Meet Our New Executive Director

This past fall, Project Ethiopia undertook a search to hire our first-ever Executive Director as founders, Dennis Wilkins and Judy Sanderman, prepared to step back after more than 11 years building and leading the organization. We are pleased to introduce and welcome our new Executive Director, Sue Wilkes, who started this past January!

Before joining the team at Project Ethiopia, Sue provided consultation and training to nonprofit organizations to build their capacity in resource development, program planning and evaluation, strategic planning, and board development.  She supported a wide range of organizations addressing issues impacting refugee and immigrant populations, community health, K-12 education, and youth development.

Prior to that, Sue worked with the Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA) in Seattle for 11 years  – seven of those as the executive director. Her job encompassed everything from program development to leading the organization through a major capital campaign. Her greatest joy, however, was working in community with ReWA’s largely refugee and immigrant staff and board to meet its mission of helping newly arrived refugee and immigrant women make a successful transition to life in the U.S.

Sue was drawn to the position because of Project Ethiopia’s mission and the organization’s focus on collaboration, mutual respect, and community empowerment. “I am passionate about supporting organizations that are working to strengthen communities from the ground up; build authentic, local leadership that empowers all the stakeholders; and create transformational, sustainable change led and supported by the community,” she said. “It is a great honor to be serving in this role and supporting the amazing work of Project Ethiopia!”

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