Team 1 — Global Roots

Board of Directors

Tahera Hamdani - Board Member

Tahera Hamdani is a visionary leader at the intersection of environmental innovation, financial systems, and social impact. She has over 15 years of experience guiding Fortune 500 companies through large-scale transformation, and has also led efforts to develop nature-based solutions that restore ecosystems and support local livelihoods. As Cofounder and Chief Strategy Officer of Regenerative Resources Co. and former Director of Nature Positive Solutions at PwC, Tahera has helped shape how global institutions respond to biodiversity loss and climate risk. Tahera's broad experience strengthens our work to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable children and help communities build lasting resilience.

James Gearhart - Board Member

Jim is all about ethics, research, and making a difference. Since 2005, he has been a driving force at Quorum Review, serving in leadership roles and contributing to award-winning discussions on medical research policy. Before that, he was a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, working across Thailand, Hong Kong, Uzbekistan, Malta, and Panama. Armed with a degree from the University of Washington's Henry Jackson School, Jim brings a global perspective and a commitment to integrity in all that he does.

Smiling woman with short dark hair, earrings, wearing a black top, against a light-colored background.

Sheila Capastany - Board Chair

Sheila is a strategist with a heart for community. She has spent her career shaping programs that empower families, from public health to early childhood education. As a leader in Best Starts for Kids, she directs funding for initiatives that give young people the best possible start in life. Previously, as Executive Director of Open Arms Perinatal Services, she helped the organization become the first accredited doula program in the U.S. With expertise in policy, planning, and advocacy, Sheila ensures Global Roots stays on the cutting edge of impact.

Mark Buchanan - Board Member

Mark is a brand architect, shaping how people experience some of the world's biggest organizations. At Cisco, he transforms global communication strategies, driving revenue and engagement across 96 countries. Previously, he was the Creative Director at Oregon Public Broadcasting and a key player in PBS's brand leadership team. A UC Berkeley graduate and recipient of top industry awards, Mark's expertise in branding and storytelling helps Global Roots expand its reach and impact.

Clint Montague - Treasurer

From Alaska's Chugach Mountains to Pakistan's Karakoram range, Clint's adventures have shaped his mission to help vulnerable children. A Princeton graduate with a background in economics, consulting, and private equity, he brings sharp financial oversight to Global Roots. His journey led him from Washington, D.C. to Dubai, where he investigated money laundering and terrorist financing, and eventually to MIT Sloan for his MBA. Now, he balances life in Connecticut with his family, raising chickens, hiking, and ensuring Global Roots remains financially strong and transparent.

Fariba Faizy - Director of Livelihoods & Women’s Empowerment

Fariba leads our Livelihoods and Women’s Empowerment work in Afghanistan. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law and a Diploma in Agriculture.She oversees all livelihoods activities, including home gardens, greenhouse projects, and beekeeping initiatives that help families improve food security and income. She also supports women’s participation in program activities and works closely with households to ensure practical, real-life impact.Her work connects directly to families’ daily needs, helping create stability that allows girls to stay in education longer.

Asya Sadid - Director of Partnerships

Asya Sadid serves as Director of Partnerships at Global Roots, where she helps build collaborative relationships that expand access to education and opportunity for vulnerable children and families. With a strong background in community engagement and cross-cultural coordination, Asya works closely with local leaders, nonprofit partners, and supporters to strengthen programs focused on girls’ education, livelihoods, and family support. She is committed to ensuring that communities most affected by conflict and poverty remain at the center of Global Roots’ work.

Mizra Wahaj - Country Director, Afghanistan

Mirza Mohammed Wahaj serves as the Country Director for Global Roots in Afghanistan. He holds a Master’s degree in Natural Resources Management and has extensive experience leading community-based development programs in rural Afghanistan. He oversees all field operations, ensuring that education and livelihoods programs run smoothly and safely. He manages local teams, supports coordination between districts, and works closely with community leaders to ensure programs remain trusted and effective.

Kip Onditi - Vice President of Operations

Kip Onditi serves as the Vice President of Operations at Global Roots. He has a background in education and began his career as a high school teacher, where he developed a strong passion for helping young people learn and grow. At Global Roots, Kip helps oversee daily operations, program coordination, and organizational planning across different projects and countries. He works closely with field teams and leadership staff to help ensure programs run smoothly and continue reaching vulnerable children and families. He is passionate about creating opportunities for girls and children who have been denied access to learning and support.

Executive Leadership

Mary Keruta - Country Director, Kenya

Bailey Varness - Board Member

Bailey Varness is an actress, voice artist, and marketing expert with a passion for storytelling and a deep commitment to social impact. Her work spans theater, film, and award-winning audio projects. Bailey has worked on over 1000 projects for both large and small corporations, including several Fortune 500 companies, and is revolutionizing the commercial industry with her company A-List Marketing experts.

Richard Montgomery - Board Member/Director of Operations

Rick Montgomery is the Founder and Executive Director of Global Roots and also serves on the Board of Directors.Rick's journey started with a passport and a curiosity for the world. As a travel writer and expedition leader, he explored more than 60 countries before a life-changing encounter in Tibet set him on a new path. Mentored by a woman named Tendol Gyalzur who adopted 250 orphaned children in Tibet, he launched Global Roots in 2007 to seek out and support more grassroots humanitarians like Tendol. Under his leadership, the organization has brought education, nutrition, and safety to children in crisis zones—and earned top ratings from the world's largest charity watchdogs.

Mary Keruta is one of the first Maasai girls who came to us for help. She ran away from her Manyatta on the night she was to be subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). With our support, Mary would go on to graduate high school and become one of the first young women in our program to attend university where she earned a teaching degree. Today, 20 years later, she is raising four children of her own and is managing a Global Roots-funded Safe House for Maasai girls who are threatened by FGM. She teaches Maasai girls their legal rights during community outreach sessions and looks forward to teaching school again when her youngest child starts school.

Muslima Hamidi - Director of Girls’ Education

Muslima leads the Girls’ Education program for Global Roots in Afghanistan. She holds a background in Economics and Business Administration (BBA) and has strong experience working directly with communities and schools. She is responsible for overseeing all learning activities for girls aged 11–16, including classroom quality, teacher support, and learning materials. She also works closely with teachers and families to make sure girls are able to continue learning.

Meet our People