Tearfund Canada, based in Markham, Ontario, has announced Trisha Okenge as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Executive Director, effective September 1. Okenge's appointment marks a new chapter for the organization, focusing on leveraging the power of local churches to achieve meaningful and lasting impact.
The announcement follows the resignation of previous CEO Wayne Johnson, who had led Tearfund Canada for eight years. Johnson, who is transitioning to consulting work, expressed his support for Okenge in a LinkedIn post. He highlighted the organization's achievements under his leadership, including training over 68,000 farm families in climate-smart agriculture, empowering more than 804,000 women through Village Savings & Loans Groups, and facilitating Biblically-based trauma healing for women in South Sudan. Johnson also noted the planting of over 2.2 million trees in Ethiopia and Kenya as part of climate adaptation efforts.
In a press release, Tearfund Canada praised Okenge for her extensive leadership experience, particularly in fundraising and program management. Helen Reimer, Chairperson of Tearfund's Board of Directors, described the search for a successor as challenging but expressed confidence that Okenge is the right fit. "We began our search with prayer and can confidently say that Trisha Okenge is a Godsend. We believe she will continue our focus on the church impacting sustainable change, bringing hope and opportunity to local communities," Reimer said.
Okenge previously served as the Country Director for Food for the Hungry International in Ethiopia and Uganda. During her tenure, she significantly increased the organization's staffing and budget, expanding from 1,000 to 1,700 employees and growing the annual budget from $30 million with eight donors to $82 million with 20 donors. Her efforts in improving agricultural practices led to up to a fivefold increase in food production.
Known for her commitment to women's ministry and financial empowerment, Okenge expressed her enthusiasm about joining Tearfund Canada. "I am so honored to be joining the Tearfund Canada team. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside the organization for years as a partner and have seen firsthand the incredible impact the local church can have when equipped and resourced," Okenge said. She emphasized the importance of bridging resource gaps to unleash the full potential of local churches, creating sustainable and genuine community impact.
Okenge looks forward to advancing the organization’s mission and building on the strong foundation laid by Johnson, aiming to enhance Tearfund Canada’s impact and continue its vital work in local communities.
Related Posts
