OUR TEAM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chair
FRANCESCO SILENZI
Francesco is a Pediatrician. He works in the Emergency Department and at the Pediatric Trauma Center of the Meyer Hospital in Florence. Since 2011 he has been part of the multidisciplinary team against abuse and mistreatment of children and adolescents. Since 2020 he has been a board member of the C.I.S .M A I. Italian Coordination of Services against Child Maltreatment and Abuse and a member of the leading international organisations in the field of Child Protection.
Francesco has had a great passion for Ethiopia for over 15 years. First in a personal capacity and then as president and founder of "Engera". Together with friends, colleagues, nurses, midwives, and volunteers, he carries out and coordinates missions several times a year in rural areas of Ethiopia to protect maternal and child health. He has always felt a commitment to protect the weakest, which has deepened professionally and personally over time.
Vice Chair
GIUSEPPE INDOLFI
Giuseppe is an active paediatrician and Professor of Pediatrics. He started his activity in Ethiopia in 2005. He considers Ethiopia his second home. Passion and science are the underlying motives of his clinical work with Ethiopian children.
Treasurer
FILIPPO BIANCO
Filippo is a Managing Director for UBS Investment bank with broad responsibilities across Europe. He holds four degrees in Business Administration and speaks five languages fluently. Filippo has lived across Europe and US but also extensively travelled in more than 90 countries.Filippo travelled for the first time in Ethiopia in 2011, and since then, he has collaborated with Engera. He brings passion, a love for Africa and international experience. He is married with three children.
Secretary
COLLEEN MCKENNA
Colleen McKenna serves as executive director of the AJA Foundation. She is a strategic and innovative marketing professional with more than 20 years of diverse experience spanning the tech and non-profit sectors. She is a skilled leader with a proven track record of designing and implementing integrated marketing programs and global public relations strategies to engage consumers.
DUCCIO PETROCCHI
Duccio is a senior leader at Microsoft EMEA holding a role as Global Solution Specialist. He holds a Master degree in Business and Economics from the University of Florence. He lived in Australia and the UK and is now settled in Milan, Italy. He speaks three languages fluently and participated in a mission to Ethiopia with Engera in 2008. He practiced rowing at professional level and loves sailing, playing rugby and skiing in his free time. He is married with two kids.
Board Member
WUBREST BEKELE
Wubrest T. Bekele is a passionate medical doctor with over five years of experience in hospitals, health media ventures, and health policy work at the Federal Ministry of Health of Ethiopia. Dr. Bekele holds a Doctorate Degree in Medicine from Addis Ababa University College of Health Science and has received the "Celebrating Women in Medicine 2020" award issued by the Ethiopian Medical Women Association for her outstanding dedication, contributions, and achievements in the field.
Currently she is pursuing dual postgraduate studies in Medical Law and Healthcare Management at the University of Law in the UK and Yale University. Dr. Bekele's interests lies in childhood cancer and orphan care, for which she volunteers in research, evidence generation, and policy advocacy with government institutions and NGOs.
.jpg)
Board Member
Tammy Muto
Tammy, a seasoned entrepreneur with a wealth of business knowledge, has been serving as the CEO of Greater Austin Moving, a Texas-based company specializing in moving, storage, and comprehensive home support services, since 2015. Recently relocated to Florence, Italy, Tammy is eager to leverage her extensive business acumen in new and inspiring ways.
In 2023, Tammy assumed the role of Director at Engera, driven by her commitment to utilize her business experience, particularly her project management skills, in support of Engera USA's goals to improve healthcare in rural Ethiopia.
Board Member
Jennifer Gaymu
Jennifer Gaymu is a finance executive with over 20 years of experience of leading financial teams in public and private companies within the United States. Jennifer obtained her MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and is a CAIA charter holder. She joined Engera in 2024 and brings fundraising experience along with passion for Engera’s mission. Jennifer lives in the United States with her husband and son.
Board Member
Lydia Pistis
Lydia has been at Engera since May 2022. She joined us from SOAS University of London, where she was a Philanthropy Manager and worked for nine years. She has extensive experience working within the charity and education sector, including raising money for capital campaigns. At SOAS, she was also the lead for fundraising relating to Africa, such as providing scholarships for African students. Lydia is passionate about philanthropy's role in transforming lives and women's empowerment.
.jpg)