Janet Dean was inspired by a presentation by our founder, Telile Yoseph, to join Tangible Hope. Now retired, Janet has a background in child development and educational enrichment. She brings her enthusiasm and skills to work on behalf of the girls.

Dove Vallender is the former director of Wells Fargo. In 2007, Dove previously served on the Mental Health Association of San Francisco’s Development Committee. In 2010, she volunteered with Upwardly Global, an organization supporting job mentoring for professionally trained immigrants. She participated in their mentoring program, and sat on the Leadership Council for 4 years focusing on fundraising and Chaired that Committee for 2 of those years.  She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science specializing in International Relations from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

A long-time member of Doctors without borders, Dr. Brian Hertz is a practitioner of family medicine. He specializes in comprehensive health care for people of all ages. Dr. Hertz possesses immense general knowledge on maintaining long term health. He has a sincere interest in providing more care for the underserved and rural populations of the world.

Tadesse Meskele (PhD, PE) is a senior Geotechnical engineer with a Beaverton-based engineering firm in Oregon. He has extensive consulting experience working on a wide variety of high-profile projects throughout the Pacific Northwest. He is a recipient of the 2020 EERI’s (Earthquake Engineering Research Institute) Housner Fellowship and 2021 Oregon State University’s Council of Early Career Engineers. Tadesse holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from Oregon State University, MSc in Water Resources Engineering from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), and BSc in Civil Engineering from Arba Minch University (Ethiopia). Tadesse has always been driven to make a difference in his community. Growing up in Ethiopia, Tadesse walked five miles to school and back each day and understands the many challenges associated with education in Ethiopia. Tadesse brings a well-rounded breadth of perspective, which will significantly contribute to the mission of Tangible Hope Foundation.

Lisa Kristine is an internationally acclaimed humanitarian photographer. For more than 30 years she has documented indigenous peoples and social causes in more than 150 countries across six continents. Her work navigates the emotional landscapes of her subjects and their environments, driving awareness around causes such as human trafficking, indigenous wisdom, and global unity. Lisa is uniquely qualified to support the mission of Tangible Hope

Suzanne Gooch met Telile at a function where she learned about Tangible Hope. They formed a fast friendship and she became the sponsor of two girls. Suzanne is a long time champion for those in need through her philanthropy, animal advocacy and veganism. She spent a year in Trinidad, West Indies volunteering at a trade school for underprivileged teens where she taught health and physical awareness and she worked with veterinarians on the island to set up a spay and neuter program for stray dogs and cats. She believes we can all make a difference through acts of compassion and cooperation directed toward human, animal and environmental issues.

The Tangible Hope model appeals to Suzanne’s sensibilities because it not only empowers and educates girls, it also benefits the girls’ families and builds community. 

She owns Prima Permanent Makeup in Sausalito, CA where she offers cosmetic and paramedical tattooing. She is also a fine artist.