Organizational Structure
The Brick-by-Brick Tigray (BBT) Foundation team is composed of:
Board of
Directors
Serve as the highest governing body of BBT to ensure BBT’s mission, vision and objectives are realized.
Global and Tigray-based Management Teams
Responsible for the day-to-day implementation of BBT’s programs according to the set mission, vision, and objectives.
Tigray Chapter Board
Lead a local team based in Mekelle — the capital city of Tigray. Two representatives from the Tigray Chapter Board will hold seats in the Board of Directors.
Global
Ambassadors
Champion BBT’s vision and use their network and leverage to rally organizations, corporations, and individuals in support of the rebuilding and restoration of Tigray.
Chairman
Dr. Maereg Adhanom
An environmental management expert, Dr Adhanom has worked in various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) for the past 28 years (7 years in Ethiopia, 15 years in other African countries and 6 years in Canada), supporting programs in East and West Africa. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the GSTS-Humanitarian thematic area. Mr. Adhanom is also founder of Wisdom MFI (now Vision Fund Ethiopia) and Kazoza MFI, Burndi.
Deputy Chairwoman & Board Secretary
Dr. Abeba Tesfaye
Dr. Abeba Tesfaye is a molecular biologist with expertise in both scientific research and education. Her impressive career spans prestigious institutions including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). She has also held notable positions at renowned establishments such as Columbia University Medical Center, City University of New York, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Howard University. Dr. Abeba is highly accomplished, with numerous publications and a wealth of valuable experiences.
Deputy Board Member
Dr. Elizabeth Makonnen:
Dr Elizabeth is the founder of ALMAK Eco village Plc, a registered organization in Tigray. With extensive experience in animal nutrition, she has worked for the Ministry of Agriculture in Ethiopia as well as the International Livestock Centre for Africa (later known as IRLI). During her 15-year tenure at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries in Australia, she specialized in diverse fields such as bioinformatics management, integrated pest management (IPM), and rangeland management. In 2009, Dr. Elizabeth successfully opened and managed her own retail business. In 2019, she returned to Tigray, Ethiopia, with the aim of establishing an integrated ecotourism and agricultural enterprise called ALMAK.
Board Member
Professor Solomon Tesfaye MB ChB, MD, FRCP
Dr Tesfaye is a Consultant Physician/Endocrinologist, and Research Director of Diabetes and Endocrinology for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and the University of Sheffield. He is also Visiting Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Adjunct Professor at Xiangya Hospital Central Southern University, China. He is also the founder and honorary President of SHARE (https://www.sharesheffield.org.uk/), an international health link between the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Mekelle in the Tigray region.
Treasurer
Eng. Agazi Berhane
Mr. Berhane is current Manager & Senior Software Engineer at Bloomberg Industries. Agazi has worked in the IT industry for over 25 years.
Head of Communications
Mekonnen Beyene Assefa
Founder and Board Chairman of North Star Business Group & Northern Star Aviation Group, Mr. Assefa is an entrepreneur with experience in sales & marketing, advertising and public relations for over 28 years.
Board Member
Getachew Giday, CPA, MBA
With over 15 years of experience in US financial industry, Mr. Giday is the founder and CEO of GETCO Financial. He is also the founder and managing partner of Nebro TaxAct. Mr. Giday serves as board member of various businesses.
Board Member
Bethlehem Kebede Mekonnen
A seasoned gender and human rights leader, Mrs. Bethlehem has 15 years of work experience working with the United Nations (UN) and INGOs globally (London, Ethiopia, and New York).
Board Member
Professor Elias Siraj MD, Dr. Med., FACP, FACE
Dr Siraj is Professor and Chief of Division of Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders and Associate Dean for Clinical Research at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA. He is also David L. Bernd Distinguished Chair for Cardiovascular and Diabetes Research & Director of Strelitz Diabetes Center. Dr. Siraj currently also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE).
Partners
help implement select BBT projects in collaboration with BBT Tigray and BBT Global