ENTEPESI KENYA
The organization began after three of the directors volunteered at an annual medical camp held in various rural communities in Kajiado South County of Kenya.
Obed & Samantha saw the gap that these communities face the remainder of the year, thus began the idea for Entepesi Kenya.
After many meetings with healthcare professionals and the other directors, the team decided to form a board and start the process of registration.
The Community of Esiteti Village is located on the far side of Amboseli National Park. Here, the medical doctors treated patients while sitting under this beautiful Acacia (Entepesi) Tree!
Obed Katia
Board of Directors Founder/admin
Obed holds an associate’s degree in business management and eight years of experience in administration, project management, HR, and accounting while working within Kajiado County children’s matters at Teule Kenya.
He is working as a business consultant at Orbit Accounting and Management which includes financial training, accounting services, etc. He is also a Project Coordinator of Project Lala Salama in Kenya. Lala Salama focuses on educational support in schools and capital for women’s businesses.
As Entepesi grows and develops, Obed is our current Administrator and he has many years of experience. His connections to the community, desire to serve, and heart for missions make him perfect for the work of Entepesi Kenya.
Samantha Katia
board of Directors Founder & Secretary/CEO
Samantha holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Disorders from Northern Illinois University. With a passion for serving people, she worked as a manager in a University level tutoring center at NIU, before-and-after school program (OSCAR) in Sycamore, IL, and worked as a substitute teacher, and paraprofessional for the LEAF program at Sycamore School District 427.
Serving in Kenya as a missionary since September 2019, Samantha has always had a passion for the medical field along with her calling in missions. After a year and a half of serving Teule Kenya, a local children’s home, She stepped out in faith to open the health organization. She also works with an organization called Project Lala Salama in educational support and leads Bible Studies in a local church.
Susan methamo
Board of Directors Founder & Chair
Susan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications from Makerere University in Uganda, she uses her expertise to create media visibility for organizations. She holds a Google certificate in Fundamentals of Digital Marketing and a certificate in Introduction to Fundraising from Philanthropy University.
Throughout eight years of experience in communications, she has served several NGOs such as The Maa Trust, Hatua Likoni Organization, and Teule Kenya.
Christine Njihia
Board of Directors Founder & treasurer
Christine Njihia received a Bachelor & Masters of Arts in Communication from St. Paul’s University in Nairobi, Kenya; majoring in Corporate Communication and minoring in Community Development. She works with Equity Bank Group, Head Office in Nairobi, Kenya, and lives in Ongata Rongai in Kajiado County.
Christine engages in community work with several organizations and children’s homes around Kenya. She sits on the Board of Kilimanjaro Mission Hospital and Teule Kenya. She has a passion for working with people and seeing the livelihood of marginalized communities improve by providing health care, education, and philanthropic activities. She works to mobilize resources and mentor young ones to grow into responsible individuals in society.
dr. Ethan burke
Board of Directors & Advisory Member
Ethan Burke grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He received his bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and his master’s degree in Biomedical Science from Colorado State University. After spending time working in the industry, his passion led him to pursue a medical degree from Rocky Vista University; working in many countries across the globe and understanding the diversity of healthcare systems. Since medical school, he has been working as a resident physician in Spring Hill, Florida.
Ayoti Kirkwood
Board member
Ayoti holds a Master’s degree in English (Linguistics), from Northern Illinois University and Bachelor’s degree in Education from Kenyatta University. She has extensive experience working as an educator and as a marketing and communications specialist for local and international organizations. She is also an entrepreneur and founder of Savannah Data Solutions Limited, a digital marketing, data entry, and web development company based in Nairobi, Kenya.
An alumna of the Fulbright program and Japan Foundation’s Foreign Student Exchange program, Ayoti is very passionate about and gravitates towards causes that empower communities and provide sustainable solutions to vulnerable populations. This led her to volunteer throughout her four years of undergraduate studies at the International Youth Fellowship. She has served as a marketing and communication specialist for A Rocha Kenya and Eden Reforestation Projects.
dr. Kelli Tichy
advisory board member
Dr. Kelli Tichy is a resident physician who has had a lifelong passion for underserved medicine. She has served in multiple countries including Kenya and has received awards for global and public health from the United States Public Health Service and Rocky Vista University. Dr. Tichy has co-authored two book chapters, including “Viral Infection through Breastfeeding” in 2016. She plans on focusing her career on infectious diseases. Her personal interests include horseback riding and aerospace technology.
Dr. Zoe Gordon
advisory Board member
Zoe is a resident physician in obstetrics and gynecology at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore in Maryland. She traveled to Kenya as a medical student and is eager to now be able to serve the community that taught her so much. She enjoys participating in social and political advocacy and is particularly passionate about healthcare equality and reproductive rights.
steven york
Advisory Board member
Steven holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Brigham Young University where his passion for science and his love of people lead him to medicine. He is currently pursuing his medical degree at Rocky Vista University in Utah and is working to become a family physician so he can serve rural and underserved communities throughout the world. He found his passion for global medicine while working with Entepesi Kenya on a global rotation and is excited to continue supporting their mission and the people of Kenya after his return. He enjoys spending time with his wife and three children fishing, reading, and creating art.