Our Team

Our Team

ORIS’s unique strength is its ability to reach, communicate with, and empower refugee and immigrant communities.

ORIS’s multi-lingual staff deploy into the ethnic communities they both live in and serve. ORIS focuses on recruiting staff at all levels that represent the New American Communities in the cities we serve.

Today, ORIS’s staff represent 8 different nationalities and speak a combined 16 languages. ORIS’s 7 member Board of Directors is entirely composed of refugees, immigrants, and first-generation Americans. ORIS is an ethnic community-based organization, with 90% of the staff and board reflecting the ethnicities of the communities that we serve.

Mukhtar Idhow

Executive Director

Mukhtar has led ORIS since its inception in 2005. In this role he harnesses the needs, skills, and dreams of the clients, board, staff, and partner agencies that make up ORIS, to guide the organization along a path true to the community it serves. A native of Somalia, Mr. Idhow attended secondary school in Kenya and worked as the Farm Training Coordinator for the non-profit organization GT2, where he trained refugee camp residents on basic crop production. In the U.S., Mr. Idhow worked as an interpreter for the Manchester Community Health Center and for Southern New Hampshire Services before founding the Somali Bantu Community Association.

Languages

hello
English
haye
Somali
haye
Mai Mai
habari
Kiswahili

Asraa Hisham

Office Director - Worcester

Asraa Hisham manages ORIS’s case management team and brings over 10 years of experience working with immigrants and refugees. She joined ORIS as the Healthy Families program manager, and now oversees that program, along with ORIS’s employment services, and general case management work. Prior to joining ORIS, Asraa worked in different non-profit organizations where she focused on economic development, employment services, and supporting fundraising efforts. She holds a BA in Communication and is a Nationally Certified Arabic Interpreter.

Languages

أهلا
Arabic
hello
English
Philip

Philip Aguot

Bilingual Case Manager & Employment Specialist
Philip Aguot, originally from South Sudan, is a longtime resident of Manchester. Prior to joining ORIS in 2021, Philip G. Aguot served as President of the South Sudan Community of New Hampshire from 2007-2011, Contracts Clerk at Insight Technology in Londonderry, New Hampshire from 2004-2010, contracts administration customer service at L-3 Communication Insight Technology (Now L3 Harris) in Londonderry, New Hampshire from 2010 -2012, Site Superintendent at Mediate Management in Boston, Massachusetts from 2013-2020.  Philip earned his MBA from SNHU.

Languages

أهلا
Arabic
kudual Dinka
hello
English
Alaq Al-Edhari

Alaq Al-Edhari

Bilingual Case Manager

Alaq was born and raised in Baghdad where she studied English Language and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 2008. Following that, Alaq worked for various international non-profit organizations and diplomatic missions for about 12 years. Her focus was supporting Internally Displaced Persons, returnees, and other vulnerable communities through economic opportunities and different social, educational reintegration projects. Alaq joined ORIS as Bilingual Case Manager in 2022.

Languages

hello
English
أهلا
Arabic
Touria Barton

Touria Lyousfi Barton

Healthy Families Program Manager

Touria graduated from Moulay Ismail University in Morocco. In 2001, and after working for the American Peace Corps Organization, Touria moved to the United States where she started a new career as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence and their children at the International Women’s House in Georgia. In 2008, she moved with her family to New Hampshire where she started working at the YWCA, as a culturally specific advocate until 2018. At ORIS, Touria continues to serve refugee and immigrant communities as Case Manager, Advocate, and in her new position as Healthy Families Program Manager.

Languages

bonjour
French
alloe ⴰⵣⵓⵍ Tamazight
alsalam السلام Arabic
hello
English
Zach Condran

Zach Condran

Food Distribution Specialist

Zach plays an essential role at the Fresh Start Food Hub and is responsible for receiving and packaging produce, packing FarmShare and food access boxes, delivering products to customers, and managing inventory and Food Hub logistics. Zach brings a great deal of experience in grocery/retail, merchandising, and customer service to the team.

Languages

hello
English
Allison

Allison Cunningham

Associate Director
Allison Cunningham joined ORIS in 2020 as Associate Director, responsible for program strategy, grants management, fundraising, and operations. Prior to joining the ORIS team, she worked at Facing History and Ourselves, a nonprofit educational organization, where she built the systems and strategies for engaging the international organizations 350+ board members across the world. Allison is also a volunteer consultant for Empower Success Corps, where she serves on consulting teams for other nonprofit organizations’ strategic planning and board development projects. She has a Master’s in Nonprofit Management and has a strong background in supporter engagement, governance, and development.

Languages

hello
English
Emily Filiano

Emily Filiano

Director of Extended Services for New Americans

Emily Filiano joined ORIS in 2022 as Program Design Manager. Emily is responsible for guiding ORIS’s programs through the design life-cycle. She collaborates with staff to plan new programs, establish systems for effective operation, and ensure that programs align with ORIS’s mission, and uphold the integrity of its service model. Emily has a strong background of work with immigrant and refugee communities, and is a qualified medical interpreter. Emily earned a Masters Degree in Social Work at Boston College, where she specialized in Macro Practice, received a certificate in Policy and Community Organizing, and was a member of the Latinx Leadership Initiative. Emily is passionate about racial and cultural equity, and dedicated to promoting human dignity through sustainable systems change.

Languages

hello
English
hola
Spanish

Jamal Gacal

Employment Placement Specialist

Jamal Joined ORIS in 2022 as the Employment Placement Specialist for Worcester MA. Jamal currently attends Quinsigamond Community College majoring in Business Administration.  Jamal comes from a refugee family and understands the challenges newcomers face. He has been assisting refugees in the Worcester community and is dedicated to making the transition easier in whatever way he is able to.

Languages

hello
English
halow
Mai Mai
Azizi Hamayuon

Azizi Hamayuon

Bilingual Case Manager

Azizi’s great passion is to support those who have gone through traumatic/difficult experiences and face barriers carrying out daily activities. Hamayuon Azizi is a Bilingual Case Manager for ORIS in Worcester. At ORIS, he helps his clients, including adults and families, find solutions to their obstacles, and empowers them to live their lives self-sufficiently. Azizi spent 7 years working with the Afghan government and accomplished many projects successfully. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Azizi also helps Afghans socialize with their new community in the US.

Languages

hello
English
سلام
Dari
سلام
Pashto
Savitri Horrigan

Savitri Horrigan

Food Access Manager

Savitri joined ORIS in February 2023 as the Food Access Manager. She manages the Fresh Start Mobile Market, Healthy Corners program, and the Community Ambassador program. Savitri earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Connecticut with a focus in community organizing, and is passionate about immigrant rights, climate justice, racial justice, and health equity. From 2018-2021, she served as the Diversity Awareness Committee Chair for NASW NH and in 2020, she co-founded the BIPOC Social Workers of Northern New England affinity group. In her free time, Savitri enjoys creative writing and her first published short story can be read here.

Languages

hello
English
Wyatt Jozokos

Wyatt Jozokos

Training & Technical Assistance Manager

Wyatt joined ORIS in 2023 as Training and Technical Assistance Manager for the New American Sustainable Agriculture Program (NASAP). Wyatt is responsible for providing educational opportunities for farmers on mixed vegetable and fruit production, sales, business and financial management, and food safety techniques with a focus on climate smart practices. Wyatt graduated from Johnson & Wales with a Bachelors in Food and Beverage Entrepreneurship and is passionate about having a positive impact on his community and promoting NH food systems. He hopes to expand his knowledge of sustainable agriculture through experience with the immigrant and refugee farmers. In his free time, Wyatt enjoys cooking, being outside, and hanging out with his cat Mushu.

Languages

hello
English
Derrick D. Kollie

Derrick D. Kollie

Resettlement Program Manager

Derrick is from Liberia, West Africa. Derrick has earned a master’s degree in International Development with concentration in Refugees Forced Migration Development from Clark University in Worcester, MA. Derrick worked with the Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center (RIAC) in Worcester as the R&P Lead Case Manager and the Office Manager from 2016 to 2022. Derrick also worked as the Project Manager for the Ukrainian Humanitarian Parole (UHP) and Cuban-Haitian Entry(CHE) program throughout 2022. Derrick joined ORIS in 2022 as Resettlement Program Manager at the Worcester location.

Languages

hello
English
bonjour French
Ba ŋuŋ
Kpelle
Fakherah Marghub

Fakherah Marghub

Bilingual Case Manager

Fakherah joined ORIS in Feb 2023 as a bilingual case manager specializing in Afghan case management and empowerment program in Worcester. She is from Afghanistan. Fakherah earned her master’s degree in law from Necmettin Erbakan University in Konya, Turkey.  Fakherah worked as a defense lawyer in the German International Organization. Fakherah is the founder of an organization in Afghanistan named Afghan sisters’ Legal Organization which focuses on providing legal resources for the Afghan community.

Languages

سلام
Dari
سلام
Pashto
marhaba
Turkish
hello
English
Teta Monroe

Teta Monroe

Matching Grant Coordinator

Teta joined ORIS in 2023 as the Match Grant Coordinator for Worcester MA. Prior to joining ORIS, Teta worked at Ascentria Care Alliance for two years as a Case manager for individuals who face physical challenges. Teta graduated from Worcester State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a minor in Public Health and Urban Studies. Teta came to this country as a refugee and understands the challenges refugees face in resettlement in the U.S.  She is very happy to be able to help individuals like herself.  

Languages

hello
English
Anthony Munene

Anthony Munene

NASAP Program Director
Anthony Munene began as NASAP Farm manager in 2013. He develops and implements management plans, as well as infrastructure development for multiple farm sites. He coordinates land use, provides production training and technical assistance for the participants. In addition to growing up on a family farm, he owns a permaculture farm in Kenya and has vast experience in the agriculture sector, from incubator farms to greenhouse production to project management for a Farm-to-Restaurants program. Mr. Munene graduated from the Kenya Institute of Organic Agriculture and Uganda Martyrs University.

Languages

hello
English
habari
Kiswahili
wimwega
Kikuyu

Carolyn Musyimi-Kamau

Youth Program Manager
As a Program Manager, Carolyn brings years of experience in the fields of community development and international relations. She was born in Kenya and moved to the Boston area to further her studies at Brandeis University where she earned a Masters in Sustainable International Development. Upon completion, she joined the Consortium for Law and Development at Boston University School of Law, where she worked with a team to strengthen legislative drafting capacity in pharmaceutical manufacturing in East Africa. She then joined the Kenya UN Mission, serving on the Economic and Financial Committee of the United Nations that worked on the post-2015 Development agenda. Carolyn came to ORIS from her position as New American African’s Executive Director (in 2019, NAA merged with ORIS). She is charged with ensuring high-quality programming that achieves our strategic goals through developing and maintaining relationships with the diverse members of Concord’s African community and by engaging in collaborative work with other stakeholders and partners addressing migrant and refugee issues.

Languages

habari
Kiswahili
nayu
Kamba
hello
English

Dorise Ndirenganya

Youth Program Coordinator
Dorise works with the immigrant youth in Concord, NH. Her area of focus is community outreach where she reaches out to the youth who are enrolled in the ORIS after-school youth program. She is a person who cares a lot about youths’ life and works hard as she can to help them. Dorise is from the Congo and a graduate of Concord High School. She uses her own experiences to support youth in the Concord community.

Languages

habari
Kiswahili
ki kati
Luganda
hello
English
Shabir Ahmad Nikzad

Shabir Ahmad Nikzad

Bilingual Case Manager

Shabir Nikzad joined ORIS in May 2023 as a bilingual case manager in Worcester, MA. He is from Kabul, Afghanistan. Shabir has earned a bachelor’s degree in law and politics from Khurshid University. Shabir has 7-year experience in Supply chain management, HR, Financialize, and Leadership. Shabir worked with DGC International as Deputy project manager in Kandahar, Afghanistan from 2019 to 2021 and he worked with the RIAC (Refugee and Immigrant assistance center) as a Case manager from 2021 to 2022.

Languages

hello
English
سلام Dari
سلام Pashto

Beth Porter

Administrative & Financial Literacy Coordinator

Beth joined ORIS in 2023; she previously worked as a learning and development coach for new employees at a Fortune 500 company. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications at Colorado State University, where she volunteered over 300 hours and was a recipient of an Americorps Award in education. Her hobbies include reading, pet sitting, and traveling. In addition to exploring New England, and her former home state of Florida, with its tropical climate and unique wildlife, she has traveled to 7 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia. She is excited to transition to the nonprofit sector and to help new Americans flourish and become self-sufficient.

Languages

hello
English

Peg Prolman

Farm to School Coordinator

Peg Prolman joined ORIS in the fall of 2021. After working in education for over 25 years, she was hired as the Farm to School Coordinator to bring together all of the Manchester and Nashua partners to deliver tailored curriculum and Farm Fresh Friday pizzas to select elementary and middle schools in each district. She has a Bachelors in Political Science and a Masters in Early Childhood Education. Peg also works as a Fresh Start Farms store clerk and food packer.

Languages

hello
English
Emma Richmond-Boudewyns

Emma Richmond-Boudewyns

Market Development Manager

Emma joined ORIS in 2022 as the Market Development Manager, Emma collaborates with farmers to expand farmers’ direct-to-consumer sales opportunities. She can be found on-farm working on different infrastructure projects and supporting farmers with hands-on crop maintenance. Emma is passionate about creating regenerative food systems through strengthening local networks of farmer collaboration. When not on the farm, Emma enjoys exploring the white mountains, rock climbing, and wheel throwing at the pottery studio! 

Languages

hello
English
Minata Toure

Minata Toure

Youth Development Manager

Minata Toure joined ORIS in 2015 as Marketing Coordinator to support Fresh Start Farms NH, an immigrant and refugee farmer collective. A native of Banfora (Burkina Faso), Minata attended high school and college in Ouagadougou. She is responsible for market coordination and community engagement for Fresh Start Farms NH. She provides on-site technical support to farmer entrepreneurs and fulfillment of high-quality and timely orders of produce, including CSA post-harvest handling.

Languages

hello
English
bonjour
French
I ni ce
Bamba
jambo
Mooree
abenyadi
Mandingo
Marta Rardin

Marta Rardin

Assistant Operations Manager

Marta joined the ORIS team in August of 2022 after a year of living and working abroad in Germany. She assists the Fresh Start Farms team in all things hub-related and brings a wide background of experience within the field of environmental science and sustainable agriculture. She hopes to expand her understanding of sustainable food production by experiencing all points of the food supply chain—from growing to distributing—and dreams of connecting people to the earth through food.

Languages

hello
English
hallo German
Jameson Small

Jameson Small

Fresh Start Farms Program Director
Jameson Small is the Program Manager for the New American Sustainable Agriculture Project (NASAP) at ORIS. He works closely with the Fresh Start Farmers to provide training, technical support, and to develop new markets for all the wonderful produce we grow! Jameson has spent the last 9 years devoted to improving New Hampshire’s food system by managing diverse organic vegetable operations and a farm-to-table restaurant and bakery. When he is not at the farm, Jameson spends his time sailing with his wife Sarah and their dog June.

Languages

hello
English
Sarah

Sarah Bower

Food Hub Operations Manager

Sarah is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Food Hub and is your contact for all things FarmShare. Sarah brings experience in food justice work and sustainable farming to the team, as well as a passion for building food systems where everyone has access to fresh, healthy, affordable food.

Languages

hello
English
hola
Spanish

Our Board of Directors

Our board of thought leaders, movers, and shakers who form the backbone of the ORIS mission.

MR. MUKHTAR IDHOW
ORIS Executive Director

MR. CRISPIN MILELE
Board Chair
Medical Interpreter at Manchester Community Health Clinic

MS. VICTORIA ADEWUMI
Vice Chair
Community Liaison/Public Health Specialist at City of Manchester Health Department

MR. ALI SEKOU
Treasurer
Hannaford Supermarkets

MR. GARETH ORSMOND
Board Member
Partner, Pierce Atwood

MS. LINA SHAYO
Board Member
Immigration Lawyer at Mesa Law

MR. FAMOH TOURE
Board Member
Program Manager at Pinpoint Translations/ International Institute of New England

MS. LEA TUYISABE
Board Member
Accounting Technician, City of Manchester

MS. MIRANDA REMILLARD
Board Member
Director of Recruitment, Northwestern Mutual