David Eller
President
Dave is the leader of World Concern. After working in corporate business for many years, he joined World Concern in 2001, managing disaster response, microfinance, village bank, animal restocking, community development and orphan care projects. These responsibilities took him to Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, Somalia, Haiti and Zambia. Working with a large national staff, his focus has been to make projects sustainable and replicable. He returned to the U.S. office as the HIV/AIDS program manager and served as International Operations Director before his appointment as World Concern President in 2007. He earned a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Washington in 2007, and a Bachelor's in Business Administration from UW in 1983.
Meredith Long
Senior Director of International Programs
Meredith Long supervises programs in Asia, Africa, Haiti and Bolivia, and has oversight of our HIV/AIDS programs. He previously worked at World Relief as vice president for Planning and Integration and director of International Health Programs. Dr. Long has worked with churches to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa since the early 1990s. His overseas program implementation experience includes 14 years in Kenya and Bangladesh. He is the author of Health, Healing and God's Kingdom, which examines the interplay between health and traditional religious beliefs.
Diane Bricker
Africa Area Director
“Begin to share with people who have no hope, that there is some hope, and you create a bond,” explains Diane Bricker, World Concern Africa Area Director. Diane joined World Concern in 2004 after a long career as an executive in a Seattle-area community bank. She’s found a new home in Africa. “Africa’s very colorful. People are very gracious, very warm and very family-centered,” she says. Diane is excited about how hope changes lives. She’s a strong, Christ focused leader who served as our security officer for the Africa Area (overseeing work in high security regions such as Somalia) before beginning her role as our Africa area director. As such, she knows our work well in Sudan, Somalia, Kenya and Chad.
Mark Estes
Asia Area Director
Mark’s role as Asia Area Director is focused on strengthening national programs through quality initiatives and empowering leadership and partners to serve the unreached poor, as part of building God’s Kingdom “on earth as it is in Heaven.”
Mark served in a range of regional and country leadership roles in program and organizational development in Asia (1997-2007) and Africa (2007-2010) with Habitat for Humanity. In March 2011, he relocated to Bangkok, Thailand, feeling God’s call to return to Asia with World Concern. After a decade of corporate leadership in the private sector, Mark completed a MA in International Non Profit Organizational Leadership through Eastern University’s Pathway’s to Leadership course in 2007.
He oversees our work and partnerships in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Laos, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
Peter Macharia
Sudan Country Director
“It is such a great joy for me to see people know Christ and to see lives change and released from despair,” says Peter Macharia, a Kenyan and our country director of Sudan. He and his staff equip people who lived through a 20-year civil war with skills to feed their families. His staff works side-by-side with the people, teaching them basic math, English, health and Biblical values.
The outreach helps a troubled area, home to 500,000 people. The village bank World Concern set up provides resources for small businesses, and a vocational training center teaches job skills like machinery repair. “Walking with them and helping them find hope gives you a lot of satisfaction and a lot of joy," says Peter. "There is no greater work than helping people to know they were created for something.”
Athanase Ndayisaba
Chad Country Director
Athanase oversees World Concern’s unique and varied programs in Chad, serving refugees from Sudan’s Darfur region, as well as internally displaced Chadians. His experience, most recently as Central Africa Program Manager for Geneva Global, Inc, includes implementing programs in HIV and AIDS prevention, community health, education, economic empowerment through microcredit, and water and sanitation. “
I am so excited to be currently working in Chad. It is always my joy to realize that my little service to the vulnerable can give them life, hope and opportunity,” he says.
Athanase has also served in youth ministry programs, coordinating HIV and AIDS programs, Bible studies and camps for children in his native land of Rwanda. He has a Bachelors degree in accounting and business administration and management, and a Masters in Sociology from the University of Nairobi.
Christon Domond
Haiti Country Director
Christon Domond expertly leads World Concern Haiti, and has served as leader with us for about two decades. His vision has enabled thousands of the poorest people in the country to experience better lives. He understands the heart and challenges of the people—Christon grew up in Haiti in a family with nine children. As an advocate for children’s education, he designed a unique program to teach poor kids animal husbandry while helping them earn funds for higher education, by raising goats.
Other programs under his direction include de-worming medication distribution, microfinance programs and disaster response—most recently to rebuild lives devastated by the earthquake that hit Haiti in January 2010. Christon is diligent and invested, very seldom taking a vacation. Through natural disasters and civil unrest, he’s working hard to show Christ’s love to the people who need it so much.
Prodip Dowa
Bangladesh Country Director
Prodip Dowa brings optimistic joy to his job, and a clear understanding and compassion for his native Bangladesh. He’s served with us for about two decades, leading one of the most diverse programs at World Concern—which includes infant health clinics, rural schools and women’s microloan programs.
He’s excited about what he sees, including how microcredit helps people escape poverty. Prodip explains, “Once we provide capital to the poor people, they can start and develop their small businesses and make profits. World Concern is following the mission that Jesus has given us, which is to go to the poor, the needy, the oppressed, the blind, to those who are persecuted,” says Prodip. “I have the opportunity to serve them and to also share the Good News with them.”
Dr. Rebecca Htin
Myanmar Country Director
“Not many people in the country have the opportunity like I’ve had to study, to have this exposure. I think I need to give something back,” explains Naw (Ms.) Rebecca Htin, World Concern Myanmar Director. She’s an amazingly qualified worker—a medical doctor who once worked in a leprosy mission and has a master’s degree in public administration from the Kennedy School in Boston. She’s also a world-class humanitarian. She grew up in Burma, as Myanmar was called until 1989.
In Myanmar in May of 2008, a cyclone killed at least 146,000 people. Rebecca explains, “Psychologically, economically, emotionally, there are many things yet to do to continue life again.” Before serving with us, she was busy reaching out in Bogelay, a fishing village where tens of thousands died in the storm. Like many called into the field of humanitarian aid, Rebecca says she’s been preparing for an opportunity like this, to show the compassion of Christ through action, not expecting anything in return.
Selina Prem Kumar
Sri Lanka Country Director
God specializes in preparing His people and placing them just where they’re needed. Selina Prem Kumar is a lifeline to the people she serves. She’s our Sri Lanka Country Director, and she faces a situation that would intimidate many: helping war-affected people build new lives and heal. Part of this job includes bridging peace between the Tamil and Sinhalese peoples—something she is in a perfect position to do as a Tamil married to a Sinhalese man. Selina knows both cultures and languages well.
As National Program Manager, she led the Sri Lanka team in project management, fundraising, human resources and security. She shares God’s love with vulnerable communities. The Emergency Response Program Selina oversaw in 2009 helped evacuate over 30,000 waraffected civilians for medical care and transition to safer areas. Now, Selina’s busy helping people rebuild lives and heal the deep wounds caused by war— with Christ’s love.
Nick Archer
Senior Director, Disaster Response and Security
The relief and development community is increasingly targeted for theft and attacks. Nick Archer, who oversees disaster response and security for World Concern staff, explains, “The staff needs the tools, but having a laptop, or a satellite phone, or a car good enough to get them across desert regions can make them more vulnerable.” Creating a safe operating environment for the staff is particularly important since we work in places facing religious and cultural strain. “You have to be authentic,” Nick emphasizes.
“Are you coming with a heart to serve or to lord it over them?” The people notice a difference. He explains, “We get staff into training—how to deal with a hostage situations, deter burglars—even how to wear seatbelts.” Nick, who has worked in Kenya and Somalia and served with World Concern for more than two decades, is strategic. And with his support, our staff is free to do their best work.
Derek Sciba
Director of Marketing
Derek documents World Concern’s activities across the globe as the organization’s marketing and communication director. He has the privilege of visiting villages and slums across Asia, Africa and Haiti – meeting the people we serve. Prior to World Concern, Derek’s professional background included a decade in TV news, working as a videographer, reporter and news anchor. Most recently Derek worked at KATU-TV in Portland, Oregon, as a reporter. He was nominated for an Emmy for investigative journalism. Derek is a 2000 graduate of Abilene Christian University, and was honored with a Gutenberg Award for distinguished journalism from the university in 2010.
Jacinta Tegman
Senior Director of International Operations
Jacinta Tegman is the Senior Director of International Operations at World Concern. With more than two decades of ministry experience, Jacinta served as a missionary and later as an associate pastor at a large church in Edmonds, WA. In her time at World Concern, Jacinta has worked with churches, individuals, and large foundations who have a desire to make a difference in some of the most needy and difficult places on the planet. In her current role, Jacinta oversees the international staff, ensuring that the mission of World Concern, to relieve human suffering in the name of Christ, is expressed in word and deed.
Dr. Paul Robinson
Director of International Health Programs
Paul brings 20 years of experience designing, writing, procuring and managing grants and international health programs. His experience includes positions with Care, John Snow, the American Red Cross, Plan International, UNICEF and Northrup-Grumman’s Global AIDS program. In his role at World Concern, he works with our overseas offices to build integrated health programs focused on the health of women and children.
Dr. Robinson received his MBBS (MD) from the Chittagong Medical College in Chittagong, Bangladesh, a Masters in Theological Studies from the Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and his MPH in International Health from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Heidi Marsh
Director of Donor Relations
Heidi Marsh serves as the Director of Donor Relations for World Concern, bringing 15 year of experience in the areas of leadership, fundraising, marketing and program management. Her former employers include Microsoft, Washington Mutual, the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County and World Vision. Her volunteer experience also includes several local and national board placements. Heidi is a UW graduate, and has completed graduate level coursework at the Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College.
Heidi loves working for World Concern because she has a strong desire to ensure that her work has an eternal purpose — something that makes a positive difference in the lives of others, through Christ.
World Concern is the relief and development arm of CRISTA in Seattle, whose board members include:
| Name | Title | Company | Board position |
| Deborah Limb | Director | The Boeing Company | Chair |
| Kirsten Miller | President | NORPRO | Vice Chair |
| Kevin Gabelein | Managing Director | Fluke Venture Partners | Treasurer |
| Stephen Grey | President | Stephen Grey & Associates | Secretary |
| Craig Campbell | Campbell Nelson Volkswagon | Member | |
| Dale Cowles | Member | ||
| Anita Crawford-Willis | Member | ||
| Brad Decker | Member | ||
| David Ederer | Chairman | Ederer Investment Company | Member |
| Michael Eggers | CFO | RealNetworks | Member |
| Jim Funfar | Member | ||
| Mark Gibson | KPMG LLP | Member | |
| Morris N. Harper | Member | ||
| Tim Jenkins | Point B | Member | |
| Bob Lonac | CEO & President | CRISTA Ministries | Member |
| Curt J. Nichols | Seattle Pacific University | Member | |
| Leslie Parrott, Ed. D. | Seattle Pacific University | Member | |
| George Petrie | Goodman Real Estate | Member | |
| Dr. Steven Quillin | DVM | Memorial Road Pet Hospital | Member |
| Warren van Genderen | Member |
All board members can be contacted at the following address:
CRISTA Ministries
19303 Fremont Ave. N. MS-60
Seattle, WA 98133
