Program Partners and Staff

The Professional Fellows Program (PFP) on Inclusive Civic Engagement led by the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston, is a collaborative initiative with Humanity & Inclusion (HI), the African Disability Forum (ADF), and the International Disability Alliance (IDA).

This program, funded by the US Department of State, extends the organizations' history of Fellowship programming. ICI and HI have previously collaborated on initiatives, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) International Fellowship Program and the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Disability Employment (PFP-IDE).

Program Partners

About the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI)

Established in 1963, the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) operates as a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), based at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Boston Children's Hospital. Dedicated to advancing the rights of individuals with disabilities to engage fully in society, ICI conducts research, program evaluation, training, and consultation. Through collaboration with diverse entities, including local, state, national, and international agencies, legislators, educational institutions, employers, multicultural organizations, and people with disabilities and their families, ICI champions personal choice, self-determination, and social and economic justice.

About Humanity & Inclusion (HI)

Established in 1982, Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to addressing poverty, exclusion, conflict, and disaster. With over 30 years of experience and prestigious awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize and the Nansen Refugee Award, HI focuses on supporting people with disabilities and vulnerable populations in about 60 countries globally. The HI East Africa Region (EAR) Office and the HI Ethiopia Country Office collaborate closely with ICI colleagues to support Fellows in the 2022–2024 PFP Fellowship Exchanges, implementing projects to enhance civic engagement for people with disabilities in their home countries.

About the African Disability Forum (ADF)

Established in 2014, the African Disability Forum (ADF) is the continental membership organization of Disabled Persons’ Organizations (DPOs) in Africa. ADF’s mission is to strengthen and unify the representative voices of Africans with disabilities, their families, and organizations. Acknowledging the vast regional diversity of the African continent, ADF recognizes the impossibility for any single organization to fully represent such diversity directly. Therefore, ADF actively incorporates and builds upon existing pan-African, sub-regional, and national federations of DPOs and networks. ADF, a member of the International Disability Alliance (IDA), is a partner on the 2025 PFP Fellowship Exchange.

About the International Disability Alliance (IDA)

Established in 1999, the International Disability Alliance (IDA) is a global network of organizations representing persons with disabilities and their families. Committed to the effective and full implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) worldwide, IDA ensures CRPD compliance within the UN system, post-2015. Recognized as the foremost representative voice of persons with disabilities by the United Nations in New York and Geneva, IDA actively involves representative Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) at national, regional, and international levels. IDA is a partner on the 2025 PFP Fellowship Exchange.

Program Staff

Heike Boeltzig-Brown, PhD

Senior Manager for International Partnerships and PFP Program Director,
Institute for Community Inclusion
Heike, an expert in disability-focused international exchange programming, played a pivotal role in establishing the School for Global Inclusion and Social Development at UMass Boston in 2011. In Tokyo from 2012–2020, she expanded ICI’s global programs through strategic partnerships and co-directed the US Department of State-funded Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) International Fellowship Program and the Professional Fellows Program (PFP) on Inclusive Disability Employment. Now in Boston, Massachusetts, Heike directs the PFP on Inclusive Civic Engagement and fosters disability leadership capacity in Japan.

Email: [email protected]
Christa Preston

PFP Program Coordinator, Institute for Community Inclusion
Christa, an Ashoka Changemaker, coordinates ICI’s Fellowship Program activities with Humanity & Inclusion and the African Disability Forum. Previously with Embrace Kulture, she built the capacity of organizations serving children with developmental disabilities in Uganda and across East Africa. In this role, Christa managed diverse cross-border teams, including academic experts from local and international non-profit organizations and individuals directly impacted by the work. Christa earned recognition for her innovative programing from USAID and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Email: [email protected]
Mercy Opiche

Program Manager, Humanity & Inclusion East Africa Region Office
With four years of nonprofit experience in mental health and disability, Mercy serves as a program manager, overseeing all of HI’s activities for the Professional Fellows Program. Previously, as a research assistant at Aga Khan University’s Institute for Human Development, Mercy organized and implemented qualitative and quantitative survey studies. In this role, Mercy also led the implementation of questionnaires to assess mental health issues among women in informal settlements in Kenya. Currently based in Nairobi, Kenya, Mercy brings a wealth of expertise to her work.

Email: [email protected]
Andrew Namolo

Project Officer, Humanity & Inclusion East Africa Region Office
With three years of disability inclusion experience, Andrew, a project officer for the Professional Fellows Program, supports program manager Mercy Opiche in coordinating activities in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Formerly an inclusion officer at Zalego Academy Ltd, Andrew assessed support needs for job seekers with disabilities, advised on accommodations, and raised awareness about gender and disability inclusion. As a Deaf individual, Andrew’s lived experience informs his work. A 2021 graduate of YALI East Africa online civic leadership program, he is currently based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Email: [email protected]
Anteneh Darsema

Regional Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Manager
and PFP Program Liaison, Humanity & Inclusion Ethiopia Country Office
Anteneh, Regional MEAL Manager at the HI Ethiopia Office, directs the monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) efforts for all projects under the Ethiopia-Somalia-Somaliland Program (EthioSom). Across eight years at HI, he has advanced from junior to senior management roles, drawing on 15 years of diverse experience in local and international humanitarian organizations. Beyond his MEAL Manager responsibilities, Anteneh serves as the program liaison for Ethiopia in the Professional Fellows Program. He is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Email: [email protected]
Bethelehem Zewde

Program Director, African Disability Forum
As ADF’s program director based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Bethelehem oversees Fellow outreach, recruitment, and logistics for the 2025 Fellowship Exchange. Previously, she served as the Country Director of Kyeema Foundation for three years, following seven years managing a project in partnership with the Pan African Veterinary Vaccine Centre. Bethelehem also coordinated 29 remote workshops for the Internet Society and worked as a freelance consultant for five years. With 12 years at Humanity & Inclusion, she held roles as an administrator and deputy country representative in Ethiopia.

Email: [email protected]
Bernice Otieno

Communication Officer, African Disability Forum
Bernice works as a Communication Officer at ADF, focusing on the 2025 Fellowship Exchange. With experience as a Fundraising and Communication Officer, Bernice excels in event coordination, fundraising, and communication strategies. Her passion lies in empowering individuals with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments in Africa. Bernice actively engages in initiatives that promote the rights of persons with disability. Committed to fostering inclusivity and driving positive change, she advocates for equitable treatment and opportunities for people with disabilities in the community. Berenice is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Email: [email protected]