US-Based Staff

Michael Brotchner, Executive Director
michael.brotchner@orphansofrwanda.org
In May 2007, ORI's Board of Directors selected Michael Brotchner as the organization's new Executive Director. Prior to joining ORI, Michael was the Director of Development for the Fund for Public Schools, which secures private funding for the New York City Department of Education's reform efforts and develops public-private partnerships. At the Fund, Michael successfully led fundraising efforts that resulted in major support from a wide variety of foundations, corporations, and individuals. Michael has served on numerous nonprofit Boards and is on the Executive Committee for Root Capital, which provides affordable financial services to community-based businesses operating in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Michael holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and a BA from Wesleyan University.

Christina Yuan, Director of Communications
Christina is a research associate at the Yale School of Public Health, where she conducts research on hospital-based quality improvement efforts. Christina graduated from the Yale School of Public Health with an MPH concentrating in the Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases. While at Yale, Christina was awarded a Downs International Health Fellowship to study malaria in China. Christina also holds a B.S. in Biology and B.S.H. in Honors from Villanova University.

Iana Dimkova, Director of Development
Iana is currently employed as a Project Analyst in the New York branch of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., a corporate law firm. She graduated from Columbia University in 2006 with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science, concentrating in International Relations. While at Columbia, Iana worked for several non-profit organizations and was involved in the Columbia Service Internship Program, where she oversaw creation of a funding proposal to renovate public elementary schools in Harlem.

Kimberly Greenberg, Development & Communications Associate
Kimberly graduated with honors from Wesleyan University, where she majored in French and an interdisciplinary program combining European history, literature and philosophy. She has won a number of awards and prizes for her writing and she co-founded Wesleyan Without Borders, which conducted health care development projects in Mexico and Peru. She is currently serving as the chair of the advisory committee for “Channel Peace: A Journal on International Conflict and Mediation,” sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace.

Rwanda-Based Staff

Jean-Baptiste Ntakirutimana, Country Director
Jean-Baptiste coordinates ORI's project activities in Rwanda and supervises the ORI in-country team. Prior to joining ORI, he worked for Africare Rwanda as Program Manager. From August 2002 through December 2004, he acted as overall manager for Africare Rwanda in the absence of the Country Representative. Previously, he worked with World Vision Rwanda (WVR) as Executive Director for WVR microfinance institution, as Program Manager for peace building, reconciliation and trauma healing initiatives and as Regional Manager. Jean-Baptiste has a Masters in international development studies.

Christine Chiu, Program Manager
Christine comes to ORI from Human Rights Watch, where she had worked as a grant writer since 2005. At HRW, Christine was responsible for writing funding proposals for the Africa, Middle East, Children's Rights, and Refugee Policy Divisions. Christine is a graduate of Stanford University with a degree in Human Biology and concentration in International Development. While at Stanford, Christine spent a semester in Geneva where she had the opportunity to learn from and engage with multiple UN agencies and other international organizations.

Julie Lelek, Program Manager
Julie is a graduate of Fordham University with a degree in Political Science and concentration in International Politics. Her international experience includes working and studying in Vietnam, where she volunteered at a juvenile detention center and an organization that worked with street children in Hanoi. After graduation, Julie began working at Human Rights Watch in the development and outreach department, assisting in planning their annual fundraising dinners in North America and Western Europe. She subsequently worked in HRW's executive office, assisting the Executive Director and liaising with the Board of Directors.

Charles Rukikanshuro, Service Delivery Officer
Before joining ORI, Charles spent two years as a Technical Assistant in a youth and civic education program operated by GTZ, a German NGO. Charles has also worked for the Secretary General of the General Association of Students of the National University of Rwanda. Charles holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Linguistics and a diploma in Law; he is fluent in French, English, and Kinyarwanda.