Ellie von wellshEIm
Founder & Executive Director

Ellie is an entrepreneur, artist, business owner and long-time activist. In 2011, she founded The MoonCatcher Project after learning about the plight of girls in poor communities who often drop out of school at puberty because they have no means to manage their periods.  She is a long-time resident of Schenectady, New York where she lives with her husband and where they raised two children together.

Charlotte Mack
ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Charlotte is an Art Educator living in Schenectady, NY. Since graduating from Bard College she has been working in the nonprofit art world as an instructor, administrative assistant, operations manager and consultant. She is a former Board Member and has been involved with MCP for many years . She has participated in two delegation visits to Malawi with Ellie.

Phoebe Nabwami
Coordinator, MoonCatcher Project Uganda

Phoebe is our partner in Uganda. She is an educator and has worked with the MoonCatcher Project since 2014. Since that time, she has helped to establish four sewing cooperatives and one soap-making cooperative.

Board of Directors
Officers

Board Members

Olipa Kamanga
Coordinator, MoonCatcher Project Malawi

Olipa is our partner in Malawi. She oversees three MoonCatcher sewing cooperatives, distributes kits to school girls and teaches the MoonCatcher curriculum.

Jacky Okoth
Coordinator, MoonCatcher Project Kenya

Jacky coordinates all activities of The MoonCatcher Project in Kenya.

Ruchika Jaggi
Consultant, MoonCatcher Project India

Ruchika Jaggi, of the Shashi Kiran Charitable Trust, lives in New York, NY and travels frequently to India. She directs all activities of The MoonCatcher Project in India.

Linda Wistar
Board President

Linda is a retired School Administrator who lives in
Slingerlands, NY.

John Doyle
Board Treasurer

John is a retired attorney -- his practice focused on environmental, native and nonprofit issues.  He lives near Walker Valley, New York, where he tends blueberries and paw paws.

Laura Dunn
Board Secretary

Laura is a program director for the Riley’s Way Foundation and lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Kelly Cousins

Kelly is on the management team of NARAL Pro-Choice America. She has a Master's Degree in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco. Kelly is originally from the Schenectady region and currently lives in Washington, DC.

Anna Gorman

Anna is a Program Officer at the AC & JC Foundation, a private family foundation based in New York City. Anna brings over 10 years of experience in nonprofit management, public-private partnerships, and government administration with a particular focus on programs and services related to public health and economic empowerment. She lives in New York's Hudson Valley.

Agnes Pala-Bukhala

Agnes is a Domestic Violence Program Specialist and Adjunct Professor living in Clifton Park, New York. Agnes is originally from Kenya.

Raeesa Waheed

Raeesa is an Equal Opportunity Specialist with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and lives in Niskayuna, NY.