Heather Pfahl, US Deputy Director

In 1999 Heather traded her fledgling career working in Sports Medicine for the University of Colorado to pursue her passion to work with vulnerable populations, with a focus on children and youth. Heather brings a myriad of work experience to ECI. Heather has worked both domestically and internationally supporting vulnerable populations and at risk children and youth for the past eight years.

Domestically, Heather worked as a Trafficking in Persons Program Specialist for the US Government for two years before she was seconded to a large International NGO to support their multi-country Children in Crisis operational research initiative which developed promising practice interventions that empowered and improved the well-being of the most vulnerable children. Most recently Heather returned to the US after living in Eastern Congo and Cambodia where she continued to focus on improving the lives of the most vulnerable. After supporting the technical implementation and program quality of projects in over a dozen countries, Heather joins ECI not only with a passion for issues that affect the most vulnerable but with a dedicated passion to serve and support the people of Eastern Congo.

Harper McConnell Katondolo, Program Director

Harper has six years of experience working in eastern DRC, partnering with local organizations and has been instrumental to ECI’s success to date. She is an author of ECI’s initial Landscape Analysis of CBOs in eastern DRC, published in early 2010. She represents ECI to international agencies, donors and governments and helped design Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to eastern DRC as well as serving as the Secretary’s Swahili interpreter. Previously, Harper worked as the Program Officer and then later as Director of Development for HEAL Africa, based in Goma, DRC, and Seattle, Washington. She has extensive grant writing and program implementation experience in DRC and the US.

A native of Michigan and Kansas, Harper holds a dual degree in Political Science and English Literature from the University of Minnesota. She is fluent in English, Swahili and French.

Luc Ndyanabo, Logistics Manager

Luc is ECI’s logistics manager and has worked as a logistician and vendor in the past for various private businesses and assists with the complex logistics required in eastern Congo. Luc has his Master’s degree in Management from the Université Libre de Payes de Grandes Lacs (ULPGL) in Goma, DRC.  Luc is originally from Goma and is fluent in French, Swahili, and various local DRC languages.

Crispin Baderha, Design, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Born on 17th May 1976, Crispin Baderha holds a University Degree in the English theEnglish Language Teaching from the  Bukavu Teachers’ Training College( ISP). Crispin first worked as a secondary school teacher at Mugeri Minor Seminary, the Jesuit Alfajiri College and as a Teaching Assistant at the college where he graduated. He later  engaged in language consultancies with several local and international NGOs. These consultancies  totally shaped his current career as he immediately decided to shift and embrace the Humanitarian World. His first engagement with World Vision International exposed him to several training opportunities in the areas of Design, Monitoring and Evaluation and Humanitarian Accountability. Crispin is now a full-fledged M&E practitioner and believes in an even more brighter career ahead. He also trusts that his new engagement with ECI is a new growth environment for him including the many new challenges to overcome as he engages to work with community based organizations. He is married to Alice Lubula since 10th April 2010. They have been blessed and enjoy family warmth with their 4 month old son, Beni Samuel Yeki. Crispin leads a christian life with a very thankful and expectant heart. 

Maryline Mwenge, Senior Finance Manager

Maryline Mwenge is a Congolese of origin. She has a bachelor degree in Management and Finance from ULPGL/Goma. Most of her experiences have been with Humanitarian institutions, including the German Development Bank (KFW), USAID, IRISH AID, HOLLAND, FCP. Maryline have the skills and ability to lead on the financial management across the unit and she has passion and commitment for developing the financial skills of others. She is a strong team player with solid finance experience, strong accounting skills and strategic understanding. Before joining ECI, Maryline worked as the chief financial officer for Heal Africa.
 
Currently managing ECI’s finance where she has the Moto of “ building a strong financial system, be a guardian of rules and regulations, and do what is right”. Maryline is fluent in Swahili, French, and speaks a little English.

Leon Nkundwa, Research Officer

Leon is the supervisor for the research partnership with Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. Leon has worked as an assistant researcher on the USAID grant with ECI. In the past Leon has served as the provincial director for Women for Women, a field coordinator for UNHCR, a project assistant for GTZ and has more than 10 years of experience working in development programs in DRC.

Leon has his Master’s degree in Management from the University of Bukavu and is originally from Bukavu, DRC. He is fluent in French, English, Swahili and various local DRC languages.    

Alphonsine Mbela, Finance Manager

Alphonsine comes to ECI with an outstanding track record as an accountant, financial strategist and bookkeeper, especially in her position of Senior Accountant and acting Finance Manager at World Vision East DRC from 2008-2012. This position established her sound technical experience as she monitored World Vision’s financial systems and provided quality control; while furthering the organization’s financial plans that corresponded with their overall strategic mission.  Alphonsine managed the entire portfolio of projects, as well as operations in Eastern Congo totaling nearly $15 million.  She encouraged transparency and clear communication and worked directly with large international donors such as USAID, DfID, ECHO, KfW, and CIDA. Alphonsine joined ECI to support the organization’s partnership with local initiatives. Alphonsine continues to promote transparency and accountability between ECI and its partners. In doing this, Alphonsine furthers ECI’s goal to facilitate opportunities for local organizations to access funding from the international community.

Alphonsine holds a university degree in Business Administration and Human Resources and she comes to ECI fluent in five languages: English, French, Swahili, Lingala and Tetela.