Shimeliss Demissie, Executive Director BS, MS.Ed
The founder of Hope Adoption Agency was born in 1958 in the small rural town of Maji, Ethiopia. During his youth, he attended Maji American Mission Elementary where he was one of the top five students in his class. He then attended Bethel Evangelical Secondary School in Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia. After High School, Shimeliss attended Addis Ababa University for two years where he received a scholarship to attend college at the School of the Ozarks in Branson, Missouri. In 1981, he earned his BS degree in Chemistry and Agribusiness. In 1987, he graduated with a MS Ed from Southwest Missouri State University. He fell in love with America and now lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
As a product of the American Mission Schools, missionaries and loving parents, Shimeliss always knew that caring for people and helping the underprivileged was a top priority in his life. Being both a biological and adoptive parent, Shimeliss has learned what children mean to their parents and vise versa. Families are loving, caring, sharing, understanding and togetherness. This ideology inspired him to create both Children of Africa Enterprises and Hope Adoption Agency.
Through these two organizations, Shimeliss hopes to:
- Facilitate the creation of families for the Ethiopian children through adoption.
- Build orphanages in Ethiopia for children who have lost their parents.
- Raise awareness of situations contributing to the demise of educational opportunities to the children of Ethiopia
- Give Ethiopian children a fair chance at life through both adoption and educational opportunities.
Shewaye Wondimu, Ethiopian Humanitarian Coordinator
Shewaye was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She met Shimeliss through a mutual friend and they were married in 1997 and have two children. Once Shewaye moved to St. Louis, she wanted to find a way to feed, send to school, and take care of the many homeless children in and around Addis Ababa. After much discussion, Faith Children’s Home and Hope Adoption Agency were started.
Donna Kaczmarcryk, Social Work Supervisor, is licensed as a Clinical Social Worker for the State of Missouri. She earned her Master of Social Work and Master of Arts in Education degrees from Washington University in St. Louis, MO with specialized study in family therapy and behavior modification therapy. She has worked with children and families in various capacities including children and family treatment services, residential treatment and respite services, Parents As First Teachers education, and services for children with developmental disabilities. She has additional experience in program development and humanitarian aid. Donna has worked with adoptable families for the past 10 years.
Donna was born and raised in a small town in Connecticut. She has a large extended family. She volunteers with St. Louis community organizations that assist families struggling with life transitions, and that benefit children with special needs.
Laurie Eisenmann, Office Manager has been working in various fields such as banking, government, construction, and adoption for more than 30 years. After many years working in many different fields, Laurie has found her calling assisting families adopt children who desperately need loving homes.
Laurie was born and raised in the St. Louis area and has a large extended family.
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