Phil has a strong grounding in the financial sector, which has formed the basis of a broad commercial business career. He is currently a professional director, chairman and investor, with interests in a range of industries such as construction, wholesale and distribution, horticulture and import/export. Phil’s passion for business development, combined with extensive senior management experience, allows him to successfully tailor governance, organisational capability, and strategic management solutions for Hagar’s operations. Phil’s passion for supporting charities is demonstrated in his numerous Chairman and Board commitments to Charitable Trusts.

Dr. iur., LL.M.
Until 2020, Dr. Peter Hess was a practising lawyer and partner at Reichlin Hess Ltd. in Zug, Switzerland. Dr Hess completed his postgraduate studies in law at Columbia University, New York. Dr Hess also made a significant contribution to the community through his political involvement, having served in local government, from 1983 to 2003, in the Federal Parliament, becoming Speaker of Parliament from 2000 to 2001.

Professional activities
Attorney-at-law / Notary Public for the Canton of Zug / Switzerland
Partner in the law offices Reichlin Hess AG, Zug / Switzerland (www.reichlinhess.ch)

Public activities
– Member of the legislative of the City of Zug 1979 – 1982
– Member of the Federal Parliament (House of Representatives / Nationalrat): 1983 – 2003
– President of the Christian-Democratic-Group of the Federal Assembly 1991-1998
– Member of the finance committee of the Nationalrat 1991 – 2003 (President 1996/1997)
– Speaker of the Nationalrat (2000/2001)

Connie Ridley has a background in banking, finance and securitization and has worked in Australia, the US and several Pacific Island nations. She is passionate about social justice and committed to bringing change to vulnerable people and communities in Australia and overseas.

For the past 30 years Connie has used her experience in finance to serve not for profits organisations in roles such as Board Member of Library for All, recently concluded 15 years as a Board member of Opportunity International and previously served for 22 years as a Board member of Emerge Women’s and Children’s Network including serving as Chair for 8 years. She has been awarded Honourary Life Governor of the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

Andrew has extensive experience in the international development sector having lived and worked for over 20 years in Asia, the Pacific, Africa, the Middle East and South America. He has a proven track record of leading organizations to grow and tangibly impact the lives of vulnerable children, youth, men and women. Andrew has worked for non-governmental organizations including World Vision and Build On and for the consulting company Hassall GHD, successfully securing and implementing large scale international development projects for a wide variety of donors. Andrew has 10 years’ experience as a Country Director in Senegal and the Solomon Islands, and he has been a Board Member of the Solomon Islands Development Services Exchange and Board Chair of the microfinance institution Vision Fund. Andrew holds a PhD focused on effective community development approaches in Vietnam and he has also been a master’s degree lecturer at RMIT University, Melbourne, in the courses of project design, monitoring, evaluation and gender, subjects he has a strong passion for.

Anne is a Chartered Accountant with more than 20 years experience in sectors including aviation, telecommunications, media and not for profit.  She has a diverse range of skills and experience having led finance functions for large established organisations as well as having set up governance, commercial and finance processes from the ground up. Anne’s career in the commercial sector included senior roles with Ernst and Young, Air New Zealand, Telecom New Zealand and Dentsu Aegis. Since transitioning to the not for profit section she has held senior roles with the Community Broadcasting Foundation (financing community media) and ygap (supporting underestimated entrepreneurs). She is currently the Treasurer and a Committee Member of the International Detention Coalition (advocating to eliminate detention of refugees).

Peter has over 20 years of international development experience across Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia working with World Vision, Concern Worldwide, Tearfund, Engineers without Borders and most recently the Brotherhood of St Laurence. As Asia Regional Director of Concern Peter managed country programs, across South and South East Asia, in livelihood security, HIV/AIDS, education, governance and advocacy. At World Vision Australia Peter led technical specialist teams in economic development, WASH, health, food security, gender and child protection, as well as the research and evaluation unit. Recently Peter has focused on the employment and community services sector in Australia, in the context of COVID-19 impact. His journey has also included work as an NGO strategy consultant, leading a technology start-up in developing an innovative solution to better safeguarding compliance and a social enterprise enabling refugees and asylum seekers to pursue professional careers in Australia. Peter has been a Board Member for Habitat for Humanity Australia and a lecturer of International Development Masters programs.

Deborah is a lawyer, originally from New Zealand, with extensive experience in both private practice and the non-profit sector, having worked in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Switzerland, and New York.

Deborah’s focus throughout her career as a human rights lawyer has been progressing justice for the oppressed, persecuted and vulnerable. She has extensive experience in the area of refugee law and forced migration, including a period working with the UNHCR in Hong Kong, as well as in the areas of gender-based violence, human trafficking and modern slavery. Deborah joined Hagar in 2016 to lead a legal capacity building project in Cambodia, and has since been leading Hagar’s rule of law and capacity-building projects.

Deborah has also worked as a senior employment lawyer in private practice, including working for global law firm, Linklaters, where she also managed the Pro Bono Practice for the Hong Kong office.

Deborah holds qualifications to practice in New Zealand, Australia (NSW), Hong Kong and the United States (New York). Deborah also hold a Masters of Law from the Geneva Academy of International Human Rights Law and Humanitarian Law.

Sreyna Sam has 18 years working in international organizations in Cambodia, as well as 9 years teaching in Christian ministries and Bible Schools. For 17 years, she worked with Hagar International in Cambodia in the areas of aftercare program services, institutional and community recovery for the survivors of human trafficking, slavery, and abuse, and supporting program teams to ensure that high-quality services are provided to survivors.

Since beginning her journey in Hagar as a counselor, she has advanced to roles in management and senior leadership. Sreyna’s skills have been honed over the years through working within government ministries and organizational partners, assisting and building their capacity.

Sreyna holds two Masters degrees, in Business Administration and Social Work. Sreyna’s own personal experience with trauma from war, discrimination, and the hardship that comes with deep poverty has deeply affected her outlook on life and has greatly influenced her approach to the care of survivors. Her belief in the fundamental value of love and hope guides how she lives her life. Sreyna’s joy comes from seeing the broken lives of survivors restored so they can achieve their dreams, just like she is doing right now.

Rohullah Ahmadi has over eight years of experience working with various civil society organizations and different governmental, national, and international not-for-profit organizations in 17 provinces of Afghanistan. He has been on the team at Hagar International Afghanistan since October 2016, first as a training coordinator on the counter-trafficking project and then as Project Manager for the Combating Human Trafficking in Afghanistan, Support to Shelter, and Boy’s Protection Center (FNM) projects. Rohullah Ahmadi worked with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and conducted a short-term assessment of the counter-trafficking project in Afghanistan. 

He is currently Acting Country Director at Hagar Afghanistan. His primary responsibility is contributing to and developing quality grant applications, supporting and giving guidance to project managers for quality services, and strengthening relationships with relevant stakeholders. Besides this, Rohullah Ahmadi has extensive teaching experience in private and governmental universities. 

Rohullah Ahmadi completed his master’s degree in Economics from Osmania University, Hyderabad, India, in 2016 and studied B. Commerce from Nangarhar University, Afghanistan in 2013.

Thuy has over 23 years of experience working in international development with local government agencies, mass organizations and international not-for-profit organizations. She has managed development programs in many sectors including small business development, early childcare and development, nutrition and health, water and sanitation, livelihood development, disaster risk reduction, community capacity and values building and ending violence against children and human-trafficking,

Thuy most recently worked for World Vision Vietnam for more than 18 years and was a Zonal Programs Manager responsible for programs in North-West Vietnam, with more than 50 staff. She also worked for the Yen Bai Women’s Union- a key Hagar Vietnam partner. She is skilled in program management, team and people management, government and partner relations, and resource mobilisation to support the most vulnerable, especially women and children in disadvantaged areas.

Thuy holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from Southern Luzon State University in the Philippines. In addition she holds Bachelor degrees in Foreign Languages and Sociology. She is also completing her Master Degree in Psychology and has a keen interest in physiological approaches to development including trauma informed care. 

Thelma has an educational and professional background in Human Resources (HR) Management, Organizational Development, Leadership & Management, and Business Entrepreneurship. Most recently, she has been a freelance HR & support services consultant, supporting various non-government organizations (NGOs) and private companies in the Solomon Islands. Thelma also has more than 10 years of experience working with international non-government organizations (INGOs) and the private sector, successfully implementing a variety of donor-funded programs. Thelma has held senior leadership roles for more than 10 years, providing technical support to senior management teams, Pacific leadership teams, and partners in-country and across the Pacific region, including providing support for strategy development and execution. Her last role was as Director of HR & Organizational Development at Oxfam Pacific, which included a strong focus on investing in Pacific leadership to enable local leaders to have a strong voice within the region. This was a very rewarding role for both Thelma and the wider Oxfam team.

Thelma is excited to join the diverse and skilled team at Hagar International and HOPE Trust in the Solomon Islands and to contribute to our important shared mission to help combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children in the Solomon Islands.

Michael joined Hagar Singapore as Executive Director in 2013, after spending more than 14 years serving in the international humanitarian sector. No stranger to global poverty issues and social injustice in the developing world, Michael brings extensive programme and executive experience having provided direct oversight to numerous global development projects in about 25 countries worldwide.

Kate has enjoyed a 30 year-long career in the not for profit sector, as a fundraiser and marketer, CEO and independent consultant as well as spending several years working for local government. With specific skills in all forms of fundraising, governance and change management, Kate has advised hundreds of charities during her career and has career fundraising to date of more than $15 million.  Kate was recognised for her contributions to health and governance in New Zealand, in the 2016 New Year’s Honours, being awarded as an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit. Kate has sat on numerous Boards and Chaired several, as well as sitting on a number of government advisory committees and acting as a business mentor through Mentors NZ. Kate is a licensed celebrant, published author, mother to three grown children and grandmother to four active boys.

Shelagh has been recruited to launch Hagar International in the UK. 

With over 35 years in fundraising, marketing and comms, she has a deep knowledge of all fundraising streams, and the UK giving arena.  She has held senior roles in the commercial and not for profit sector, raising funds for charities working in health, the elderly, disability, children, heritage and conservation.  She has personally secured multimillion pound partnerships and built high performing teams, to deliver new fundraising streams which deliver the highest returns, with strong focus on partnerships and high quality supporter stewardship.

Shelagh has volunteered for numerous charities, giving guidance and strategic direction to new and struggling organisations.  She also helps raise funds for disadvantaged children to access the arts in her local community.   In her last role she launched a new UK charity, which now generates just under US$2 million a year.

Having been made aware of the incredible work Hagar International does, in transforming the lives of survivors of trafficking, slavery and abuse, working with the Hagar UK trustees, Shelagh will establish a team in the UK, informing grant makers, corporates and individuals of the life changing impact their support will have in in helping some of the most disadvantaged in society.

Paul comes to Hagar with 20 years experience in the not-for-profit sector including 10 years in senior leadership within a highly respected INGO in Melbourne. At Tearfund Australia, Paul was responsible for all supporter engagement including fundraising, advocacy, education, communications and church and community engagement. Paul is the Founder of The Justice Conference in Australia and the Director of The Justice Conference Global.  He has also sat on the board of a number of advocacy coalitions including Micah Australia. Paul is passionate about challenging people to move beyond charity to engage with the systems of oppression that perpetuate injustice. His broad experience across these various portfolios positions him well for the next season of Hagar’s growth and influence.

Patrick has been working part-time for Hagar since January 2023. He is also part-time employed by the Denk an mich Foundation as Deputy Executive Director and Head of Fundraising. Patrick has been involved in various associations and organizations for many years, always taking on the role of Head of Marketing, Communication, and Fundraising.

Patrick studied political science, constitutional law, and Swiss history and completed a postgraduate degree in fundraising management in 2018. He acquired his passion for politics and social aspects during his studies and has not lost it since. Thus, he was a local councillor in the parliament of the city of Zurich from 2011–2022, ran for the National Council in 2019, and continues to be politically involved in his municipality as an electoral office president.

The population and institutions in Switzerland have a great deal of awareness when it comes to combating human trafficking and slavery. This is exactly where Patrick wants to bring his years of experience in public and institutional fundraising to raise resources for Hagar International’s projects.

Lisa has more than a decade of experience in the NGO space, both in programme design and delivery, and development, and also fundraising with organisations across the globe.

Having spent years living in both London and Hong Kong, Lisa has held senior leadership positions with a focus on building exceptional teams, delivering high quality partner stewardship, large-scale fundraising events, and optimising team and organisation operations.

In her most recent role at The Women’s Foundation Hong Kong, against the backdrop of several challenging years in the city, Lisa and her team launched a series of fully virtual fundraising events, each reaching almost 1,000 attendees online, alongside launching an NFT collection to raise funds and awareness for the organisation.

Lisa brings with her a deep drive to support societies most marginalised communities with a particular heart for women and girls and is delighted to be bringing these skills and experience to Hagar.