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

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.

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.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Shannon Hesel serves as Executive Director of Water for South Sudan, bringing over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, program strategy, and partnerships. Her career has spanned global and domestic contexts, with a focus on expanding access to education, economic opportunity, and community-driven development.

Shannon has held leadership roles at organizations including the International Youth Foundation and Room to Read, where she advanced large-scale youth development and literacy initiatives. She has worked across Latin America, the Caribbean, and the U.S., leading programs, managing complex grants, and building partnerships that deliver measurable results.

A former Peace Corps Volunteer in Guyana, Shannon began her career co-developing public health curricula and WASH infrastructure with local educators and health workers. She is a certified project manager and collaborative leader, committed to turning vision into action and advancing WFSS’s mission to deliver clean water and hygiene access across South Sudan.

Email Contact: shannon.hesel@waterforsouthsudan.org

DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR

Marcia has over 7 years of experience in development communication, having held a variety of roles across the sector. She has worked with global audiences, with a particular focus on Asia and Africa. Her strength lies in developing campaigns that engage and drive meaningful change. Marcia is currently pursuing her Master's in Mass Communication at the University of Florida. She joined WFSS in 2025 and is responsible for leading the organization’s digital marketing efforts.

Email Contact: marcia.amin@waterforsouthsudan.org

GRANT WRITER

Jim has more than 30 years’ experience as a grant writer/manager and prospect researcher at a wide range of nonprofits, writing and managing the production of grant proposals, interim and final reports, letters of inquiry, and other materials for foundation, corporate, government, and individual funders. He also has had a long-term interest in international issues, having been strongly influenced by the career paths of his brother and sister-in-law, who spent most of their careers working all over the world for Care, Peace Corps, and the U.S. State Department. Jim earned a B.A. in English (with a concentration in writing) from Hunter College, where he is currently pursuing a second degree in Geography. He is also a member of the Professional Organization of English Majors (POEM). Jim joined WFSS in 2025.

Email contact: james.burke@waterforsouthsudan.org

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

COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH JUNIOR MANAGER

Adriana leads the development and execution of communications strategies across WFSS's channels. She holds a Master of Mass Communications from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications Online program, with a specialization in Public Interest Communication, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations. She 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. Adriana joined WFSS in 2023.

Email Contact: adriana.mancini@waterforsouthsudan.org

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

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

ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST

Denise is responsible for budgeting, reconciliation, payroll, out-of-state charity registrations, and revenue management to maximize fundraising efforts and fund more work in South Sudan. She has extensive experience in hospitality, focusing on general management, project management, business development, marketing, software and systems upgrades, product development, and finance. Denise joined WFSS in 2025.

Email Contact: denise.santee@waterforsouthsudan.org