USA Board of Directors
Imagine1day is a registered Canadian charity that has been building schools and transforming the quality of education delivery in Ethiopia since 2007, with a goal for all Ethiopians to have access to quality education by 2030.
MARY ANNA NOVECK, Ed.D.
Mary Anna Noveck, Ed.D.
Executive Board Member, Imagine1day
Mary Anna is an accomplished instructional leader with extensive knowledge of research-based practices in the field of education pedagogy with over 25 years of administrative and teaching experience at the kindergarten – university level. Her interest in imagine1day was initially sparked following her first trip to Ethiopia with the imagine1day organization in 2011.
Since that time Mary Anna has traveled to Ethiopia eight times and actively fundraised for several school projects while serving as an imagine1day U.S. Board Member.
Mary Anna earned her B.A. in Communications from Stephens College, her M.Ed. from U.C.L.A.’s Principal Leadership Institute and a Global Executive Ed.D. from the University of Southern California.
FEBEN YOHANNES
Feben Yohannes - Vice President
In 2020, Feben moved on to start DELFE as a boutique A+E and Brokerage firm with a portfolio of work ranging from Luxury Residential Developments to Office Buildings and Hospital Design Projects. On the Brokerage front, Feben’s team take exclusive buyer/seller representation and have thus far successfully closed building and greenfield property sales transactions.
In addition to her professional contribution, Feben’s philanthropic efforts includes her support as the International Board Member of Imagine1Day, a non-profit organization focused on providing quality education in rural Ethiopia. To date,
Imagine1Day has opened 43 schools, impacting the lives of over 200,000 students and their communities. Feben, in conjunction with her Lycee Franco Ethiopien Alumni community, spearheads the fundraising effort for Alemtsehay Breast Cancer Foundation, raising over Birr 5 million through the last three years of its Annual Walk programs.
Feben is a Board Trustee for the African Humanitarian Action (AHA) a non-profit organization focused on supporting refugee and displaced communities in Africa. Feben splits her time between Ethiopia and the US and is the mother of one daughter, 22 year old Delina.
Bettina Trapasso
Bettina Trapasso - Vice President
Bettina has proudly served on both the Canadian and U.S. Boards of Directors for imagine1day, contributing to governance, fundraising, and strategic initiatives. Her involvement includes traveling to Ethiopia to witness firsthand the impact of the organization’s work on the ground—deepening her personal connection to its mission and the communities it serves.
Bettina is married to her high school sweetheart and they have three amazing young children who are the centre of their universe.
Laura Ravo
Laura Ravo
Laura Ravo is an accomplished executive coach, author, and former retail Chief Operating Officer with over three decades of experience leading and transforming iconic retail brands including Macy’s, Victoria’s Secret Beauty, LensCrafters, Oakley, and The Body Shop. Known for blending operational excellence with heart-centered leadership, Laura has built and led high-performing teams through times of growth, disruption, and reinvention.
She is the author of The Power of Grit and Grace: A Woman’s Journey to Putting the Heart Back into Retail Leadership, a compelling reflection on leading with courage, authenticity, and purpose. As COO of SHINE Strategy, Laura empowers bold, resilient leaders to show up with clarity, communicate with impact, and create trust-driven cultures. She also coaches in the networks of Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) and Women of Color Retail Alliance (WOCRA), helping women rise, lead, and thrive.
Laura proudly serves on the boards of Imagine1Day and City Relief, where she channels her deep commitment to service, equity, and human connection. Whether mentoring students, guiding executives, or championing change-makers, her work is grounded in the belief that no one leads alone—and that meaningful impact always starts with people first.
ABDUL HASSEN
Director
Abdul Hassen
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Abdul organized a successful fundraising campaign in his hometown of Jara, Bale, raising funds for local health centers to supply essential medical equipment and sanitary items. He has also worked to improve education and healthcare facilities in the region, lobbying for the proper equipping of newly built schools and medical centers. Abdul is a co-founder of Wabe Ethiopia Integrated Development Association (WEIDA), which focuses on education, healthcare, agriculture, and more in the East Bale Zone of Oromia. Through WEIDA, he has facilitated professional development training for teachers and raised funds for textbooks for high schools.
Abdul has also co-founded the Hiko-Hora Charitable Organization (HHCO), a nonprofit supporting orphans and low-income children with school supplies and financial aid. His commitment to education extends to his role in co-founding the Ph.D. program in Mathematics at Addis Ababa University in 2010, where he continues to teach and advise Ph.D. students. Since 2023, he has served on the International Advisory Board for Kotebe University of Education, helping to improve teacher preparation and educational quality in Ethiopia.
MOLLY MILINKOVICH
Director
Molly Minikovich
Since her first trip with imagine1day in 2017, Molly has been profoundly inspired by the people of Ethiopia and their model of leadership. Her work is guided by a commitment to education that nurtures personal and collective growth. As a member of the US Board of Directors, Molly brings a wealth of experience in community engagement, global education, and transformational leadership, helping to shape the organization’s vision for sustainable impact.
NANCY PERRY
Ambassador
Nancy Perry
For more than fifteen years, I’ve been working to help real people with big lives return to themselves and one another, reignite dreams and possibilities, and give people tools to live lives that inspire them and are centered in love.
My passion is sharing ideas and tools that lead to a more loving relationship with Self and, consequently, the world. In addition to leading at Valor and Live Alive Adventures, I have been blessed to lead transformational leadership work within great organizations like BP, Crown Castle, EY, and lululemon.
Advisory Council Members
Kim Baker
Advisory Council
Kim Baker
Kim is the Senior Director of Peace on Purpose, a program designed to provide humanitarian workers serving on the frontlines of the world’s crises with tools to care for their own mental and physical well-being so they can effectively care for others. A partnership launched with the United Nations Foundation in 2019, in service of the UN, Peace on Purpose has reached over 24,000 frontline workers in 177 countries with its highly curated psychophysiological-backed mindfulness workshops.
Having started her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ukraine, followed by working with the UN in New York City and Kabul, Afghanistan, Kim felt that something was being neglected in the care for humanitarian workers. This calling to bring attention to the well-being of those working on the frontlines has fueled Kim to travel to over 40 locations around the world to deliver the Peace on Purpose program, including several locations across Ethiopia (Gambella, Melkadida, Mekelle & Assosa).
But Kim gives all the credit to Imagine1day for her falling in love with Ethiopia when she first traveled to the country in 2014. She is now excited to channel her experience and love for Ethiopia to support the invaluable work of Imagine1day. Kim holds a Master’s in Public Administration in International Nonprofit Management from New York University.
Welela Makonnen
Advisory Council
Welela Makonnen
Welela Makonnen is a seasoned social responsibility practitioner and consultant with over a decade of experience advancing equity, sustainability, and community impact across the corporate, nonprofit, and academic sectors. As a first-generation Ethiopian American, Welela is deeply committed to uplifting the global Ethiopian community and has led and contributed to initiatives that bridge the diaspora with meaningful development efforts, including her time working at Tsehai Publishers. After a trip with the Imagine1day team in 2019, she witnessed firsthand the organization’s holistic and inclusive approach and pillars of intervention are not only commendable but should serve as a case study for nonprofits seeking integrated and sustainable impact at scale. Welela continues to bring her expertise, heritage, and passion to efforts that empower communities in hopes of creating a more just and connected world.
Welela holds a Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Loyola Marymount University. She also earned a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability and Business from USC Marshall School of Business.
Sandy Manj
Advisory Council
Sandy Manj
Sandy Manj is an equity strategist and organizational leader focused on advancing gender, racial, and economic justice through systems change. Her work sits at the intersection of strategy, equity, and storytelling—focused on shifting the systems that shape how we live and work.
She has led enterprise-wide DEI strategies that drove pay equity, increased leadership representation, and reshaped organizational policy and culture. Her early work with imagine1day in Ethiopia shaped her commitment to community-centered development and equity. Sandy has served on the boards of BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre and Women in International Security, and is the founder of Abbott and Keefer, a slow fashion label exploring the intersections of aesthetics, politics, and justice.
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