Our Team
All team members of Become serve on a volunteer basis. It is their dedication, time and professionalism that
make Become's work possible. Every contribution - direct or indirect - is highly valued. The wide range of academic knowledge,
field experience and creative initiative of our team & board members provide the organization with the strengths and tools needed to
further promote the rights of orphans and vulnerable children worldwide.
make Become's work possible. Every contribution - direct or indirect - is highly valued. The wide range of academic knowledge,
field experience and creative initiative of our team & board members provide the organization with the strengths and tools needed to
further promote the rights of orphans and vulnerable children worldwide.
Management Team
Ziv Gan-Or, Founder & Co-director
Ziv hold the degrees MD and PhD from Tel-Aviv University, currently conducting a post-doctoral fellowship at the Human Genetics Department and Montreal Neurological Institute of McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. Ziv is performing research in the field of genetics and biology of neurological diseases. Since he was young, Ziv has been volunteering in different organizations and youth movements, and more recently he has been helping an organization assisting Holocaust survivors. In 2009, together with Anne-Sophie, he established Become, with the profound belief that it is possible to make a difference in the lives of children that otherwise would be alone in this world.
Anne-Sophie Cardinal, Founder & Co-director
Originally from Quebec City, Canada, Anne-Sophie completed an M.A. in Community Development Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, as well as a Disaster and Humanitarian Response Certificate from the Humanitarian Training Initiative in Canada. She is also a professional translator and interpreter (English/French). Anne-Sophie has participated and coordinated community-based development projects in Guatemala, Cambodia, Benin, Sierra Leone and Kenya. In addition, since 2008, she has been involved with various organizations assisting African asylum seekers in Israel with psycho-social assistance, interpreting during immigration prison visits for the Refugee Rights Clinic, informal education activities, and logistics. She was a board member of Microfy for the year 2011-2012. Anne-Sophie is also an animal rights activist. She believes that "development" needs to be approached in a very delicate and well-thought manner, and that the work of Become will greatly impact and empower hundreds of orphans and vulnerable children.
Shelly Kagan, Co-director in Israel
Shelly studies Medicine in the Hebrew University. She took part in Become's project in Kager, Kenya, in 2011. Since then, she continued to be involved and was inspired by the passion and integrity of the people who comprise the organization and their partners. Shelly believes that education can empower individuals to can take control of their lives and build a strong society. With knowledge, members of a community can prevent illness and save lives. Shelly is involved with the International Masters of Public Health program of the Hebrew University and volunteers at the rape crisis center.
Ben Vorspan, Co-director in Israel
Ben Vorspan, originally from the United States and currently
residing in Jerusalem, is honored to be a part of the Become team! He has spent
a large amount of time in Africa over the course of his life, and has been
connected to the continent (most specifically West Africa) through Guinean
Dance and Music. With much experience in the field in the continent, having
held positions in Cameroon and Madagascar. He completed his M.A. in International Development at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and now works as a staff member of the program. This program, and its inspiring participants has opened his eyes to the value of effective and ethically planned work in the developing world. In addition to his work in the University, Ben works for an NGO specializing in education for Palestinian youth in East Jerusalem and Ramallah, and coordinates a project for African refuges in Jerusalem. Ben feels that the work of Become is a tremendous contribution to the field of development and is a direct response to both the needs of the communities with which it works and a vital usage of the tremendous capabilities they possess.
Lea Miller Forshtat, Program Director, Come True Project (South Sudan/Uganda)
Attorney Lea Miller-Forshtat holds a Masters of Law and has been a member of the Israeli Bar Association since 1991. Lea is a partner at Shmilovich Gruengard Forshtat law offices, specializing in business law (particularly high-tech), non-profit organizations and social businesses. On the side, Lea conducts a large amount of pro-bono work, both within the law practice and outside of it. Beyond legal work, Lea developed a conflict resolution and mediation program for children, and has been teaching this program to elementary school children in Tel Aviv for the past seven years. Lea also serves as a board member for Assaf, a refugee aid association in Israel. In 2012, following the deportation of her son's friend to South Sudan, Lea along with Dr. Rami Gudovitch
Attorney Lea Miller-Forshtat holds a Masters of Law and has been a member of the Israeli Bar Association since 1991. Lea is a partner at Shmilovich Gruengard Forshtat law offices, specializing in business law (particularly high-tech), non-profit organizations and social businesses. On the side, Lea conducts a large amount of pro-bono work, both within the law practice and outside of it. Beyond legal work, Lea developed a conflict resolution and mediation program for children, and has been teaching this program to elementary school children in Tel Aviv for the past seven years. Lea also serves as a board member for Assaf, a refugee aid association in Israel. In 2012, following the deportation of her son's friend to South Sudan, Lea along with Dr. Rami Gudovitch
Dr. Rami Gudovitch, Program Director, Come True Project (South Sudan/Uganda)
Dr. Rami Gudovitch received his PhD from Columbia University in New York and currently serves as professor at the Inter-Disciplinary Centre in Herzliya and Haifa University. Rami’s fields of research are in the Philosophy of Logic, Metaphysics and the Philosophy of the Social Sciences and Education. In recent years, Rami has been involved in many efforts within the refugee community in Israel and presently volunteers as the Social Coordinator for Levinsky Multi-Lingual Library in Tel Aviv, a library serving refugees and migrant workers. When the South Sudanese community was deported from Israel, Rami together with Assaf organization lead the struggle against their deportation. When the struggle failed, he joined attorney Lea Miller Forstat in establishing the Come True project, an initiative with BECOME working to provide education for South Sudanese deportee children.
Dr. Rami Gudovitch received his PhD from Columbia University in New York and currently serves as professor at the Inter-Disciplinary Centre in Herzliya and Haifa University. Rami’s fields of research are in the Philosophy of Logic, Metaphysics and the Philosophy of the Social Sciences and Education. In recent years, Rami has been involved in many efforts within the refugee community in Israel and presently volunteers as the Social Coordinator for Levinsky Multi-Lingual Library in Tel Aviv, a library serving refugees and migrant workers. When the South Sudanese community was deported from Israel, Rami together with Assaf organization lead the struggle against their deportation. When the struggle failed, he joined attorney Lea Miller Forstat in establishing the Come True project, an initiative with BECOME working to provide education for South Sudanese deportee children.
Paola Brambilla, Resource
Development and Project Coordinator
Paola is originally from Milan, Italy and has lived for the past few years in Jerusalem. In Italy, she worked in the human rights and social field for ACLI and NAGA associations to assist refugees. Working with immigrants comes naturally following her love for languages and her curiosity for diversity. While living in the Middle East during the past several years, Paola specialized in a number of different Arabic dialects. She is passionate about humanitarian work and has devoted her professional career to working for development organizations, holding project implementation and communications positions. She currently lives in Jerusalem where she coordinates a program for the Jerusalem Association of Asylum Seekers and Refugees, working on educational initiatives and conducting advocacy and community building activities with Sudanese and Eritrean populations. She joined Become in October 2013 and is honored to be part of such a great, committed team.
Paola is originally from Milan, Italy and has lived for the past few years in Jerusalem. In Italy, she worked in the human rights and social field for ACLI and NAGA associations to assist refugees. Working with immigrants comes naturally following her love for languages and her curiosity for diversity. While living in the Middle East during the past several years, Paola specialized in a number of different Arabic dialects. She is passionate about humanitarian work and has devoted her professional career to working for development organizations, holding project implementation and communications positions. She currently lives in Jerusalem where she coordinates a program for the Jerusalem Association of Asylum Seekers and Refugees, working on educational initiatives and conducting advocacy and community building activities with Sudanese and Eritrean populations. She joined Become in October 2013 and is honored to be part of such a great, committed team.
Roi Ariel, Resource Development, Communications and Marketing
After completing his studies in International Relations with a focus on International Development, where he wrote his thesis on the effects of Ecotourism on the Millenium Development Goals, Roi has been working to promote the practice of Ecotourism around the world. Roi has worked on developing locally led Ecotourism initiatives in Madagascar and in China, and has provided consultancies to programs in Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania and Sri Lanka. Roi is honored to be a part of Become, where he works in resource development, communications and marketing.
After completing his studies in International Relations with a focus on International Development, where he wrote his thesis on the effects of Ecotourism on the Millenium Development Goals, Roi has been working to promote the practice of Ecotourism around the world. Roi has worked on developing locally led Ecotourism initiatives in Madagascar and in China, and has provided consultancies to programs in Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania and Sri Lanka. Roi is honored to be a part of Become, where he works in resource development, communications and marketing.
Local Partners
None of the projects would be possible without the initiative, creativity, advice and dedication of local staff!
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Tom Mboya Muga, Director of Heartspring & Education Specialist, KENYA
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Silvia, Director of ABBA project, Dental and Clinical Nurse, KENYA |
Emmanuel, Director of ABBA Project, KENYA |
Consultants & Support
Maya Oren, Monitoring & Evaluation
Maya is originally from Israel and grew up in the US. Maya is currently the director of the Food Security MA program at Tel Aviv University. She has an M.A. in Community Development Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a BA in Political Science and Geography from UCLA. Maya spent the past seven years working at local development-focused NGOs in the San Francisco Bay Area, Israel, and East Africa. She has a passion for designing and conducting evaluations and sees them as a way of focusing and improving projects. She recently returned from Uganda, where she designed and executed a qualitative study on the impact of BRAC Uganda’s agriculture extension program in rural villages. Maya is developing an M&E plan to gauge Become’s current and future impact.
Adar Zehavi, Social Work & Development
Adar is an Israeli social worker, who specializes in special education and working with at risk families, in Israel and Africa. She is currently studying in the M.A. in Community Development Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Adar recently returned from India, where she conducted a research on rural-urban migration of youth. Through her work at Become, Adar helps raise funds and runs a preparatory training course for volunteers on short-term volunteering work in Africa.
Uri Hadelsberg, Audit Committee
Uri is an American-Israeli Medical student at the Technion University interested in raising money for underprivileged kids from developing countries. At Become, Uri assists with the translation of documents and attends fundraising events. He is a part of the fundraising team, with the aim of raising as much money as he can for the children in need. Uri is aspiring to become a neurosurgeon; his hobbies include listening to and playing classical music, reading and travelling.
Mor Gan-Or, Fundraising
Mor is a certified sound technician and a talented musician. He went to Kenya in 2009 to take part in the building of 5 children homes, and in 2011 to help establish a medical clinic. Mor is involved in events, organizing, and fundraising.