Tearfund Ambassadors
These are a small group of high-profile supporters who use their platform to raise awareness of Tearfund’s work. Our Ambassadors commit to helping us achieve our goals by supporting campaigns, fundraising and events.
Tearfund Executive Team
These are Tearfund’s most senior staff members who provide strategic and operational leadership. They set goals, develop our strategy and ensure it is executed effectively.
Nigel Harris
Chief Executive
Nigel became Tearfund’s chief executive in November 2015. Previously, he was chief executive of Farm Africa, a rural development NGO focused on east Africa. Before that he was chief of staff at Save the Children UK. Nigel is married to Teresa and they have two children. He is an active member of St Michael's Church, Southfields in London.
Jane Pleace
Global Fundraising Director
Bringing her experience of developing fundraising and communications strategies, Jane is responsible for raising the income that enables Tearfund to work with churches and partners in poor communities around the world. Before joining Tearfund, Jane led fundraising teams at charities including World Vision, Oxfam and United Bible Societies. She lives in Somerset and enjoys worshipping at Bath Abbey.
Veena O'Sullivan
International Director
Veena has worked for Tearfund for over 20 years. Veena is from India and worked in the HIV sector there prior to joining Tearfund. She was leading Tearfund's work in Asia before becoming the head of Tearfund’s International Group in 2021. Veena is married to Gavan and they have two sons. They are members of the Corrymeela community in Ireland.
Ruth Valerio
Global Advocacy and Influencing Director
Ruth’s group mobilises churches around the world to tackle poverty and injustice by pushing for change at a governmental and institutional level. She was previously Churches and Theology Director at A Rocha UK. An in-demand speaker and author, Ruth lives in Chichester with her family and is a member of Revelation Church.
Catriona Dejean
Director of Strategy and Impact
Catriona has worked in Tearfund across the areas of impact and strategy for the past decade. She has previously worked as an environmental consultant in the private sector, and in the social enterprise sector, providing advice to UK and international clients. She has also worked for World Vision on strategy and global development programmes. Catriona and her husband worship at a church in Eastbourne.
Tim Morris
Interim Finance Director
Tim is an experienced finance leader, with a strong commercial background. He has served a number of international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) and philanthropic agencies at CFO/COO level. Tim combines core financial competence with a detailed knowledge of the philanthropic space and a strong sense of organisational purpose. Tim has a BSC in Economics from Bristol University, is a chartered management accountant and has an MBA from Cranfield.
Board Of Trustee Directors
Tearfund relies on the counsel of our board members, who come from a range of backgrounds and share our passion for seeing people released from material and spiritual poverty wherever we work.
Anna Laszlo
Chair of the Board
Anna worked as a civil servant in the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for many years, including posts in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Since then she has trained as a facilitator, coach and workplace mediator, and has also built up experience in charity governance. She is married to David and they have six children. They worship at St Matthew's Church, Cheltenham.
Stephanie Biden
Chair of the Safeguarding Committee
Stephanie is a partner in the charity and social enterprise team at Bates Wells, one of the leading law firms in the UK advising NGOs. She has extensive experience as a charity trustee, having served on the boards of a range of organisations, from small start-ups to larger Christian charities and mission agencies, such as Stewardship and OMF International (UK).
Jayakumar Christian
Jayakumar is well known for his 30-year involvement with World Vision. He was National Director for World Vision India for eleven years, before becoming World Vision's global Partnership Leader for Faith and Development from 2015 to 2017. He is the author of the book God of the Empty-handed and many articles related to poverty, urban missions, powerlessness, leadership and integrity. He has also taught in a number of theological seminaries. Jayakumar and his wife Vidhya are based in Chennai (India) and worship in Emmanuel Methodist Church.
John Davidson
Interim Chair of the Audit Risk and Finance Committee
John has more than 30 years of practice in international corporate and commercial law, including 15 years as a partner in Hogan Lovells, and ten years as a member of the group executive committee of SABMiller plc, where he was responsible for legal and corporate affairs, including sustainable economic development, and health and safety. John is currently Chair of The MacDaibhidh Charitable Trust and a trustee of the Tisbury Telegraph Trust. He and his wife have been financial supporters of Tearfund since they were married in 1985, and they have worshipped at St Paul’s Church, St Albans since 1995. Since January 2020, John has been a trustee of Tearfund USA, a member of the Tearfund family, and he is also an investor in, and a non-executive director of, a number of small and medium sized businesses in Ireland, Kenya, South Africa, and the UK.
Catherine De Souza
Chair of the Theology Committee
Catherine is a pastor with the Elim Pentecostal movement. Her ministry over the last 15 years has involved church leadership and the charity sector. Catherine and her husband Dominic are the Senior Leaders of City Church Cardiff, a multi-generational and multi-ethnic Pentecostal church. She co-chairs the Elim Justice Forum; serves on Elim’s Regional Leadership Team in Wales, is a member of the Evangelical Alliance Council, and is Kyria Network's National Leader for Wales. She is passionate about inspiring and equipping the church to challenge injustice and transform society. Catherine and her husband have two young daughters.
Sally Jones-Evans
Chair of Board Development Committee
Sally enjoyed a 30 year career in retail banking. During a career break, she had two life changing assignments including volunteering in Tanzania with Tearfund, which led to a Masters in International Development. Since then she served as a non executive member on the Board of the Department for International Development (DFID), through to its merger with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in September 2020. She is the Chair of the Board of Principality Building Society and is also a Non-Executive Director on the boards of Hafren Dyfrydwy Ltd (a Welsh water company, part of the Severn Trent Group).
Dr Stanley Arumugam
Chair of the People and Culture Committee
Stanley has worked in the corporate, public and non-profit sectors over the past 30 years in roles of organisational psychologist, executive coach and leadership consultant. Stanley served as International Director for HR, OD & Governance at ActionAid International. He is currently based in Johannesburg, South Africa as an independent consultant and coach to human rights non-profits. Stanley is also a local preacher of the Methodist Church working with churches as a Christian Psychologist and Spiritual Director.
Jean Paul Ndagijimana
Chair of the International Impact Committee
Jean Paul has more than 25 years of leadership experience in profit, not-for-profit and civil society settings. He has served as a Senior Consultant for KPMG and also as a Country Director, Regional Director and Continental Director for a variety of international non-profit organisations (including World Relief, Clinton Foundation, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa). Jean Paul has served as an elder for Nairobi Chapel and is now a pastor for Hope Evangelical Church in Kigali, Rwanda.
Yemi Odusolu
Chair of The Well Committee
Yemi, a former Banker and Consultant, is the Lead Pastor of Trinity Chapel in Beckton, East London and is an Area Pastor within the RCCG UK network. Yemi has been a committed Church builder for more than 25 years. He is passionate about teaching the Gospel and seeks to empower people, shaping and impacting society. Yemi previously had an extensive career in the financial services sector, both in the UK and Nigeria. He is married to Adejumoke, who is the Family Life Pastor of Trinity Chapel.
Harry Phinda
With a background in international relations, Harry has worked as a Policy Advisor to the UK Government, Parliament and numerous international organisations. Harry served on the UNICEF UK board for eight years as their special advisor on youth. He is a co-founder of Youth for Change, a global youth advocacy organisation which tackles female genital mutilation and early forced marriage. Harry and his wife are members of Hillsong Church in Croydon and play an active role in the leadership team.
David Wesson
Chair of the Supporter Engagement and Fundraising Committee
David has worked in the private sector for most of his career, where his roles have focused on brand, marketing and customer experience, including as Trading Director for Virgin Retail. David has more recently served in non-profits, as Managing Director of the Legatum Institute and CEO of City Gateway, where he remains on the Board. David attends St Luke's church in Kentish Town with his wife Fatima and their three children.
John Shaw
Interim Treasurer
John is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and has had an extensive career in both the public and charity sectors, with considerable experience in senior financial and general management roles. He is a Trustee and active volunteer with his local Foodbank. John is also a Methodist Local Preacher in the Vale of Aylesbury circuit and he and his wife, Elizabeth, are members of Wendover Free Church.
Tearfund Regional Directors
Prabu Deepan
Asia
Prabu has been working with Tearfund since 2013 in various capacities, including providing technical support and leadership on our sexual and gender-based violence work across multiple countries. He was leading Tearfund's Gender and Protection Unit, and subsequently the Thematic Support Team, before taking on his current role of overseeing Tearfund’s work across Asia. Prabu is an alumnus of Tearfund's Inspired Individual programme, and is currently based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Rosa Camargo de Bravo
Latin American and Caribbean
Rosa has been with Tearfund since 1998. She started out working for the Andean countries, and became the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean in April 2018. Prior to Tearfund, Rosa served as a consultant for various international organisations and as a manager for NGOs. Rosa is married to the pastor and missionary Hernan Bravo and has two children and two grandchildren.
Hebdavi Kyeya
East and Central Africa
After serving Tearfund in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan for a number of years, Hebdavi is now the Regional Director for Tearfund’s East and Central African region based in Kigali, Rwanda. Hebdavi is a devoted Christian, husband and father of three daughters. He’s a passionate humanitarian and development worker, committed to alleviating poverty. Working in this sector is a divine calling for him. He believes in a better tomorrow for Africa through the empowerment of young people today.
Gbati Kossi AGBO
West Africa
Kossi became the West Africa Regional Director in May 2019. He joined Tearfund in 2013 as the Programme Coordinator for Mali, and subsequently became the Country Director for Mali. Previously, he has held leadership positions in a small Christian NGO and Compassion International in Togo, and has also held several consultancy roles for SEL France. Kossi is married to Pascaline and they have three children. He attends the Assemblies Of God Church, Temple des Oliviers, Cocody-Palmeraie in Abidjan.
Jennipher Sakala
Southern and East Africa
Jennipher joined Tearfund as the cluster lead for Southern and East Africa in September 2018.
Claire Tiffen
Eurasia and North Africa
Claire first worked for Tearfund in 2009, working in South Sudan, DRC and Afghanistan. Claire led Tearfund’s Humanitarian set-ups in north-east Nigeria and Nepal. Claire has also lived and worked in the Middle East when working for another charity. Claire has stepped in to cover the Regional Director role while we work hard to find someone from the region in the longer term.
