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Our Staff
Our Staff
Driven by Faith,
Focused on Solutions
Hope and Healing International’s staff serve as the hands joining passionate funding, praying, advocating partners here in Canada with the children and families we serve in the poorest countries and communities. The better we are at connecting YOU to moms, dads, children, grandparents living in poverty with disability, the more life transformation we all experience!
Peter Kyalo Mwalimu
Executive Director
Kyalo’s commitment to helping children is rooted in his faith. For him, it’s about serving the Lord by being willing to follow God’s purpose and will for his life — to love as Jesus did when He was on earth… with a love in action. Kyalo has over 25 years of experience managing and directing healthcare programs around the world. He also has a Master’s in Business Administration, a Master’s in Global Healthcare Leadership and a Bachelor’s in Commerce. This strong foundation informs his approach to holistic care, addressing the medical needs, as well as the spiritual, emotional and practical needs of the world’s most vulnerable children. “When we show up, we’re showing up in the name of Jesus, and the people we’ve helped will go back to the Heavenly Father and say, ‘thank you for coming.’”
Beth Jost-Reimer
Chief Strategy Officer
Beth has spent her whole career talking with children and moms caught in the cycle of poverty and disability – listening to their hopes and heartaches and telling them in word and deed that they matter to the loving God who created them. Beth has more than 30 years of experience in international development. She’s provided strategic leadership in program development, brand and marketing. She’s led a Canadian and broader international team to define and measure what drives long-term health and happiness for these incredibly vulnerable children. Her passion is focusing Hope and Healing International on what drives the most positive change for these beautiful kids. “The beauty and courage in the kids we serve is already there. If we can play a role in building their confidence, uncovering their sense of higher purpose, healing their bodies and hearts… we’ll be unleashing a powerful force for positive change in the world.”
Jill Bartley
Chief Operations Officer
Jill is a Certified Human Resources Leader with over 20 years of experience in management, leadership, human resources and organizational development. Jill has a Graduate Certificate in Human Resources and a certificate in Business Management Studies. She’s a Supporting Faculty Member for Osgoode Hall Law School and serves as a panelist in the Advanced HR Law for Senior Executives Program. Jill has engaged in leadership training, capacity building, international partner support and emergency response around the world. She says, “What gives me hope are mothers. We need to work alongside mothers to get their kids in school, ensure their access to medical care, help them become true agents of change in their communities.”
Stratis Vomvas
Chief Financial Officer
Stratis has been a member of the Hope and Healing International team since 2017. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant, having earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from York University. He has over 15 years experience in a variety of industries and finance leadership roles. Stratis was a driving force on the commercial finance team in the orthopaedic division at Johnson & Johnson. He has led sales and marketing teams, and mentored in the areas of strategic planning, acquisitions and divestitures, budgeting and forecasting, and investment decision support. Stratis has audited not-for-profit organizations, charities and other government-run establishments.
Cathy Cameron
Director, International Programs
Cathy has a deep desire to improve the lives of children living with disabilities. With more than 15 years in international development, she has worked with notable organizations including the International Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation at University of Toronto, where she supported education and research activities across nine country groups, many in Africa. Cathy has worked tirelessly to ensure children with disabilities have access to quality education, rehabilitation services, and the chance to lead fulfilling lives empowered by belief in their self-worth. It was her passion for the work of Hope and Healing International that inspired her to join the leadership team. Cathy whole-heartedly believes in the power of authentic collaboration that leads to significant and sustainable change in the lives of children with disabilities.
Jamie Planche
Director, Marketing
Jamie’s goal has always been to help people in need, particularly children. For the past 20 years she has had the privilege to serve as a member of World Vision and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Jamie deeply enjoys leading and developing integrated marketing campaigns, specializing in the recruitment of new donors and welcoming all supporters on a journey of transformation. Through a variety of marketing channels – direct mail, face-to-face encounters, digital media and radio programs – Jamie is committed to sharing with all Canadians the joy of helping children and families who struggle in poverty with disability.
Mark Vanderpol
Director, Finance and Decision Support
Mark has over 10 years of experience leveraging financial and operational vision to drive organizations forward. He is a CPA, CMA and graduated from McMaster University with his Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. Through leadership roles at General Motors, Aecon and Anthem Entertainment, Mark has delivered impactful results and promoted organizational change. His areas of speciality include: strategic leadership, operations management, financial analysis and process optimization. Mark has visited children and families receiving support from Hope and Healing and has witnessed first-hand how tangible acts of love restore hope and transform lives.
Dr. Leonard Banza
Medical Advisor
Dr. Leonard Banza is a highly skilled and experienced trauma and orthopaedic surgeon in central Malawi. With a heart full of compassion and a mission to make a difference in the lives of children, Dr. Banza leads medical teams into some of the most impoverished rural communities to reach the most vulnerable and forgotten children in Malawi. He provides medical and surgical care to children with disabilities that has transformed the futures of countless children, demonstrating God’s love in a tangible and profound way.
“I thank God because He has given me love and passion to assist my brothers and sisters of all ages, using my skills that the Lord has given me.”
Dr. Jean Chamberlain Froese MD
Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Advisor
Dr. Jean Chamberlain Froese is an internationally recognized expert in women’s health. She’s received numerous awards for her vital work, including the Order of Canada. Dr. Jean founded Save the Mothers and is a qualified Ob-Gyn. She worked in rural Yemen for 5 years before serving mothers in Uganda for 12 years. In 2017, she returned to clinical practice at McMaster University where she serves as a professor and continues to support safe motherhood. Dr. Jean is a committed follower of Christ who lives out her faith each day. She is married to journalist Thomas Froese, and they have three children, Elizabeth, Jonathan and Hannah.
Dr. Norgrove Penny CM, MD, FRCSC
Senior Medical Advisor
Dr. Penny is a children’s orthopaedic surgeon who has spent many years of his career providing medical care to children in low income countries with a focus in Uganda. He pioneered Ponseti clubfoot treatment in Africa and is regarded as a global expert on neglected clubfoot and children’s orthopaedic surgery. In addition to his work in Africa, he worked with Olympic athletes and was named Chief Medical Officer of the Commonwealth games in 1994. In 2007, Dr. Penny was awarded the Order of Canada for his contributions to medicine and civil society. Dr. Penny lives in British Columbia with his wife, Anne, and has three adult daughters.