South Sudan Leadership

  • salva dut headshot

    Salva Dut

    FOUNDER & CHIEF STRATEGY DIRECTOR

    Salva supports the U.S. and South Sudan teams as Chief Strategy Director, located in South Sudan with appearances in the United States. Salva supports the U.S. and South Sudanese teams offering his counsel to increase operational efficiency. He also works to build strategic operational and funding relationships in South Sudan, the U.S., and around the world.
    Read more about Salva

  • ajang abraham agok headshot

    Ajang Abraham Agok

    WFSS COUNTRY DIRECTOR

    Ajang, more commonly known as AJ, serves as Country Director, overseeing projects at the WFSS compound in Wau, as well as new sanitation projects. He is also our coordinator for government relations and collaborative partnerships and co-chairs our Leadership Council in Wau. Also one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan, he came to the U.S. in 2000, settling in Dallas and working for Samsung. In 2013, AJ joined WFSS as an intern on our drilling team. He quickly established himself as a valuable team member and also has served as assistant drilling manager and Associate Country Director before becoming Country Director for WFSS.

  • ater akol thiep headshot

    Ater Akol Thiep

    WFSS TECHNICAL ADVISOR

    Ater, known to all as "Lion," serves as Technical Advisor, overseeing all drilling, well rehab, and hygiene projects and programs. He co-chairs our South Sudan Leadership Council, comprised of all managers in South Sudan. A former “Lost Boy” of Sudan, Lion met WFSS Founder Salva Dut in a refugee camp and relocated to the U.S. in 1996, working for Samsung in Texas. In 2008, Lion joined WFSS as a drilling team manager. After expanding his technical and leadership skills, Lion now serves as Technical Advisor and leads our Well Rehabilitation Team. Watch an interview with Lion here.

South Sudan Staff

  • Water for South Sudan employs 41 full time employees, and 44 seasonal field team members in Wau, South Sudan.

  • Drilling team at work

  • Operations compound staff

  • Drilling team members

  • Watchmen

  • Managers


U.S. Staff

  • lynn malooly headshot

    Lynn Malooly

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Lynn is responsible for overseeing the administration, programs, and strategic plan of the organization. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame with experience in community relations and alternative education, Lynn joined WFSS in 2010 as the first U.S. employee.

    Email Contact: lynn.malooly@waterforsouthsudan.org

  • Andrew Gilchrist

    DATA STRATEGY MANAGER & SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR

    Andrew is responsible for managing all donor data and has three years of experience in marketing and data management. He holds a Doctorate in Music from the Eastman School of Music and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Simon Business School with special studies in entrepreneurship, marketing, and finance. Andrew has performed as a professional opera singer and taught at the collegiate level. He joined WFSS in 2022.

    Email Contact: andrew.gilchrist@waterforsouthsudan.org

  • Stephanie Macarie

    ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

    Stephanie is responsible for administrative, clerical, and other miscellaneous projects for the US office. She earned an Associate of Applied Science degree from Monroe Community College while working as the college's clerk. She is a bilingual individual, with Portuguese being her native language. Stephanie joined WFSS in 2023.

    Email contact: stephanie.macarie@waterforsouthsudan.org

  • Adriana Mancini

    COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

    Adriana is responsible for managing social media updates and assisting with implementing best communications practices for WFSS. Adriana has been passionate about the global water crisis since she was in elementary school, eventually founding Citizens4H2O (formerly Students4H2O) while in high school, a local non-profit organization encouraging her community at large, especially elementary, middle, and high school students to be a part of the solution to end the global water crisis. In collaboration with Martin County (Florida) schools, her efforts have raised over $200,000 to provide clean water and sanitation to developing countries. She joined WFSS in 2023.

    Email Contact: adriana.mancini@waterforsouthsudan.org

  • gary prok headshot

    Gary Prok

    OPERATIONS SUPPORT COORDINATOR

    Gary works directly with the operations team in South Sudan to support all WFSS programs, and assists in logistics with a goal of continuous improvement in all areas of WFSS operations. A graduate of Ohio State University with an MS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rochester, Gary has extensive engineering and management experience. He previously held positions at Eastman Kodak Company and Cerion, and joined WFSS in 2018.

    Email Contact: gary.prok@waterforsouthsudan.org

  • elissa rowley headshot

    Elissa Rowley

    DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

    Elissa manages development initiatives and communication strategies. She graduated from SUNY Brockport with a degree in Interpersonal and Organizational Speech Communications and Health Science (mental and emotional health focus). Previously she attended MCC where she was a member and VP of the Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Project, and chaired the 2nd Annual Walk for Water in support of WFSS. She previously worked at the National Kidney Foundation and joined WFSS in 2018.

    Email Contact: elissa.rowley@waterforsouthsudan.org

Board of Directors 

Our Board of Directors is a diverse group of people inspired by our founder’s life and personal example, and committed to fulfilling Water for South Sudan's mission.

Bob Shea
Board President; Communications Consultant; Adjunct Professor, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

Thomas McCarthy
Board Vice President; Resource Development Manager, MODIS: IT Recruiting, Rochester, NY

Joseph Eckl
Board Assistant Treasurer; Senior Manager, Empire Valuation Consultants, Rochester, NY

Ryan Baldwin
Board Treasurer; Accountant, Bailey, Carr CPAs, P.C., Rochester, NY

Rick Harrison
Financial Executive and Consultant, Rochester, NY

Laura Hayden Community Volunteer, Rochester, NY

Abuk Mabut

Christopher Moore
Financial Advisor, Rochester, NY

Jim Myers
Operations Management/ Finance, Rochester, NY

Vicki Richardson English Language Arts Teacher, Greece Athena Middle School, Greece, NY

Anne Turner
Non-Profit Professional, Boston, MA

Umerani Grace Marango
MPH Candidate at Boston University School of Public Health
Field of study: Global Health and Maternal and Child Health

Emeritus Board Members:
James Blake, Founding Board Member
John Bevier, Founding Board Member
Nancy Curme, Founding Board Member
Nancy Frank, Founding Board Member
Rev. Nancy Reinert, Founding Board Member
Scott Arrington*, Founding Board Member
John Turner*, WFSS Chief Operating Officer, 2007-2011

*Deceased