The hard-working and dedicated US Staff who maintain the vision, train and supervise our Myanmar staff, raise the funds, and spread the word to continue Shanta’s important work.
Wade Griffith - Executive Director
Wade Griffith is a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College and Vanderbilt University. While in graduate school at Vanderbilt, he was chosen for a Lilly Endowment program in Nicaragua. Specifically, the Lilly program funded research on successful economic development projects initiated by members of local communities rather than NGO's. This new approach to humanitarian assistance captivated Wade. As a result, he spent the next twenty-two years of his life (and 30+ trips to Nicaragua) re-educating churches on how to do development and humanitarian work in a manner that doesn't weaken communities by fostering dependence or undermining the self-reliance of the beneficiaries. His projects in Nicaragua involved medical clinics, clean water, housing, and education. An ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church, Wade has led three churches and served on staff in three others. His experience in church leadership has afforded him a wealth of experience in fundraising, volunteer recruitment, staff leadership, board development, and marketing. More importantly, his ministry experiences only deepened his desire to impact the lives of people living in extreme poverty. Wade has a wife, Julia, and two boys, Wade III and Haines. In his spare time, Wade enjoys golf, backpacking, fishing, reading, exercise, college football, and gardening.
Dr. Khaing Zar Oo- Nge Nge - Global Program Manager
Dr Khaing Zar Oo @ Nge Nge, is a co-founder of Shanta/Muditar, working first as field staff for three years and then as the Regional Manager followed by Country Manager of Southern Shan State. In September 2023, she accepted the role as Global Program Manager for Shanta Foundation, overseeing programming in Myanmar and Zambia. She is in charge of all country program operations, administration, human resource management, in-country fundraising, and relationships with local and national authorities as a country director. She is a medical doctor who received the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Medicine Magway, Myanmar in 2008. She is a passionate leader who is deeply dedicated to supporting underserved communities. She is a trainer with a great sense of humor who is always eager to learn more in order to lead and guide in strengthening community systems, policy-making, and ensuring that potential strategies in developing countries are feasible and successful. Honesty, Sincerity, and Integrity are her life’s values on the path to success. She is of PaO/Shan/Innthar ethnicity and follows the Buddhist religion. She has grown up in a small town, Nyaun Shwe, Southen Shan State. She enjoys traveling with friends, photography, singing, and listening to music in her spare time.
Erika Van Bibb - Director of Development
With over 20 years of leadership experience in philanthropy and international development, Erika Van Bibb brings a wealth of knowledge, a creative perspective, and a profound commitment to social and ecological justice. Her career spans multiple sectors, including the arts, education, design, disaster relief, and humanitarian aid, with significant experience working in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the United States. Erika's leadership has been shaped by her dedication to fostering innovative, mission-driven initiatives. As a co-founder of an international nature-based school, she helped develop an anti-exploitative, philosophical, and spiritually grounded educational model that not only nurtured the holistic development of children but also catalyzed a growing network of NGO projects across Southeast Asia and beyond. Her work has consistently focused on empowering communities and driving systemic change through creative, strategic solutions. With expertise in major gift solicitation, grant writing, and building lasting partnerships, Erika excels at aligning diverse stakeholders toward shared goals, ensuring long-term sustainability and growth. Erika is incredibly grateful to join such an amazing team. Outside of her professional endeavors, Erika is deeply committed to philanthropy, dedicating much of her free time to supporting nonprofits, NGOs, and grassroots initiatives. She is also an avid traveler, exploring new cultures with her three children and embracing the transformative power of cross-cultural learning. Currently, Erika is based on a small island in the Pacific Northwest, just outside of Seattle, and looks forward to introducing the work of Shanta Foundation to new regions, gathering support along the way. .
Margery Poitras - Development Coordinator
Margery is a passionate member of the Durango community with experience helping various clients with their administrative needs before joining the Shanta family in 2019. Prior to administration, Margery worked in the culinary field as a caterer, recipe tester, restaurant chef, and all-around food entrepreneur. She has three kids, a loyal pooch, and enjoys travel, food, and the great outdoors.
Stella Potemkin - Development Intern
Stella was born and raised in Durango, CO and recently completed her undergraduate degree at Rice University. During her time at Rice, she double majored in Social Policy Analysis and Earth, Environmental and Planetary Science. While these two fields of study may seem like an unexpected combination, Stella thrives on exploring connections between how climate change and natural resources impact communities, livelihoods, and public health. After joining Shanta on a Village Aid Project trip in Zambia, she discovered a new passion for development and humanitarian work that emphasizes empowering communities. As Shanta’s Development Intern, Stella primarily works on women’s and girls’ empowerment programs in Zambia while also supporting overall programs operations, marketing and communication. In her free time, she enjoys camping, skiing, reading, and exploring the world.
