Management

Our staff is relatively small for the amount of international development and poverty alleviation programs that we manage. With ten teams in eight countries, we pride ourselves on running an efficient and resourceful staff with wide-ranging expertise. 

Matthew Colling, Co-Executive Director (Operations)

Matthew graduated with an M.S. degree in sociology and development from Brigham Young University. He has taught Multicultural America at an undergraduate level. Actively involved with a variety of nonprofits, Matthew is the Chairman of the board for Sowers of Hope, a non-profit that runs a school in the Eastern war torn region of the DR Congo. He has also worked with Payoke, a non-profit in Antwerp Belgium that helps victims of human trafficking. In Guyana, he worked for the Madray Motoo Foundation, installing donated computers in schools throughout the poorer regions of the country. As a consultant in Ghana, Matthew conducted a Social Impact Assessment for Empower Playgrounds, Inc., an organization that converts children's play time on merry-go-rounds to lantern light which they use to read with at night in electricity deprived rural areas of the country. While there, he also helped Biological Filters and Composting Inc. improve their marketing strategy and secure funding for product development upon returning home to Utah. This led to his involvement with SainTerre, a non-profit he co-founded which improves sanitation in an environmentally friendly and affordable way; a third world solution invented, tried, and tested in the third world. He has worked closely with BYU's annual Hunger banquet. Matthew has either worked, conducted research, motorcycled, or backpacked through over 63 countries. These varied and diverse experiences outside of North America have lent him a rich cultural context upon which to draw and direct his efforts at HELP.

Mike Duthrie, Co-Executive Director (Finance)

Mike Duthrie graduated with a BS and a Master of Accountancy from Brigham Young University. Mike actively consults multiple non-profits on their financial reporting capabilities as well as basic financial operations. He also has had the opportunity to work with and consult teams in several regions in Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. Mike has also assessed and launched development programs in multiple locations throughout central Africa as well as provided post-project evaluation. His international development pursuits and interests predominately lie in social entrepreneurship and utilizing markets to change the economic circumstances of those suffering from social inequities. His previous work experience includes auditing large financial institutions for McGladrey and Pullen in their Denver and Manhattan offices, as well as running a local Utah business. From Montana, Mike has a natural enthusiasm for all things outdoors, including running, hiking, and fly-fishing, with his biggest temptation being climbing. 

Arturo Fuentes, Program Director  

Originally from Northern Mexico and half Native American, Arturo graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor's degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic. As an undergraduate, he toured as a performer, vocalist, and guitarist throughout Europe, North, and South America with Living Legends, a multicultural campus performing group that encourages the pursuit of higher education in a cultural context. He participated in the BYU Model United Nations team and served as Vice President of the Mexican Student Association. He traveled to Mozambique to help establish Massamba Microcredit, an agriculturally-based micro-credit organization, and subsequently served on the organization's board of directors. Arturo completed the BYU-Arabic study abroad program in 2009, and was thereafter employed by BYU as an independent Arabic instructor. He was awarded the US Department of State Critical Language Scholarship and returned to the Middle East a second time to complete an additional intensive Arabic program. While there, he also spent time teaching English in Iraqi and Palestinian refugee communities. Prior to his current position within Help International, Arturo served as Country Director for El Salvador in 2011. He enjoys playing the guitar, reading, and has a love for wildlife and the outdoors.   

McCall Ashby, Human Resources Manager

A native of Spanish Fork, Utah, McCall graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Speech Communications.  While a student, she completed an HR internship with Convergys.  McCall first got involved in traveling and serving through Alternative Springbreaks, which sent her to Louisiana to help with the reconstruction effort after Hurricane Katrina.  She then became a director on the core counsel  in the Val R Christensen Service Center at Utah State. McCall volunteered in El Salvador with HELP International in the summer 2010 program. McCall served an LDS mission in the Philippines for 18 months.

Kara Goodrum, Office Manager

Kara grew up all over the country, living in Atlanta, Connecticut, Dallas, Chicago, and Philadelphia. She studied Human Development and Non-Profit Management at Brigham Young University. Before she graduated, she completed an internship with the Division of Child and Family Services. Kara enjoys participating in outdoor activities including hiking, biking, snowmobiling, snow shoeing, ultimate frisbee and basketball. She also enjoys reading and playing the piano. Kara first became interested in international volunteer work early in high school, and was able to go to Zambia in 2008 with Mothers without Borders. She has had the opportunity to volunteer with a number of nonprofits, including Kids on the Move, Camp Kesem, Special Olympics, and Head Start.

Melissa Sevy, Program Coordinator

Melissa joined the HELP office staff after spending two summers as Country Director for HELP's programs in Uganda and India. She co-founded Musana Jewelry, a non-profit organization employing impoverished Ugandan women, and WEE Pickles (Women Empowered through Employment), a pickle-making business with poor women in India. She received a Bachelor's degree in Special Education and a Master of Public Health from Brigham Young University. While a student, she served as the Co-President of BYU's Council for Exceptional Children, and was engaged in involving students in working with disabled populations in the community. Her graduate project included developing and implementing a health training program for workers at a Chinese orphanage for children with special needs. She has worked as a teacher for children with severe disabilities in public schools, and as a Regional Disaster Planning Coordinator for communities in 11 counties. She enjoys cultural food, dance, languages and all of the people who come with them. She loves exploring new places, modern dance, hiking, triathlons, and jamming in her family's band.