Our Board of Directors in the United States serves as advocates and ambassadors for the work of Help a Child. We aim to support Help a Child through donor communications, fiscal oversight, and long and short-term planning in the United States.
Andries Schuttinga, CEO, Red een Kind
Andries Schuttinga is the current managing director of Red een Kind in the Netherlands. In 2016 Red een Kind, through its local partner organizations, benefited more than 110,000 children in 11 countries in Africa and Asia through sponsorship programs, education, career training, HIV/AIDS prevention & patient care and emergency & disaster relief. More than 20,000 people, 574 churches, 139 schools, 175 businesses and 29 foundations make our work possible. Among their number are about 8000 sponsors who have contact with a child or family taking part in one of our programs.
Bethany Sherstad, Administrative Manager, HAC USA
Bethany Sherstad has been managing Help a Child USA since 2018. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Education, and has been volunteering and working in the nonprofit sector since 2008.
Bethany lives near Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband Darrin and their three children.
Dr. Elizabeth Wachira, HAC USA Board of Directors
Dr. Elizabeth Wachira is a “small town girl” living in a great big world that she desires to impact positively through everything she does. “Dr. E” is an Associate Professor and Public Health Program Director at Texas A&M University- Commerce, and co-Founder of the Youth Engagement Society whose vision is to engage, inspire and empower youth to live a life of fulfilled aspirations. She desires that everyone live a purpose-driven life where their passion and talents intersect to impact their community. Having navigated the challenges in discovering her purpose and authenticity, she strives to facilitate and celebrate this discovery for others. True to her love for conversations and spaces that empower, her goal is to inspire honest, bold and authentic living. By facilitating conversations that tackle common self-discovery challenges in the streets called life, her Talks With E platform, youth talk sessions and Becoming book club aim to empower and celebrate those living life in a way that refuses being a replica and embraces originality boldly. When not teaching or working in the community, you can find her at a local coffee shop with a book in hand or at a thrift store hunting for the next hidden treasure.
Adrian Cook, HAC USA Board of Directors
Adrian Cook is the Director of Research and Evaluation at The Rees-Jones Foundation, a North Texas and global grantmaking organization. Adrian heads up analysis into the areas of giving of the Foundation which include child welfare, youth development, mental health, and global issues. He also guides benchmarking and evaluation of the Foundation’s grantmaking.
Adrian graduated from Texas Tech University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in International Economics. Additionally he has a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Arts in Applied Economics from Southern Methodist University. Prior to working at the Foundation Adrian was an economist with the United States Department of Labor.
Adrian participates in the ministries of Highland Park Presbyterian Church, notably international missions and church planting. Additionally he is on the board of three international non-profit organizations which serve youth and families in Africa.
Adrian resides in Dallas, Texas and Nairobi, Kenya with his wife Jane.
Craig Hammon, HAC USA Board of Directors
Craig Hammon serves as a Consultant in Philanthropy—to foundations, major donors, and nonprofit organizations. He is retired from a career of senior administrative positions with a number of faith-based liberal arts colleges and seminaries, World Vision, and CURE International. He has traveled to 55 countries and made over 50 trips to Africa. He continues to serve as Board Chair of Kijabe Children’s Education Fund (KCEFund.org), on the Advisory Board of Education for all Children and the Board of New England Mission Foundation.
Craig lives with his wife Margot in the Boston area, in close proximity to their three daughters and their families, including five grandchildren.
David Karelse, HAC USA Board of Directors
David is the founder of Karelse Recruitment. He is a graduate of the Amsterdam School of Finance. He started his career as a corporate management trainee for one of the leading European financial institutes where he led high profile projects in several different European countries. In 2007 he started in the recruitment sector in the Netherlands after having lived and worked in the United States for a number of years.
David is specialized in supporting national and international NGOs in recruiting high quality professionals. He is passionate about partnering with organizations that seek to help the most vulnerable.
David is married to Tami. They have 5 children and live in the eastern part of the Netherlands.