Our Strategic Leadership Team

Karmen Trajkov Till

Senior Director of Operations/ Interim National Director

Karmen is an experienced senior leader of programme operations and quality with a passion for social justice and a demonstrated history of strategic, servant, and change leadership in the international development industry. Her faith inspires her work to maximize potential in staff and make an impact central.

With an early interest in aid and development, Karmen completed her undergraduate in International Development Studies and Masters in Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development. For the past 17 years, she has worked in various roles in the development and humanitarian sector, starting as an International Programme Coordinator with ADRA in Australia providing support to programmes around South East Asia and the Pacific, moving to India with ADRA as Programme and Planning Director, followed by Laos as Associate Country Director - Programmes.

She subsequently joined World Vision as the Operations Manager for Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she served until 2013, before moving to the East Asia Regional Office team as the Associate Director - Program Quality and Learning from 2014 until 2017 out of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She joined the Pacific Timor-Leste sub-regional national office cluster as the Operations and Program Quality Director from 2017-2019, supported the South Asia Pacific regional Program Quality team until she joined us in Ethiopia in March 2020.

Karmen is Australian, married to Jay Till who also works for World Vision International as the global Director for Internal Engagement Communications, and has joined her in Ethiopia, along with their two kids, 11-year old son, Java, and seven-year-old daughter, Azali.

Hellina Woldetensae

People & Culture (P&C) Director

Hellina joined World Vision Ethiopia as P&C Director in May 2016. Prior to World Vision, Hellina acquired 10 years of progressive Human Resources experience, including deep proficiency in training/capacity-building, employee relations and compensation management.

Hellina graduated from Addis Ababa University with a BA. degree in Public Administration and Development Management, and also an MA degree in Human Resource and Organisational Development.

Endalkew Mulugeta

Finance Director

Endalkew joined World Vision as Finance Director in June 2019. He started his career as Finance Inspector /Internal Auditor with the Ministry of Finance, and joined World Vision Ethiopia in 1994 as an Area Development Programme (ADP) Accountant. He later moved served in different positions, including South Branch Finance Coordinator, General and Grant Account Manager, and Grant Finance Manager.

Throughout the last 15 years, Endalkew has served in the capacity of Finance Manager, Finance and Administration Director, Finance and Risk Director, and Finance and Support Services Director with World Vision in Sudan, Lesotho, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Samuel Tilahun

Humanitarian & Emergency Affairs (HEA) Director

Samuel Tilahun is Director of Humanitarian Emergency Affairs and has been working with World Vision Ethiopia since 2002 where he joined following his eight-year service in the Ministry of Agriculture as planning and programming and District Agriculture Head. Prior to leading HEA in World Vision, Samuel worked as Grants Operations manager, Kombolcha program Office A/D and served as AP Manager in various APs.

Samuel with his Humanitarian Emergency Team has led to mitigating the impact of a number of humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia since 2018, including Gedio Guji IDP crisis and Tigray Crisis.

His contribution leading HEA in IDP crisis in Ethiopia has been applauded by partners where WVE is a key actor in IDP crisis reaching millions of people in need across the country. Samuel made a significant contribution in building TEECAP culture and led LART (leadership Advisory & Review Team) that advised WVE leadership in various policies to meet WVE strategic objectives.

Samuel has Masters in Development Studies and BSc in Agricultural Economics and currently pursuing a Humanitarian Leadership Program from Australia Deakin’s University. In his 24 years of marriage with Munit, Samuel is a father of two children, a boy, and a girl.

Stephen Court

Senior Director, Engagement & Impact

Stephen joined World Vision's Ethiopia Office in May 2020 as the Senior Director for Impact and Strategic Partnerships. Formerly working within the forest industry as a registered member of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry, his post-graduate study towards a Ph.D. in International Development lead Stephen to join World Vision New Zealand in 2008. For the past 14 years, he has served in various leadership capacities in World Vision Support Offices in New Zealand and Australia, World Vision's Global Centre (Headquarters), and now World Vision Ethiopia.

Stephen is a dynamic and strategic senior international and community development leader and practitioner with close to two decades of experience driving impact, innovation, efficiencies, financial management, acquisition, and exceptional donor experiences. During Stephen’s career, he has traveled widely providing strategic engagement and supporting development projects benefiting the world’s most marginalised and vulnerable communities and groups in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Pacific Region.

Stephen graduated from the University of Canterbury with a BForSC, Bachelor of Forestry Science (Hons), and from Faith Bible College with a DipBS, Diploma of Biblical Studies. He has undertaken four years’ post-graduate studies through the University of Melbourne towards a Ph.D. in International Development. 

Tigist Kelemework

Support Services Division Director

Tigist joined World Vision Ethiopia in 2013 as Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Manager from March 2013 to December 2014. In January 2015, she assumed the role of Support Services Division Director.

Prior to joining World Vision, Tigist worked at Plan International Ethiopia as ICT Manager, and in Women for Life as Managing Director.

She holds a BSc. degree in Computer Engineering from the USA, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Switzerland.

Advisory Council (AC)

Getu Gizaw, Chairperson

Ato Getu Gizaw has over 20 years of experience. Getu is an owner and Manager of Gechaschu Trade and Service PLC. He holds a BSc degree in Pharmacy from Addis Ababa University, and a Diploma in Theology from the Evangelical Theological College.

Demelash Lemma, Vice-Chairperson

Rev. Tseganesh Ayele, Governance Chairperson

Rev. Tseganesh has over 20 years of experience. Currently, she is working a the Women's Ministry Director at the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY). Rev. Tseganesh holds a BA degree in International Relations and Global Study from New Generation University, MTH degree in Applied Theology from Chester College in UK, MLM 2nd Degree in Leadership and Management from EGEST, Addis Ababa and other Advanced Diploma Studies.

Mengistu Dinote, Finance Chairperson

Wondafrash Temesgen, AC Member

Ato Wondafrash has over 22 years of experience in Economic Development. Currently, he is serving as Resource Mobilisation and NGO Coordinator with North Gondor Plan and Economic Development Office. Ato Wondafrash holds an MA degree in Economics from Universidad De Oriente, Cuba.

Meheret Alemu, AC Member

Meheret Alemu has over five years of experience. Currently, she is working in the Ethiopian Federal Police Cyber Crime Investigation Department. Meheret holds a BSc. degree in Information Science.