WE International

History:

The idea for WE International came about in 2002 when the founding directors were burdened with the amount of poverty and injustice in the world. During trips to developing countries, David Lippiatt, one of the founding directors, was deeply affected by the stories from the genocide of the former Khmer Rouge regime; including seeing the violation of girls and women being forced into prostitution. Also burdened while in Rwanda meeting men, women and children that told of the horrors that happened during the 1994 genocide, he knew he could not sit back and forget about them. He believed that more could be done not only in fighting the effects of global poverty and injustice, but more could be done on the front end as well.

With this in mind so began our journey to implement creative, effective and sustainable means to bring awareness and combat injustices helping those that are most vulnerable to being exploited. These include refugees, women, children and the poorest of the poor of society. They are often the ones targeted in the illegal trade of human beings through force, fraud, coercion, or violence for purposes of sexual exploitation or forced labor, and other slavery-like practices.

David and Tina Lippiatt:
David and Tina were married in Madison, WI in 1991 and have four amazing children. David is originally from upstate New York, however, Tina is a homegrown Wisconsinite born and raised in Cumberland.

David is the founder and director of WE International, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, and studied foreign policy at Oxford University. He has had a heart for the nations for the last 20 years having mobilized more then a 1000 people to work globally. He currently serves on the board of Teachers for Africa. He is also an advocate for the Saharawi people and their right to self determination to have a free and sovereign nation of Western Sahara; unoccupied and not controlled by Morocco. He has spoken at the United Nations on their behalf. Click links below for summary of speeches given. His faith, heart of compassion and desire for justice is the driving force behind what causes him to respond to global poverty and injustices.

Tina, co-director of WE International, is a gifted executive-level administer and has led teams to India and Rwanda and has worked in numerous other countries. She is also a gifted speaker and desires to respond to the needs and struggles of women and children in the developing world.

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/gaspd315.doc.htm
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/gaspd287.doc.htm
http://www.wsahara.net

Steven Hagens:
Steve Hagens is director and founder of the NGO, Homeland International. Homeland's vision is to bring hope to refugees through education and other long term, sustainable development projects. He is married to a wonderful woman named Lillie; they have one son and reside in Texas. Steve did graduate studies at Regent University in business administration. He and his wife have loved, worked and lived among the Saharawi in North Africa pioneering an English school and serving the Saharawi through advocacy.

www.homelandonline.org

Naomi Lambertson:
Naomi Laberston came to Madison, WI from the Boston area where she was managing an international professional development program with participants from the environmental and community development fields in the Middle East. Her interest in international development began while studying for a semester in Central America, which led her to teach in Southeast Asia, and eventually to receive her M.A. in Sustainable International Development at Brandeis University. She has traveled across Latin America, volunteering with International Justice Mission and Oxfam America. She is excited by the challenge of raising awareness of global poverty and injustice with WE International.

www.oxfamamerica.org
www.ijm.org

David Northcutt:
David Northcutt, Vice President and co-founder of WE International, was born and raised in Wisconsin. He is married to a wonderful woman named Rebecca and resides in Madison. He earned his B.A. and Jurist Doctorate degree from the University of Wisconsin and currently works as Special Counsel at Foley & Lardner LLP, specializing in trusts, estates, and charitable planning. He is a four season cyclist, devoted student of Jesus, pastors a home fellowship group, and serves as a mentor in Mad City Church Training Community.

www.madcitychurch.org

Board of Directors:

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute....defend the rights of the poor and the needy. Proverbs 31:8