Please meet the founders of Orphans International Tanzania - seven women who have spent much of their lives learning about the world and the people who populate it.  Collectively, they have lived in 42 cities, explored 39 countries and possess nearly 35 years of non-profit experience.

Kristie DeKoker
Kristie DeKoker grew up in Decatur, Alabama, and earned a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Alabama. Kristie now lives in New York City where she has been raising money for nonprofit organizations for nearly ten years. She currently directs all development activities for Village Care of New York, a nonprofit healthcare organization serving older adults and persons living with HIV/AIDS. Prior to working at Village Care, she worked for Projects Plus, Inc. raising money through high profile fundraising events for organizations such as The New York Public Library, The Girl Scout Council of Greater New York and National Medical Fellowships.
Kristie has always loved working with kids and has taught and mentored children through various churches, schools and organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Boys & Girls Club and Association of Retarded Citizens.
It was during a work-sponsored trip that Kristie fell in love with Tanzania and discovered her passion for orphaned children. She returned to her home in New York City determined to find a way to make a sustainable difference in the lives of these children and put plans in motion to open a family care center in Moshi, Tanzania. Kristie also serves on the Board of Directors for Orphans International America.

Laura Fortinsky
Laura Fortinsky graduated from Hamilton College with degrees in Dance and French. Laura lives in Brooklyn, NY and works as a Program Manager for international volunteer programs in Tanzania with Cross-Cultural Solutions, a non-profit organization based in New York.
Prior to working for Cross-Cultural Solutions, Laura volunteered with the organization in Tanzania, partnering with a local NGO (non-governmental organization) dedicated to AIDS education and outreach and at a nursing home for adults and children living with HIV/AIDS. Upon returning home, she spent a year volunteering with the African Regional Youth Initiative on such projects as African Women of Empowerment.
Laura’s heart remains in Tanzania. She continues to work with those she met in Tanzania and has been instrumental in identifying local partners for Orphans International.

Elisabeth Horell
Elisabeth Horrell was born in southern Florida and spent most of her childhood in western New York State. She holds a B.S. in Professional and Technical Communication from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where her thesis work focused on multiculturalism in children’s literature. Elisabeth now lives in Jersey City, NJ, and works as Manager of Grants and Development for Village Care of New York, a New York City-based healthcare non-profit that serves seniors and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
Elisabeth’s non-profit career began in 1999 when she was recruited to serve as Assistant Director for Camp Troutburg, a summer camp for disadvantaged inner-city children. She followed that by teaching preschool for a year before accepting an accounting/finance position with The Salvation Army. She later became Special Events Coordinator for The Salvation Army, planning and executing several annual fundraisers (including the famous Red Kettle Campaign) and working with local media to promote the agency.
A founding member of Orphans International Tanzania, she is also a member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) NYC Survivor Committee and an active grief-facilitation volunteer with AFSP’s Survivor Outreach Program.

Shannon Lavin
Shannon Lavin was born and raised in southern Connecticut.  She attended the University of Connecticut School of Business where she received a B.S. in Management and International Business in May 2005.
Shannon currently lives in New York City and works for Village Care of New York as the Manager of Special Events and Development. Working in the Development Department, she handles all of Village Care's fundraising events to benefit their Network of AIDS Services and SeniorChoices. 
Prior to Village Care, Shannon was a Public Relations Account Executive where she gained non-profit experience through her work with the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the American Legacy Foundation which promotes a tobacco free youth.
In addition to being a founding member of Orphans International Tanzania, Shannon is involved with Joan's Legacy Lung Cancer Foundation.

Kelly Lennon
Kelly Lennon grew up in Connecticut.  She received a B.S. in Social Work at the University of Vermont and a Masters in Social Work at Columbia University. Kelly currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. She works for Kings County Hospital as a psychiatric social worker in the child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic. She also works in the psychiatric emergency room conducting evaluations with children and adolescents most at risk. Kelly has also worked as a therapist at a Child Guidance outpatient clinic in Connecticut. Her social work experience includes working with children with autism, working in a children’s residential facility and interning at a therapeutic alternative school. Kelly started her career working with foster children in crisis, conducting home visits, family counseling, and case management services in an inner city community.
Kelly has always sought ways to make life better for people. Some of her volunteer experience includes working with the homeless and people in prison.
Kelly went to Tanzania in the summer of 2007. She spent three weeks volunteering in an orphanage in the Moshi community. Inspired and empowered by this experience, Kelly became a founding member of Orphans International Tanzania. 

Katarina Mescal
Katarina (Kate) Mescal was born in Chicago, IL. As the daughter of ex-patriots, Kate had a diverse childhood and spent her formative years living in and learning about different countries all over the world. After spending much of her life living abroad, Kate changed pace and attended universities in the Midwest. She earned an M.B.A. from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and a B.A. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Kate now lives in New York City and works in Marketing for American Express. She has also worked for Ann Taylor in Strategy, Accenture in Retail Consulting and for a Congresswoman in the U.S. House of Representatives - supervising all health and judicial issues related to Congressional Caucus for Women.
Volunteerism has always been a part of Kate's life.  She began volunteering at a nursing home at age 12 and interned for an IL Representative in high school.  While in college, Kate tutored local children with reading difficulties.
Kate's grandmother co-founded an orphanage in Sao Paolo, Brazil, which in turn inspired Kate to become a founding member of Orphans International Tanzania.

Kim Nemire
Kim Nemire grew up in Mendon, MI. She attended Michigan State University and received a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science. She also gained teaching certification from Michigan State and spent a year teaching ninth grade Social Studies in Lansing, MI.
Kim now lives in Chicago, IL. She is a professional fund raiser with nearly five years of non-profit experience. Kim is currently directing a fund-raising campaign as an Associate Director with CCS Fund Raising. Kim has also worked for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Chicago, as well as Simon and Schuster Publishing, Fallon International and Kraft Kennedy and Lesser in New York City.
Kim enjoys raising money and volunteering for a variety of organizations, and has significant interest in cancer research, the environment, international development and orphaned children. She is hoping to start a Chicago chapter of Orphans International Tanzania.
Since high school Kim has hoped to one day work with orphans and children in need, so the opportunity to join the Orphans International Tanzania team is a dream come true.