Goods for Good matches excess goods from the United States with the needs of vulnerable children in the developing world.
Aaron Lewani, Program Officer
Aaron Lewani has spent the last several years working with non-governmental agencies in Malawi. During this time, he has focused on the complex needs of children, women, the elderly, the disabled, female-headed households and people living with HIV/AIDS. Aaron’s work experience has provided him with a deep understanding of child rights, child protection, agriculture and food security, water and sanitation and health and HIV/AIDS. Positions at World Vision International and Chisomo Children’s Club, a charitable organization that works with street kids in Malawi, provided Aaron with expertise in project planning, design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation and managerial work. Aaron received his Bachelors Degree in Agriculture from the University of Malawi – Bunda College and has undergone additional training in program development, implementation and evaluation.
Brigitte Zimmerman, Program Director
Brigitte Zimmerman completed her undergraduate studies at Stanford University in Public Policy. Her honors thesis, which examined and compared different modes of orphan care in Malawi, was the recipient of the Noll Award for outstanding senior thesis, and was published in the Review of Policy Research in November 2005. After graduation, she accepted a Philanthropy Fellowship through Stanford in the grant-making environment of Silicon Valley. She then worked for Archstone Consulting as a management consultant specializing in procurement, operations and financial services before joining Goods for Good in 2007. She is now managing Goods for Good programs and field staff from the New York headquarters, as well as conducting exploratory research into the field of community based orphan care to supplement Goods for Good's long-term strategy.
Jeremy Kaplan, Chief Financial Officer
Jeremy works in finance and leasing at SK Properties, a commercial and residential real estate developer in New Jersey. Prior to SK Properties, Jeremy worked at Barr Laboratories, a global specialty pharmaceutical company, where he managed the company's short and long-term financial planning process. In 2006 Jeremy made his first field research trip to Malawi where he traveled to several local institutions caring for orphans and vulnerable children. From July 2007 through January 2008 Jeremy lived in Malawi with Goods for Good. Jeremy received his MBA from New York University and his BA from Brandeis University.
Melissa Kushner, Founder & Executive Director
Melissa has spent her entire career working in international development. Melissa’s experience has provided her with a deep understanding of multi-sector partnership building, heath infrastructure development, fundraising, field research and organizational and program development. Positions at the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships, Hahn Associates, Population Communications International and Gay Men’s Health Crisis have made her a well-rounded development practitioner, giving her both hands-on and managerial experience. Melissa received her MPA from New York University and her BA from the University of Pennsylvania.
Raphael Tembenu, Program Assistant
Raphael Tembenu has spent more than 10 years in the vehicle management industry and has extensive knowledge of both car maintenance and administrative procedures. Most recently, he worked for a car hire company as a Hiring and Sales Manager, where he was responsible for fleet management, client relations and human resources. In his free time, Raphael volunteers as a choir director for Children of the Nations, a nonprofit working with vulnerable and orphaned children.
