from Dorothea Christian Erxleben Medical School in Germany. She worked as Health Team Leader and Relief Program Coordinator for Food the Hungry International Ethiopia for eight years. She also served as Health Unit Coordinator for Water Aid Ethiopia. Meselech worked for Water Action as Hygiene and Sanitation Team Leader and Fundraising and Communications Service Manager where she designed Water, sanitation and hygiene promotion programs and community development and conducted workshops and seminars geared towards increasing the awareness of decision makers, donors, field staff and communities. Before she joined Healing Hands of Joy in August 2016, Meselech worked as Director of Strategic Support for Water Aid Ethiopia for eight years.

Elisabeth is a dedicated Project Manager with experience in project designing, implementation and management which gave her rich expertise in running quality programs and projects. Her strengths include documenting, reporting and getting publicized successes and lessons from different interventions. Among many others, she managed projects and programs funded by EU, DFID, World Bank multi-trust fund, Plan International Ethiopia, USAID, UN WOMEN and ActionAid Ethiopia.

Senait graduated with a BA degree in General Management and Masters in public health (MPH) and worked for 9 years at the Mekelle University, College of Health Sciences. She gained experience working in different areas and was also a team leader in supporting students and providing services at the Health Center, providing counseling and advising on reproductive health, gender-related issues, environmental health, and coordinated activities in health education.

Lidet Kassie Bizabih has a BSC Desgree in Public Health from Hawasa University and a Masters in Public Health (MPH) from Bahir Dar University. Lidet recently joined Healing Hands of Joy Bahir Dar Center as a Project Manager and Health trainer. Since 2018 Lidet has been serving as Reginal Technical Advisor of the Bahir Dar Center.

Zewdie grew up in S.O.S. Hermann G. Children’s Village and stayed there for 16 years. He studied Social Anthropology at the University of Gondor. He started working at Healing Hands of Joy shortly after graduation and likes his job very much. He was responsible for several roles including messenger, cashier, and guard, and makes sure things are running smoothly at the center. In 2018 Zewdie began working as Program Officer at HHoJ’s Hawassa Center.

Wudineh received his BA in Accounting from Bahirdar University in 2006 and MBA from Jimma University in 2018. He got vast experience while he has been working on different posts including head of Procurement and Finance, funding coordinator, and accountant posts mostly in the Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals Funds and Supply Agency (PFSA) Ethiopia. He serves HHOJ as a Finance Officer at Jimma Centre.

Zerihun has a Masters in General Public Health from Metu University in 2018, Ethiopia; MBA from ASHLAND University with Leadstar College of Management and Leadership, Ethiopia in 2018; BSC in Public Health from Jimma University, Ethiopia in 2011; and Diploma in Midwifery from Asella Health Science College, Ethiopia in 2006. He has more than 13 years work experience at health facilities and specific to Obstetric fistula. Before he joined HHOJ in 2021, he worked as Obstetric fistula prevention officer and midwives mentor for Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia Mettu Centre for nine years. Zerihun is passionate about supporting women affected by obstetric fistula.

Aseffa graduated with BA Degree In sociology From Haramaya University in 2014. For the last seven years, he has been working in different government and non-governmental Organizations. These include his role as Project Officer in the Ethiopia Red Cross Association; Children’s Affairs Officer in Ethiopia Ministry of Women and Children; and his recent role, project officer, at SOS children’s village Jimm Program. Through all these, he acquired an expertise and experience in areas of project life cycle management, women’s Empowerment and child protection. Currently, he is working as a Community Outreach Officer in HHOJ Jimma Centre.

Through her travels to Ethiopia working on the Emmy Award winning documentary, A Walk to Beautiful, a film following the lives of five Ethiopian women who have suffered from obstetric fistula, Allison witnessed firsthand the need for an organization that works with the Ethiopian community to ensure all women suffering from obstetric fistula are reintegrated into their communities, receive psychological care, education, support and the means to be productive post-surgery. In 2009, she founded Healing Hands of Joy (HHOJ) a non-profit dedicated to serving the needs of women with obstetric fistula and currently serves as Executive Director. Working with a team of Ethiopian advisors and staff Allison developed the HHOJ program and Safe Motherhood Ambassador Training pilot project to transform and improve the lives of former fistula patients. In the US she is working side-by-side with the world’s leading fistula related international organizations in an effort to eradicate fistula and galvanize change. In 2011, she was selected to present the outcome and experience of her work with HHOJ at the International Obstetric Fistula Working Group’s annual meeting. Her vision is to see the Safe Motherhood Ambassador Training program change fistula patient’s lives around the world and prevent more women from suffering needlessly.

Before Cindy accepted her role with Healing Hands of joy, she was the Executive Director of US Programs for Medical Teams International and is based in Redmond, WA.  Cindy also served with World Vision US as the Executive Director for World Vision’s National Leadership Council and five years as the National Director for Women of Vision.

Combining her education in nursing (University of Washington) and business (Seattle University MBA program), Cindy started her career as a nurse educator and entrepreneur, founding Video Education Associates (VEA), to provide continuing education for nurses and healthcare education for consumers. VEA produced the first training video in the US for the care of patients with AIDS and HIV and a 30 minute TV special, “Eat to Compete”. Cindy subsequently worked in a medical technology business (Confirma Inc.) in cancer research, and served as Vice President of Strategic Solutions Inc., a technology consulting company.  She has worked in both for- profit and non-profit enterprises. Cindy has served on a number of non-profit boards including the Institute for Business Technology and Ethics, Bellevue Christian Schools, and Washington Engage, an anti-human trafficking organization.  She and husband Bob are also active in the Young Life ministry.

Cindy developed a keen interest in global women’s issues, particularly leadership, health and economic empowerment and supported the gender equity space while with Agros International and World Vision.  She loves Ethiopia, has traveled there several times, including a Joy Trip with Healing Hands of Joy, and lived in Gondar, Ethiopia, for over three years as a young girl.   Cindy has three grown children and one delightful new granddaughter.

Daniel Ward currently acts as an independent consultant to non-profits who have ministries in the Global South. He is the former Field Operations Global Director at Large for Medical Teams International. (MTI). He has extensive Africa experience having grown up in Tanzania and has worked on development projects worldwide for over 30 years. He is an avid adventure seeker who has traveled to 81 countries. While with MTI managed the organization’s response to Ebola in Liberia and significant refugee influx in Uganda, Tanzania, Lebanon, Turkey and Bangladesh. Prior to joining Medical Teams he worked in senior management positions with Christoffel Blindenmission (CBM) where he was instrumental in developing national prevention of blindness programs in numerous African countries in close collaboration with WHO and Ministries of Health. He was a champion for the cause of task-shifting in Africa that resulted in the successful training and deployment of clinical officers as cataract surgeons and orthopedic surgeons, greatly reducing prevalence of cataract blindness and neglected polio and clubfoot. He also was the co-founder of CCBRT in Tanzania and CORSU in Uganda. Both organizations are recognized as leaders in the field of obstetric fistula (VVF) repair and rehabilitation. Dan has a BA in Political Science from the University of Washington and an MPA from the Kennedy School at Harvard University. He serves on several non-profit boards and served for many years as the People’s Warden of Children’s Church in Nairobi, Kenya. He enjoys being with his three children and six grandchildren who live on different continents.

Amy grew up in a mission minded family in Southern California. She spent her formative years serving disenfranchised communities in Tijuana, Mexico and the Navajo reservation in Arizona. Her passion for understanding complex international development issues led her to earn a BA in International Studies from Pepperdine University and a MA in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in International Affairs from Georgetown University. Amy just completed her Juris Doctor from New York Law School. Amy worked in The White House Office of National Service for President George H. W. Bush’s “1000 Points of Light” initiative identifying and honoring outstanding volunteerism. In the midst of raising four kids, she founded the New York City chapter of Women of Vision serving as its Chair traveling to Mali and Bangladesh with World Vision. In 2014, she co-founded Global Closet LLC, a small business designed to empower women by promoting and selling artisanal goods made by women in the developing world. Amy assisted migrants apply for asylum through the mayor’s office in New York City. You can find her each week guiding school groups through the vast collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art as a docent. She lives in New York City with her husband Jeff.

The focus of Susan Goode’s work over many years has been children and families.  After a career in commercial real estate development, she spent several years serving as a community board member for The Department of Social Services and then engaged area churches to create foster adoption events.  She served on the Board of Brookstone School, a private Christian school for under-resourced children.  During her fifteen-year service to Brookstone she worked in strategic planning and development.  On the international front, Susan has served in leadership positions in Women of Vision, an organization which supports World Vision projects world-wide.  Susan received a BA in Economics and an MBA from the University of Virginia.  She is married to Roy and they have three adult children, one grandson, and hopefully many more grandchildren to come.

 Keith Hendrix is an assurance partner with GreerWalker LLP in Greenville, South Carolina. His experience in accounting and auditing dates back to 1993. Keith offers specific skills and a deep understanding of financial reporting and disclosure requirements for privately-owned organizations and publicly traded companies in the areas of manufacturing, distribution, technology, investments, and nonprofit. Keith is originally from Greenville, South Carolina and is a magna cum laude graduate from the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. He began his assurance career with Ernst & Young and later transitioned to the private sector, spending 4 years as a Controller for companies in the manufacturing and technology industries. He then returned to public accounting, serving as a partner in audit leadership roles with a large regional CPA firm and a smaller local firm before joining GreerWalker.

Nigest is an activist in the promotion of women entrepreneurs, with particular focus to women exporters. She has 23 years experience working in the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade and Industry, at different capacities. In 2004, she founded CAWEE, a pioneer trade promotion organization working in the country, providing promotional and capacity building support service targeting women exporters.

Tim served as a physician, consultant, and educator in Ethiopia for 15 years. He served as SIM-Ethiopia’s HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Department Director during this time. He has extensive experience in women’s healthcare as an HIV/AIDS educator with the Evangelical Theological College and the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Karen Dealey is a seasoned financial executive and currently serves as a Managing Director and the Principal Accounting Officer for Jefferies Financial Group, a global investment bank and securities firm.
In her role at Jefferies, she has responsibility for global accounting policy and external reporting and provides oversight and control for various finance functions.  She started her career with Deloitte & Touche in its audit practice in Washington, DC subsequently transferring to New York City where she
began working directly in the financial services sector and has held different technical accounting and controllership roles for the past 25 years.
Karen graduated from Oral Roberts University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting. Her time at ORU instilled in her a passion for missions and service and she has had the opportunity to travel extensively across multiple continents in that capacity including assisting with a church plant in Riga, Latvia in the early 1990s. Karen has also travelled on several occasions with Wycliffe Bible Translators providing accounting services and audit support to the organization’s local branches in different parts of Africa. During her time in New York, she has been engaged in the non-profit community including serving on the Board and as Treasurer of Hope for New York, an organization serving the poor and marginalized in New York City. She has also served as the Treasurer of her local church.
Karen lives on the Upper East Side in New York City and enjoys cooking, following college sports, running in Central Park and current affairs.

Leading Convergence’s Market Acceleration & Design Funding initiative, Leah brings 15+ years of risk management, structured finance, and international development experience spanning the public and private sectors. Prior to Convergence, Leah served as the Chief Innovation Officer and Director of the Innovation, Technology, Research (ITR) Hub in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as well as Senior Advisor on gender lens investing and blended finance, for the White House led Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) initiative. Previously, Leah joined Malaria No More (MNM) as co-founder & Director of MNM’s innovative finance subsidiary (NetGuarantee), a blended finance facility mitigating risks to mobilize private investment in improving healthcare delivery in Africa. From 2003 to 2008, Leah held senior positions with AIG’s global product development group launching new risk management solutions in emerging markets including AIG’s micro-insurance portfolio (in Africa and Asia. She earned a BA in International Economics from University of St. Thomas and dual-MBA from Columbia University and London Business School. Leah was recognized by the Houston Business Journal as a “40 Under 40” award recipient and African Leadership Network (ALN) as an African Business Fellowship (ABF) winner. Leah also served as a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).