BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CALEB SPENCE
Board President

Caleb Spence has been an integral part of Hawassa Hope’s journey since its founding in 2016, embodying the organization’s mission through his unwavering commitment to vulnerable communities in Ethiopia. His leadership as current Board President provides strategic direction and passionate advocacy that continues to expand our impact across the Sidama region.

Caleb’s connection with Hawassa Hope began through our Community Sponsorship Program, where he experienced firsthand the transformative power of supporting a child’s education and wellbeing. This personal connection deepened when he traveled to Ethiopia and met the child he had been corresponding with—a profound moment that cemented his dedication to our cause.

During his visits to Ethiopia, Caleb has taken an active role in our health initiatives, leading HIV and Malaria prevention training sessions that equip local communities with vital knowledge. These experiences on the ground have given him invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the communities we serve, informing his thoughtful approach to organizational leadership.

What truly distinguishes Caleb’s commitment is his firsthand witness to the tangible impact of Hawassa Hope’s programs. After returning to Ethiopia on subsequent visits, he observed remarkable improvements in children’s lives. He saw how access to education, healthcare, and community support created lasting change for vulnerable families. These observations strengthened his resolve to advocate for Ethiopia both at home and abroad.

As a law enforcement professional in Virginia, Caleb brings the same dedication to justice and community wellbeing to his role with Hawassa Hope. He shares his life with his wife and six children, modeling the values of service and global citizenship that are central to our mission. His ability to balance family commitments, professional responsibilities, and board leadership demonstrates the passionate dedication that has helped Hawassa Hope grow from a vision to a vibrant organization making measurable impact across 15 communities in Ethiopia.

CHARISA KNIGHT
Executive Director and Co-Founder

Charisa Knight’s journey to founding Hawassa Hope began with a profound awakening to global injustice. While witnessing the struggles of women and children in Zambia, she discovered her life’s calling—a deep conviction about God’s passion for justice and His heart for the oppressed that would shape her future work across multiple continents.

This conviction led Charisa to serve as a justice advocate with International Justice Mission from 2008-2014, where she honed her skills in addressing systemic injustice and advocating for vulnerable populations. Her commitment to creating sustainable change further manifested in becoming a founding member of a nonprofit in Zambia focused on education and empowerment for those living in extreme poverty. This work taught her invaluable lessons about effective community development and cross-cultural partnership.

Closer to home, Charisa founded a local chapter of The Forgotten Initiative, mobilizing churches to bring joy and purpose to children, families, and workers in the foster care system. This experience deepened her understanding of how to build supportive communities around vulnerable children. This knowledge would later inform Hawassa Hope’s holistic approach to child welfare in Ethiopia.

The most transformative chapter in Charisa’s story began in 2011, when she and her husband Greg adopted their youngest son from Ethiopia. This personal connection to Ethiopia’s children in the Sidama region sparked an unwavering commitment to the country and its people. After several years of working under another nonprofit umbrella, Charisa and Greg founded Hawassa Hope in 2016, creating an organization that now serves 15 communities throughout the Sidama region.

Under Charisa’s visionary leadership, Hawassa Hope has flourished into a multifaceted organization that has completed over 20 clean water projects, supports 370 children through education sponsorships, provided maternal care to more than 835 pregnant women through the Elsabet Initiative, and developed numerous other programs addressing healthcare, economic empowerment, and child welfare.

As a mother of five children, including two adopted from Ethiopia, Charisa brings both professional expertise and personal understanding to her work. From her home in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, she leads Hawassa Hope with remarkable dedication, balancing family life with her passion for creating lasting change in Ethiopia.

“When Charisa speaks, people listen and feel inspired into action. Her messages and wisdom come from an honest and heartfelt place of deep faith, love and compassion for all humans…”

— Allison Waddell, fellow adoptive mom and Hawassa Hope Trip Team member

Carrie Covey
Board Treasurer

Alison Hartman
Board Secretary

Alison Hartman serves as Board Secretary for Hawassa Hope, bringing a unique blend of spiritual leadership, healthcare expertise, and heartfelt dedication to vulnerable families in Ethiopia. Her multifaceted contributions have strengthened both our organizational foundation and our direct service initiatives across the Sidama region.

As the driving force behind Hawassa Hope’s weekly prayer newsletter, Alison creates a vital spiritual connection between our supporters worldwide and the communities we serve. This thoughtfully crafted communication provides specific prayer focuses for our various programs. Through this ministry of prayer, she nurtures a global community united in compassionate support for vulnerable Ethiopian families.

Alison’s professional background in nursing has proven invaluable during her multiple service trips to Ethiopia. She has generously shared her medical expertise with the healthcare staff at Ajuuja Children’s Home, providing specialized child development training that enhances the quality of care for children awaiting adoption. Her contributions to our HIV education programs have equipped sponsored families with essential knowledge for prevention and healthy living—a perfect example of how she combines her professional skills with her passion for service.

From her home in Ohio, where she lives with her family. An avid nature lover, Alison finds renewal and inspiration in the natural world—a passion that resonates with her appreciation for the beautiful landscapes of Ethiopia and deepens her connection to the communities we serve there.

GREG KNIGHT
Co-Founder

Greg Knight’s journey to co-founding Hawassa Hope began with a profound personal experience, the adoption of his youngest son from Ethiopia in 2011. This life-changing process opened his eyes to both the challenges facing Ethiopian communities and the remarkable resilience, integrity, and skill demonstrated by local people in Hawassa. Witnessing firsthand how even modest financial support could dramatically transform lives, Greg and his wife Charisa were inspired to become passionate advocates for Ethiopia’s vulnerable children and families.

Greg brings exceptional professional expertise to his role with Hawassa Hope. After building a successful career in the corporate world, he pivoted in 2010 to pursue work aligned with his deepening commitment to service and social justice. As a food sourcing specialist in domestic food banking, he developed valuable skills in resource allocation and nonprofit operations that continue to strengthen Hawassa Hope’s effectiveness and sustainability.

His dedication to justice issues began even earlier, when in 2007 he joined his wife Charisa as a Justice Advocate for International Justice Mission. This experience deepened his understanding of global human rights issues and equipped him with advocacy skills that prove invaluable in raising awareness and support for Hawassa Hope’s mission.

From his home in Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, Greg balances his passionate commitment to Ethiopia with his role as father to five children, including two adopted from Ethiopia. This personal connection to Ethiopia infuses his leadership with authentic understanding and unwavering dedication to creating lasting change for vulnerable communities in the Sidama region.

Greg’s unique combination of corporate expertise, nonprofit experience, and heartfelt commitment to justice makes him an inspiring co-founder whose vision continues to guide Hawassa Hope’s growth and impact. His story exemplifies how personal experience can transform into purposeful action that changes lives across continents.

Nate Rippke 
Board Trustee

Nate, founder and owner of Rippke Design, brings exceptional creative vision alongside his deep compassion to the Hawassa Hope board. His professional expertise in design and entrepreneurship provides valuable perspective to our organization’s outreach and visual storytelling efforts.

Nate’s connection to Ethiopia runs deep and personal. Together with his wife Ashley, they adopted two children from Ethiopia, forging an unbreakable bond with the country and its people. This profound personal experience ignited their passion for giving back to Ethiopian communities and has made them steadfast supporters of Hawassa Hope since our earliest days.

As a long serving board member, Nate has witnessed firsthand the growth and impact of our programs across the Sidama region.

When not contributing his talents to Hawassa Hope, Nate can be found running his design business and embracing family life in Iowa. The Rippkes are deeply rooted in their local community, where they actively model the values of global citizenship and compassionate service that are at the heart of our mission.

Nate’s unique combination of professional skills, personal connection to Ethiopia, and unwavering commitment to our cause makes him an invaluable member of the Hawassa Hope leadership team.

Silvia Windley
Board Trustee

Silvia brings a wealth of global perspective and compassionate leadership to the Hawassa Hope board. With extensive international experience spanning multiple continents, Silvia offers invaluable insights that directly enhance our work in Ethiopia’s Sidama region.

Her journey in humanitarian work began years ago, fueled by a deep-seated commitment to advocating for vulnerable communities worldwide. This passion aligns perfectly with Hawassa Hope’s mission to provide sustainable support to children and families in Ethiopia.

Silvia has traveled to Ethiopia herself, experiencing firsthand the communities we serve and developing a special connection to our work there. She is a dedicated supporter of Ajuuja Children’s Home, where she contributes to their mission of providing temporary care for children while seeking local adoptive families.

Beyond her board service, Silvia is dedicated to raising awareness about global humanitarian needs and inspiring others to take action. An avid athlete, she regularly participates in competitive runs, channeling her determination and discipline into both her personal pursuits and her humanitarian work.

She lives in Virginia with her husband Josh and their three children, where she continues to model compassionate global citizenship for the next generation.

Emily Ward Huffman
Board Trustee

Emily brings a unique blend of scientific expertise and compassionate service to the Hawassa Hope board. As a dedicated small animal veterinarian, she approaches challenges with the same meticulous care and problem-solving mindset that defines her professional work. Skills that translate to addressing the complex needs of vulnerable communities in Ethiopia’s Sidama region.

Her natural inclination to offer both “a lending hand and a listening ear” embodies the heart of Hawassa Hope’s values. This empathetic approach informs her board service as she thoughtfully considers the needs and perspectives of the Ethiopian communities we serve, ensuring our programs remain culturally sensitive and truly beneficial.

While her veterinary practice keeps her busy in Virginia, Emily finds time to actively engage with both her local community and our international work. She shares her life with her supportive husband and their beloved pets—a golden retriever and two cats—who serve as daily reminders of the joy that comes from nurturing and caring for others.

Emily’s commitment to making a positive impact, both locally and globally through Hawassa Hope, exemplifies the spirit of service that drives our organization forward in its mission to transform lives in Ethiopia.

Michael Nay
Board Trustee

Michael Nay joined the Hawassa Hope board in 2025, bringing with him an extraordinary depth of experience spanning three decades in ministry and nonprofit leadership. His diverse professional background encompasses pastoral leadership, children’s advocacy within the judicial system, Christian education, and hospice chaplaincy. These all equip him with unique insights into supporting vulnerable populations with both compassion and practical effectiveness.

He has traveled to Ethiopia twice with Hawassa Hope, where he witnessed firsthand the impact of community-based initiatives and met families and children supported through the sponsorship program. A faithful supporter, he and his wife continue to invest in child sponsorship and other initiatives that serve vulnerable families in Ethiopia.

His approach to board leadership is informed by the rich tapestry of his professional experiences. From advocating for children in the judicial system to providing spiritual care for hospice patients, Michael has consistently demonstrated his ability to navigate complex human needs with sensitivity and wisdom. These are qualities that enhance Hawassa Hope’s holistic approach to community development in Ethiopia.

Throughout his life, he has carried many titles, but none more meaningful than husband to Dawn, dad to two children, and Baba to his grandchildren.