Meet the Staff
Will Nassau
Will is Program Officer for India and the Americas with AJWS Volunteer Corps, responsible for all aspects of volunteer placements, as well as developing NGO partnerships and strategic planning for these regions. Coming to AJWS after nearly four years with InterExchange, Inc., a New York-based public diplomacy group, and a Master’s degree in international affairs from the University of Exeter, Will has a strong interest in international development, human rights and the global NGO community.
Andrea Richardson
Andrea is the Program Officer of Operations for AJWS Individual Service Programs, responsible for administrative aspects of AJWS Volunteer Corps and World Partners Fellowship. Andrea previously served as Program Officer for Southeast Asia with AJWS Volunteer Corps, placing volunteers with NGOs in Thailand and Cambodia. She earned her B.A. in anthropology from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, where an internship teaching English to Southeast Asian refugees inspired her to pursue human rights work. Andrea continues to have a professional interest in the rights of refugees and migrants.
Samantha Wolthuis
Samantha (Sam) Wolthuis is the Associate Director of Service for Individual Service Programs. She is responsible for managing World Partners Fellowship and AJWS Volunteer Corps. Prior to joining AJWS, Sam worked for Family & Children’s Services in Tulsa, Oklahoma and with Princeton in Africa in Princeton, New Jersey. Sam holds a master’s degree in international studies and has lived in Belgium, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and Singapore.
Aseye Ame-Bruce
Aseye is the country consultant for AJWS Service Programs in Ghana. She has worked with Americans for many years in her role as the Assistant Director for study abroad in Ghana at Duke University, where she finds internship and volunteer opportunities for Duke students in Ghana. Aseye also works for Ghana’s TV3 as an editor and graphic designer. Aseye holds a professional diploma in general photography and a certificate in documentary studies with a specialization in editing from Duke University.
Josephine Buruchara
Josephine is the country consultant for AJWS Service Programs in Uganda. She has worked as a Human Resources Manager with Kenya Posts and Telecommunciations and has consulted with the Inter University council of East Africa as a reviewer in selection of post-graduate students for Ford Foundation Scholarships. In addition to her duties with AJWS, Josephine is also a coordinator for Health Volunteers Overseas in Uganda. She has a B.A. in Sociology and Psychology and a masters degree in public administration and management.
Nataporn Ongwisith
Nataporn (a.k.a. Grib) is the country consultant for AJWS Service Programs in Thailand. She has been heavily involved in NGO work in Thailand since 1996 and has focused on NGOs working on issues facing Burmese immigrants. In 1997, Nataporn co-founded MAP Foundation for the Health and Knowledge of Ethnic Labour, and has since worked with many groups, including Friends Without Borders and Shan Women’s Action Network. In addition to her work with AJWS, she currently works in various capacities for Empower Foundation, Institute of Sustainable Development Education Promotion, and Tsunami Action Group. Nataporn holds a B.A. in Economics and a Master’s in Southeast Asian Studies, both from Chiang Mai University.
Sunita Sharma
Sunita is the country consultant for AJWS Service Programs in India. Sunita has been associated with the field of social development for more than 27 years, having worked with national and international development organizations. Prior to her work with AJWS, Sunita worked as Technical Consultant with Plan International for its HIV/AIDS Awareness Package program. She also served as the Country Director of World Education India and the India Country Coordinator for the Institute of International Education. Sunita also worked for CARE India as the Education Sector’s Coordinator for six years. Sunita holds a BA in Humanities and a Masters in Social Sciences. She currently resides in New Delhi with her husband and two children.
Masha Katz
Masha is the Program Officer for Africa in AJWS Volunteer Corps, responsible for all aspects of placing Africa volunteers, developing new partners for volunteer placements and strategizing Volunteer Corps' work in Africa. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in International Studies emphasizing the environment and international development. She spent two years living, studying and volunteering in Israel while in college. Upon her completion of her degree, she volunteered in Uganda with the American Jewish World Service World Partners Fellowship and additionally traveled to Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda. Before coming back to AJWS, Masha was working for Hadassah's Young Judaea Year Course registering and sending 400 recent high school graduates to Israel for a 9 month service and study program.
Dorcus Moo
Dorcus is the Program Officer for Southeast Asia in AJWS Volunteer Corps, responsible for all aspects of placing Southeast Asia volunteers, developing new partners for volunteer placements and strategizing Volunteer Corps' work in Southeast Asia. Prior to joining AJWS, Dorcus worked with the International Rescue Committee in their Refugee Resettlement division. In Thailand, she worked with AJWS grantee EarthRights International as Women's Rights Project Coordinator and founded the Karen Student Network Group (a current AJWS grantee). She has addressed the United Nations in New York, Geneva and South Africa during meetings of the Committee on the Status of Women, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the World Conference Against Racism. Dorcus is currently attending the Graduate Program of International Affairs at New School University.
