Who We Are
Our Story
The Effect is Hope
Together, we’re breaking down barriers, transforming lives, and building healthier, more resilient communities.
What We Stand For
At Effect Hope, we believe every person deserves good health, social well-being, and a life lived with dignity. We work to break down barriers to neglected tropical disease services, to ensure every person can access the care they need, whenever and wherever they need it.
We are committed to supporting the health and wellness of those we serve, while honoring their independence and self-sufficiency.
About Us
As a proud member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities, Effect Hope is deeply committed to transparency, accountability, and inclusion in all aspects of our work.
In November 2024, Effect Hope was named one of Charity Intelligence Canada’s Top 10 Impact and International Impact Charities. This national recognition highlights our team’s commitment to transforming lives affected by neglected tropical diseases and delivering high-impact, equitable health programs to the world’s most marginalized communities.
Our Mission
As followers of Jesus, we partner with others to bring hope and restoration to people affected by neglected tropical diseases like leprosy.
Our Vision
A world where people overcome neglected tropical diseases like leprosy — a world full of hope.
“NGOs will come and go. But the people, especially those who are affected by some of these diseases, are the best advocates for what needs to be done and what interventions they need. They will be the strongest advocates to ensure that those needs are met.”
— Maneesh Phillip, Vice-President, International Programs at Effect Hope
Our Values
Faith Inspired
With humility, we strive to reflect the compassion and example of Jesus in all that we do.
People Centred
Our work is designed for and in collaboration with the people we serve. We are committed to fostering authentic relationships and investing in genuine collaboration to create meaningful and lasting impact.
Impact Focused
Our commitment to integrity, accountability, transparency, effectiveness, and excellence drives us to create meaningful impact in everything we do. We operate with honesty and clarity.
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Leading Our Team
Bio
Maneesh is a global health leader with over 20 years of experience driving large-scale initiatives across Asia and Africa. He has leveraged his Master of Public Health from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to advance work in neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), maternal and child health and nutrition and health systems strengthening.
Working in partnership with national governments, UN agencies, NGOs and research institutions, Maneesh has led program design, implementation and evaluation – building resilient systems, fortifying delivery channels and delivering measurable outcomes in complex contexts. He excels at forging cross-sector alliances and translating global strategy into local action.
Since joining Effect Hope in 2015, Maneesh has played a pivotal role in advancing the global fight against NTDs, most recently as Vice-Chair of the Canadian Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, where he helped align policy with practice through strategic leadership and practitioner insight.
Bio
Dr. Anna Wickenden is a global health leader with over 15 years of experience in health systems strengthening and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) across Africa and Asia. At Effect Hope, Anna leads advocacy, policy engagement, and efforts to integrate NTD initiatives into national health systems, working closely with ministries of health, donors, and global partners. She chairs the World Health Organization Skin NTD Advocacy and Communications Group and has contributed to global health policy initiatives, including the WHO NTD Roadmap. She holds a PhD in Global Health from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, where her research focused on integrated strategies for sustainable, equitable NTD programming and health systems resilience in fragile and conflict-affected settings, including Liberia. Committed to fostering collaboration and innovation, Anna has been instrumental in advancing evidence-based approaches to improve equity and access to NTD care for vulnerable and marginalized populations.
Bio
Lee-Anne has 25 years of financial management experience and is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario and CPA Canada. Her expertise includes significant director-level experience with Canadian not-for-profit organizations, with a high level of integrity and ethical standards. Lee-Anne is not only highly skilled with financial forecasting and analysis, but also financial reporting for existing government grants and proposals for new grants. Lee-Anne’s professional experience as a Chartered Accountant spans both Canada, and her birthplace, South Africa.
Bio
Breanna Willock leads strategic communications and marketing initiatives at Effect Hope, amplifying the organization’s mission and impact. She brings a dynamic blend of creativity and purpose to her work, crafting human-centered campaigns that drive social change and deepen engagement with global health issues. Her efforts have strengthened brand visibility, elevated storytelling, and fostered collaborative partnerships across sectors. Breanna’s background in marketing management and senior roles at The University of the Fraser Valley and CBI Health Group inform her holistic approach to communications in both public and private spheres.
Bio
As Director of Development, Rebekah is fueled by a deep, actionable passion: to see beauty, health, order, and balance grow in every corner of this world. This personal commitment translates into a professional mission of strategically partnering with communities to thrive—physically, intellectually, and spiritually—through sustainable, long-term development.
With a background encompassing development leadership, large-scale project management, and an MEd in Adult Education and Community Development, Rebekah excels at applying organizational rigor to create transparent, impactful partnerships. She is dedicated to ensuring every supporter clearly sees and grasps the tangible, life-changing results of their generosity. This relational commitment allows partners to understand the real impact of their contributions, honouring their essential role as strategic participants in the work of healing and empowering some the world’s most vulnerable people.
Our Board of Directors
Randy Henderson
Bio
Randy Henderson, CA, CBV, has been on the board since 2022 and currently serves as the chair. Before his retirement, he had a lengthy corporate career, followed by 10 years as the SVP and Chief Operating Officer of Tyndale University. Randy is retired and lives in Moffat, Ontario with his wife.
Dr. David Williams
Bio
Dr. David Williams served on the board from 2017 to 2020 and joined again in 2024. He is a Canadian physician who served as Chief Medical Officer of Health for the province of Ontario from 2015 to 2021. His most notable role was the leader of Ontario’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With extensive experience in infectious disease diagnosing, he assessed many cases of NTDs while working for over a decade at the United Missions Hospital in Nepal. He currently lives in Stouffville, Ontario with his wife and they have four adult children.
Dr. Miriam Klassen
Bio
Dr. Miriam Klassen is the Medical Officer of Health and CEO for Huron Perth Public Health. Miriam’s leadership experience encompasses local, regional and provincial levels, and she has a special interest in the areas of neglected tropical diseases and supporting women and children.
Dr. Klassen joined the board in March of 2025. She has three daughters, and four grandchildren—plus a refugee ‘daughter’ from Afghanistan—and lives with her husband in Kitchener, Ontario.
Joe Tabet
Bio
Joe Tabet is the CFO at Health Partners International of Canada. He joined the board in 2021 and currently serves as the Secretary-Treasurer. In his free time, he enjoys volunteering with his local Rotary club. Joe lives in Beaconsfield, Quebec with his wife.
Ron Pike
Bio
Ron Pike is the CEO of Elim Village in Surrey, British Columbia. He grew up as a child of missionaries who worked in India, and his grandfather worked with a leprosy mission hospital. Ron has been on the board since 2021 and lives with his wife in Abbotsford, British Columbia.
Tammy Wu
Bio
Tammy Wu most recently held the position of Project Manager, Global Health at Queen’s University. She holds a Bachelor of Education, a Bachelor of Science and an MBA. Tammy has been on the board since 2023 and lives in Stouffville, Ontario with her husband and children.
Liz Walker
Bio
Liz Walker is the Executive Lead in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Public Health Division, at the Ontario Ministry of Health. With more than 30 years in the Ontario Public Service, she has played a lead role in supporting the SARS Expert Panel and the province’s Operation Health Protection response, and spearheaded the design and launch of Ontario’s first public health agency.
Liz joined the Effect Hope Board of Directors in 2026. She lives with her husband and family in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Our Partners
We collaborate closely with global health leaders, governments, communities, and people affected by NTDs—both locally and globally. Together, we strengthen health systems and promote inclusive, equitable access to care for those impacted by NTDs.
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