Kenyan Staff
Irine Tundwe, Program Director
Irine joined Neema in 2015 as a weekday matron and was the team leader for the Residential Department from 2018 to 2022. In 2022 she was promoted to Program Director and has been leading Neema in Kenya ever since.
In 2019, Irine graduated from Northwestern Christian University with a diploma in Social Work and Community Development and thereafter joined Neema’s counseling team. She has a big heart for the young women at Neema and their children.
JOyce Khaoma, Head of Training & Curriculum
Joyce attended Kenya Technical Training College. She started at Neema in 2008 and is one of the Kenyan staff members who has been with Neema the longest. Joyce is dedicated to imparting skills to our students and gets her contentment from seeing graduates of our program thrive in their small businesses or employment.
Pamela Chebet, Head of Counseling Department
Pamela brings 9+ years of experience in Counseling & Social Work to Neema, gained from working with different communities and with diverse cultures. She has worked in various counties including Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta, and Transnzoia. Pamela has a passion for working with the community through empowerment, awareness, building self-esteem and self-confidence, as well as building resilience among the teenagers, young mothers, and the community at large. She has a Diploma in Community Development and Counseling from Mombasa Polytechnic University College.
Jentrix Mukoya, Director of the Residential Department
The young women at Neema call Jentrix “mum Jentrix.” They love and respect her in equal measure, and she is both firm and loving. She divides the duties among the students, ensures they are clean, and makes sure they have enough to eat. During her rest time, Jentrix dances to music with the students.
Eunice Urwenya, Tailoring & Dressmaking Instructor
Eunice started at Neema in 2015. She loves to teach, counsel, and guide the young women. She is also in charge of games and sports at Neema and greatly enjoys engaging the students in fun activities like marathons, badminton, netball, and volleyball.
Victorina Auma, Shop Manager and Tailoring Instructor
Victorina is the Shop Manager at Neema’s shop. She brings over 15 years experience to Neema from Catholic Missions in a similar position. Her passion is empowering young women with skills while instilling excellence and a good work ethic. The students call her Mama — and she loves it — and she enjoys giving counsel to them. She is excited to be part of the Neema team.
Ruth Nafula, Shop Assistant & Tailoring Instructor
Ruth considers herself a big sister to the young women at Neema. She loves mentoring them, not only in skills, but also in life in general. Ruth graduated from Neema in 2017 and joined the staff team in 2021.
Hellen Ondoro, Counselor & Social Worker
Hellen is a psychologist with a great passion in counseling. Her joy is in empowering the young women at Neema through psycho-social support and seeing them transform into the women they are meant to be: valued women in the society. She is a graduate of Moi University with a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Psychology.
Jackline Birungi, Consulting Counselor
Jackie is a graduate of Uganda Christian University. She has over five years experience as a Theophostic Counselor and Prayer Ministry Coach. At Neema, she consults with the Counseling team, conducting trainings on Theophostic Methods. Jackie loves to witness healing in the lives of the girls we serve.
Enoch Shamala, Kitchen, Facility, and Land Manager
Enoch is the father of three beautiful daughters, Loretta, Serena, and Ann. This is why he considers himself a father to all the Neema students and alumni and why they call him uncle. He joined Neema in 2015 as a cook, and he’s a nutritionist who is passionate about teaching healthy living. He loves making food for the team, especially lemongrass chai.
Lilian Edaya, Administrative Assistant
When Lilian joined Neema in 2019, she started out in childcare, looking after the children of our students while they learned in class. She had no idea that she would grow into another role, but we’re excited she did! Lilian enjoys organizing things and making work easier for the team.
Eunice korir, business skills development mentor & part-time childcare worker
Eunice Korir joined Neema in February 2024 as the Business Skills Development Mentor. A social worker by training, she is passionate about her work, especially working with young women. After leaving Neema, she expects to see students thrive and transform their lives, their families, and their communities.
Jacklyne Koech, Childcare Worker & Part-Time Kitchen Assistant
Jackie loves all the children of our students as if they were her own. She supervises their personal hygiene, feeding, and keeps them active. She also connects with their mothers and trains them in parenting. Jacklyne’s joy is in seeing the children cared for, and seeing them healthy and happy. She has been with Neema since 2015.
Janet Kosgey, weekday matron
Janet loves being called mum by the young women at Neema. Since coming to Neema, she has really grown in her role by learning how to balance love and firmness.
Gladys Nangila, Weekend Matron & Part-Time Childcare Worker
Gladys is soft spoken, but firm. Her favorite part of the job is sitting and laughing with the young women at Neema on weekends as they braid each other’s hair. Gladys has teenage daughters, which makes her job easier since she’s able to relate with the students . She admires the unity at Neema.
LYDIAH NAFULA, Head of Childcare
Lydiah Nafula started at Neema in 2022 as a weekend house matron. She took an interest in Neema when she saw the Neema students in her area and how they carried themselves. Lydiah is pleased to be working and mingling with the young women of Neema, showing them love and care, especially since she has a teenage daughter of her own. Her prayer is that they prosper and become better women. Along with her daughter, Lydiah has two other children and is married. In her free time, she loves reading books and working at her shamba.
EVERLYNE MAKUNGO, Weekend Matron
Everlyne joined Neema in March 2024 as House Weekend Matron and part time childcare worker. Her heart is always filled with joy whenever she walks into Neema and the children welcome her by running towards her and hugging her. Her happiness is seeing Neema's young women thrive to be successful in life.
Edward Misiko, Security
Edward ensures that the young women at Neema and the Neema staff are safe. Having teenage girls of his own, he considers himself a father to the Neema students. He loves hanging out with the children while guarding the gate.
Martin Wanyonyi, Security
Martin joined the team in 2021 and loves working at Neema. He admires the Christian values followed by both staff and our girls at Neema. While he is manning the gate, he listens to audio sermons. His favorite things to do at Neema are attending morning devotions and listening to the jokes and banter between staff during lunch time.
Joseph Lorinyok, Night Security
When Joseph is patrolling the compound at night, he feels as if he is guarding his own children. He also prays for the young women at Neema as he does his rounds.
PATRICK SORE, Security
Patrick Sore joined Neema in February 2024 as a security guard. Beforehand, he was a trusted motorcycle driver Neema could rely on to take students and children to medical centers, drive counselors to home visits, or bring maize to be ground in a mill, etc. Now as a security guard, his passion is to ensure that Neema's campus is safe. While managing the gate, he interacts with community members who come to fetch water. He also makes sure that the compound looks beautiful by trimming greenery on the fence and planting the flowers.
US Staff & Volunteers
GAËLLE BELTRAN-GRÉMAUD, Executive Director
Gaëlle is passionate about creating impact. Known as a global cross-functional leader committed to building inclusive learning environments, she is especially dedicated to supporting women and young professionals on their own leadership journey.
Gaëlle received her Master in Sciences in Management from HEC Business School in France—where she is originally from—and her MBA from INSEAD. She has been living in the Philadelphia area with her husband and their two children for over 15 years.
EMILY WHITNEY, Communication & Marketing Manager
Emily joins Neema after working for the Salvation Army and interning for International Justice Mission. She has significant cross-cultural experience, and with a background in the arts, utilizes storytelling as a means of renewing hope. Through her creative services, Emily advocates for justice. She has a degree in Art and a concentration in Graphic Design from Gordon College in Massachusetts. Emily first visited Neema in the summer of 2017 and has since been involved as a volunteer and part-time staff member.
Debra Lane, Administrative Assistant & Donorcare Coordinator
Deb has a background in art, business, and education. She is a creative artist who spends her time "tending the garden" and encouraging others to engage with their creative nature. Considered a master potter, she oversees a community ceramic studio in Newtown Square and is an advocate for creating spaces for people to gather together in community.
Janet McLaughlin, Grace Partner Coordinator
Janet first heard about Neema through her church several years ago, and her heart was gripped by the mission to empower young women in Kenya. After retiring in January 2023, she was interested in volunteering but unexpectedly became part of the staff instead. She is passionate about Neema's holistic approach to provide education, counseling, discipleship, and skills training to the students and to engage their families and communities. Janet has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a Minor in Social Work and an MBA in Business Management. She lives with her husband John and their son Alex and enjoys hiking with their dog, as well as biking, kayaking, and traveling.
SUE KELLEY, Prayer Coordinator
Sue became a Grace Partner in 2014. Then in 2016, after her second visit to Neema, she developed a desire to pray regularly for the ministry. She started a monthly prayer meeting where she and others gather and pray for the young women and staff (both Kenyan and US) of the Neema Project. In addition to her work with Neema, Sue is a full-time doctoral student in Mathematics and Science Education who will soon graduate from Temple University. She and her husband, Don, have been married for 33 years and have three grown children.
Courtney and Leslee, Accounting & Bookkeeping Services
Accounting Beyond Borders (ABB) is a nonprofit organization committed to empowering Christian ministries around the world by fulfilling their accounting needs and walking with them in ministry. ABB began in 2013 when founder, Courtney Weaver, went on a sports ministry trip to Panama and God revealed the burden and need for accounting services in the mission field. Since then, ABB has grown and serves ministries in eight countries with a team that is passionate about seeing God glorified. Courtney Weaver and Leslee Albright are the primary ABB accountants who started with Neema in May 2020 and both are excited to continue supporting Neema’s mission.
Kylie Smith, Neema Intern
Kylie just finished her first year Eastern University where she studies Communications & English (Writing). She heard about Neema through her mother and reached out to volunteer. As Neema's summer intern, Kylie will be working alongside the Neema team on various communication projects. When she is not studying, Kylie likes to read books and write for fun as well as spend time with family and friends.
Board Members & Advisors
Brian McIntire, Board President
Brian is the Co-Founder and Chairman at Think Company, one of the top digital design firms in Philadelphia. Brian leads Think Company’s team of more than 100 researchers, designers, and developers as they work with companies in a wide range of industries to create software products that are beautiful and easy to use. Brian has served on Neema’s board since 2017. He and his wife, Lindsay, have been involved with Neema for several years and have visited Neema numerous times.
GREG LUSBY, Board Vice President
Greg is a writer, speaker, and thinker on topics related to theology and spirituality. Drawing on his training in Biblical and theological studies from Western Seminary and The Northwest School of Theology, Greg speaks at events in the United States and abroad. In 2017 he encouraged Neema’s local community while speaking at a conference in Kitale, Kenya. As a member of the communications team, Greg lends his editorial and rhetorical skills to help tell Neema’s story in a way that inspires action.
TESSA dilley, Board Secretary & Treasurer
Tessa is the owner and lead photographer at Tessa Marie Images, a wedding and commercial studio in Philadelphia. She was asked to travel to Kenya and photograph the Neema Project in the winter of 2017. On that first trip, Tessa was completely sold on the vision of Neema and has since been a Grace Partner. She traveled back to Neema in 2018 and 2020 and joined the board in January of 2020.
LOLA ABHULIMEN, Board Member
Lola leads the Clinical Operations group of a Bio-pharma company in Newtown, PA. She holds a degree in Economics and an MBA from Penn State. She and her husband, Sese, love to volunteer their knowledge and time to support local and international causes that bring hope and positively impact the long-term transformation of individuals and societies. They have been involved with Neema for a few years and became Grace Partners in 2018. Lola is a soccer mom and loves spending time outdoors with her family.
bettieann brigham, Board Member
BettieAnn is a lifelong educator in the field of student affairs with a special interest in creating supportive learning environments for underserved student populations. She has a BA in Communication Studies from Eastern University, an MS in Counseling and Human Relations from Villanova University, and an EdD in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Calgary. Her 43 years of experience include supervision of a diverse, professional staff of 80 in areas such as student residential living, chaplaincy, international students, retention, counseling, accreditation, legal compliance, career development, student accountability, tutoring, strategic planning, NCAA athletics, campus building design, student health care, and campus security. BettieAnn and her husband enjoy much in common including their love of teaching, learning, nature, and visiting with their two grown children and their families.
MELINDA SNOW, Board Member
Melinda is an energetic and experienced advocate who is passionate about creating life-sustaining opportunities for at-risk women. One of the founding members of Neema, she serves as the primary fundraiser and loves to enable individuals and teams to participate, experience, and grow in the Neema mission with its life-transforming work. Melinda and her husband, David, have spent many years living abroad and remain adventurous travelers who love spending time outdoors.
Jennifer Peterkin, Board Member
Jennifer is a social advocate with nearly 15 years of experience in justice work, with her primary focus being on women’s rights. She is the host of The Human Experience, a podcast about the stories we live out every day, and the importance of championing the vulnerability and courage of the storyteller. She travels the world interviewing each of her guests for the podcast in person as an act of solidarity with those who have chosen to share their stories. Since 2020, Jennifer has been volunteering with Neema as an event coordinator for their annual fundraising gala. She traveled to Neema in 2022 for the first time and was honored to be there for the opening of Neema's new building in 2023.
RITA SCHAER, Special Advisor to the Board
Rita is the founder and owner of a successful dressmaking design studio in Exton, PA, called Maridadi Couture. Since 1988, Rita has offered her skills, expertise, and seamstress knowledge to the five-state region. Rita has one daughter and two grandchildren.
Born in Kenya, Rita’s mother was Kenyan, and her father is Swiss. She spent most of her academic years in Kenya. But in order to advance her studies, Rita went to Switzerland on a 3-year apprenticeship in dressmaking and fashion design. Not only does she speak English, German, and Swahili, she has also mentored and coached numerous people from different parts of the world over the past 13 years (and has been honored to do it!). Rita has been involved with Neema since 2016.