The ARDC Team
The ARDC is managed and run by a core team of nine dedicated staff members who fill both paid and voluntary positions. All of our programs are heavily dependent upon our volunteers, currently numbered at 120, who come from Israel, abroad and the refugee and asylum seeker community itself. We are united by a common commitment to advance the cause of refugees and asylum seekers in Israel.
ARDC Board of Directors
The ARDC’s activities and policies are directed by our Board of Directors which is comprised of seven members from the Israeli and refugee community. However, refugees and asylum seekers represent a majority of the board.
- Jean Michel Bolima, Congo (Chairperson)
- Randy Crohn, Israel (Treasurer)
- Dr. Hadas Yaron, Israel
- Lili Molla, Ethiopia
- Mike Tshiuma, Congo
- Dr. Tally Amir-Kritzman, Israel
ARDC Staff
Yohannes Lemma Bayu, Executive Director
Contact Yohannes Lemma Bayu
Yohannes Bayu, a recognized refugee, received his undergraudate degree in Social Sciences from the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, specializing on HIV/AIDS prevention and counseling. Before he was forced to leave Ethopia in 1997 because of political persecution and government harassment, he worked for various non-governmental organizations in HIV/AIDS counseling and prevention programs. He also worked two years for Doctors without Borders as a special advisor on a HIV/AIDS prevention project in Addis Ababa. Mr. Bayu was only granted political asylum in Israel, however, some five years after his arrival following a 23-day hunger strike on the steps of the Refugee Commissioner’s office and an order of Israel’s Supreme Court. Driven by such experiences, Mr. Bayu resolved to help the thousands of other asylum seekers escaping to Israel and founded ARDC the following year in 2004.
Karen Douglas, Resource Development Coordinator
Contact Karen Douglas
Karen Douglas has a Master of Laws degree from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and focused her studies on human rights and international humanitarian law. Prior to arriving in Israel in 2008, she worked as land rights lawyer for four years for non-profit organisations representing the remote Indigenous communities on Cape York Peninsula and central Queensland in Australia. She joined the ARDC in July 2009 and became the Resource Development Coordinator in December 2009.
Nic Schlagman, Humanitarian Coordinator
Contact Nic Schlagman
Nic Schlagman graduated from Sussex University with a degree in Philosophy. Since arriving in Israel in 2004, Nic has worked in education and tour guiding. He has volunteered with the ARDC since early 2009 in various capacities including organising volunteers, planning events, supporting the humanitarian projects, running activities for the children living our hostels and fundraising. In 2009 he was nominated Young Israeli of the Year by the Jerusalem Post.
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Hadas Yaron, Legal Aid Project Coordinator
Contact Hadas Yaron
Dr Hadas Yaron, social anthropologist, was awarded a PhD degree from Cambridge University in 2006 and is currently a lecturer at the Academic College Tel Aviv Yafo since 2007. Hadas held the position of Refugee Coordinator for Amnesty International (AI) the Israel Section from 2007 until 2009 and continues her work today with AI as part of the office's educational section.
Diddy Mymin Kahn, Counselling Psychotherapy Project Clinical Coordinator
Contact Diddy Mymin Kahn
Diddy did an undergraduate degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Education, Social Anthropology and Psychology and qualified as a Clinical Psychologist at Bar Ilan University in Israel. She has additional specialist training in the UK in systemic psychotherapy, group analysis, compassionate mind training, mindfulness training and EMDR. She is currently completing a doctorate through the Tavistock Clinic and Essex University in the UK. Diddy has 18 years clinical experience working as a therapist, supervisor, trainer and consultant. She has experience in individual, family and group therapy with people a wide range of difficulties. She has a particular interest and expertise in working with survivors of trauma in general, but particularly, in the context of rape, childhood abuse, and political violence.
Michal Zimry, Social Worker
Contact Michal Zimry
Michal Zimry is a social worker and a family and couple therapist. She has a degree in special education for the deaf and a second degree in educational counseling. She has additional training in Trauma therapy. Michal has a wide range of experience working with individuals with special needs, families with multiple difficulties, parental skill training, group work and professional group supervision. At the ARDC Michal is responsible for the psycho-social care of the families and children.
Charles Blake, Education Coordinator
Contact Charles Blake
Charles has more than eight years of experience in education, working
with populations from various backgrounds. He spent two years teaching
mathematics and community health as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in
Songea, Tanzania as well as two years working as an Adult Basic
Education Literacy Coach in inner-city Washington, D.C. He has also
worked as a teaching assistant in a university setting and as a
Manpower Development Specialist, training and mentoring Washington,
D.C. high school students. Before coming to ARDC, Charles was a
research assistant for the University of Maryland Center for Advanced
Study of Language. He has graduate certificates in Middle East Studies
and Measurement, Statistics and Evaluation and is currently a Ph.D.
candidate in International Education Policy at the University of
Maryland. He has a B.A. in Philosophy and the History and Philosophy
of Science and a B.S. in Mathematics, Neuroscience, and Cognitive
Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh.
ARDC Working Group
All projects are designed and implemented in close consultation with the ARDC Working Group which meets on a fortnightly basis. Its members are drawn from nine African refugee communities found in Israel, namely Sudan, Eritrea, DRC, Ethiopia, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Congo Brazzaville and Central African Republic. The ARDC Working Group members are either elected by their community as its leaders or are active and influential community members. The Working Group recognizes that if united as one voice, the various refugee communities can strengthen their influence to effect policy change. The body serves as a conduit between the ARDC and the communities so that we understand events as they are developing on the ground and the communities can help us formulate an appropriate response. Working Group members also volunteer in all aspects of our projects and frequently assist with translation. The Working Group is also responsible for arranging activities to raise public awareness at special events such as on International Refugee Day and other activities as part of our Giving Back with Love project.
