Our Team
Workineh Genetu
Country Director, Founder
Workineh is an organic farmer and beekeeper who lives and farms in the Dangla area where both he and Awoke were raised. He was named Ethiopia’s Farmer of the Year from 2007 – 2010 for his progressive farming practices and named a Millenium Man in Ethiopia. Workineh is highly respected by all in the region including officials who recognize the high quality of the Project Ethiopia’s work and by the farmers with whom he has generously shared his agricultural expertise and advice. He has a natural ability to recognize each person’s gifts and to train and encourage work teams for project work. Workineh sees ‘the big picture’, and is a change agent who can help people to be confident and independent as they embrace improvement in their lives.
Awoke Genetu
Project Leader, Founder
Awoke is a former history teacher who holds a university degree in history and currently owns and operates his own tour company in Addis Ababa. Awoke is the ‘can do’ man. Right from the start when Judy and Dennis felt overwhelmed at the logistics of digging a well, Awoke assured them that together they could implement whatever plans would help the community. He is the interface of Project Ethiopia with the government, regional officials, and the supporters. He has a long history of providing guidance and support to people to improve their situation, beginning in his high school days when he organized a group to educate his fellow students on AIDS through plays and posters.
Ethiopia Team
Under Workineh’s direct supervision and leadership, our in-country staff consists of local residents who, in addition to running their own farms, work as well diggers, plumbers, cement masons, carpenters, metal fabricators, and maintenance staff on all Project Ethiopia projects. Because our team live in nearby villages and value the work being done by Project Ethiopia, many have been part of the organization from the very beginning.
Sue Wilkes
Executive Director
Sue joined the Project Ethiopia team in January 2017 having worked for over 25 years in the nonprofit sector in Seattle both as an executive director and a consultant. Her first connection with the Ethiopian community began in 1990 as a volunteer with Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA) in Seattle where she went on to join the staff and work for eleven years. She has also worked with a wide array of health and human service organizations, housing providers, faith-based communities, and coalitions throughout Washington state and around the U.S.
Amy Ephrem
Development & Volunteer Coordinator
Amy joined the Project Ethiopia team in September 2024. A former elementary school teacher, Amy lived in Ethiopia from 2001-2004 teaching English and serving as the Field Business Administrator for CMF International. In addition to her work with Project Ethiopia, Amy also teaches English to immigrants and refugees at Bellevue College. She and her husband Ermias live in Seattle where they spend much of their free time watching their two boys play soccer.
Founders Dennis Wilkins and Judy Sanderman
Upon retiring from their careers in telecommunications and education, Dennis and Judy discovered their new passion – fighting poverty by facilitating community development projects in rural Ethiopia. They enjoyed extensive independent traveling after retirement, always seeking opportunities to be close to the culture and communities where they visited. Motivated by a trip to Ethiopia in 2002, they established Project Ethiopia, which satisfied their desire to be closely connected to the culture and their vision of addressing poverty in rural Ethiopia. In 2018, Dennis passed away in Vancouver, B.C. Judy continues to serve on the board of directors.
Board of Directors
Len Barson, President
Len worked 20 years for The Nature Conservancy, the world’s largest land conservation organization where he lobbied Congress and state governments on conservation issues, worked on state ballot measures across the country relating to land protection, and led an effort to protect sagebrush habitat across 11 western states. Previously, he worked as counsel for the Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Energy and Judiciary Committees of the Washington State Senate. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and received a master’s in law from Georgetown University Law School. Len is currently retired and resides with his wife in Seattle, Washington.
Wossen Mengiste, Vice President
Wossen Mengiste retired from The Boeing Company in 2016 after enjoying a long and gratifying engineering career in multiple disciplines mostly managing and leading highly functional project teams. In his retirement years, he is motivated to offer services to nonprofits in his local community or non-governmental organizations supporting communities in Ethiopia where he was born and raised. Wossen brings a proven leadership experience with extensive background in policies, processes, and procedures. His educational background includes MBA from Seattle University, MA in Industrial Studies from California State University, Los Angeles, and BS in Engineering from California Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Mariko Langan, Secretary
Mariko Langan grew up in North Seattle and has lived in the area most of her life. Some of her main interests are music, art, and the performing arts which have helped spark her interest in many different cultures around the world. She was introduced to Project Ethiopia through childhood friends, and feels honored to be on the board with such dynamic and inspirational board members. When there’s enough time Mariko enjoys broadening the vocabulary of her love-language: food. She also enjoys unexpectedly funny moments with her husband and two kids.
Asamench Afework, Treasurer
Asamenech Afework attended college in the U.S. and went on to work with the City of Seattle Public Utilities for more than 30 years in the finance department. She has served in a volunteer capacity in a number of community organizations including the Ethiopian Community in Seattle and has participated in fundraising efforts to support a variety of health issues including AIDS, breast cancer, and heart disease. As a native of Ethiopia, Asamenech feels a moral obligation to lift up and strengthen rural communities in her home country.
Molly Adolfson
Molly Adolfson is a retired environmental consultant who currently volunteers in the Shoreline School District. She serves on the board of several non-profit and educational organizations in the Puget Sound area. Molly has supported Project Ethiopia for nearly nearly two decades, and is very proud to join the board of directors.
Anteneh Belay
Anteneh Belay joined Project Ethiopia Board in 2023. Anteneh grew up in Ethiopia and is passionate about bringing sustainable change to his country of origin. Anteneh has over 20 years of management experience with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. His work is largely focused on information technology management – using technology to help mission driven organizations achieve their stated mission. Anteneh holds graduate degrees in Management and Organizational Design from Antioch University, Seattle. He received his B.SC in Computer and Software Systems from UW. Anteneh currently resides in Seattle with his wife and two daughters.
Sally Jo Gilbert deVargas
Sally Jo Gilbert de Vargas is a retired, 30-year public school educator and administrator. She is an Associate Minister at Interfaith Community Sanctuary and has served on their Guiding Council for more than 15 years. Sally Jo has been a volunteer, supporter, and member of the Board of Directors of Project Ethiopia since 2005. She is also on the Board of the Suraiya Ataur Medical Clinic that serves women and children in the village of Chondipur, Bangladesh.
Lynnda Laurie
Lynnda was the office manager for a Seattle-based environmental consulting company for 21 years. She met Judy and Dennis through a mutual friend and immediately knew she wanted to be involved. Currently she’s the President/Treasurer of her condominium HOA.
Rob Magnusson
Rob spent eight years working on account management and product development for local area tech companies. He’s now a happily at-home dad, deftly managing two rambunctious little kiddos. Rob and his wife, Brooke, have been Project Ethiopia supporters since 2005 – when Judy and Dennis first shared their inspirational story.