Personnel

B.M.C, Albania Director

 

B.M.C. is the Economic Empowerment Coordinator and a Project Manager at our on-ground partner organization, D & E .  In addition to managing the Shkodra Kinderhaus, she provides job counseling and employment placement for our survivors.   She has also served as Coordinator and Strategic Development Director for the Municipality of Kucove.  She has worked with at-risk adults and youth in Albania as a social worker for over twenty years.   For security reasons her name is not publicized.

 

Amy L. Sebes, Founder and Executive Director

 

Amy has been a high school English and Psychology teacher for the past three decades in six U.S. states and six countries. She drafted the national anti-trafficking curriculum that has been used in selected Albanian middle and high schools for many years. She has served as an editor of numerous English language teaching materials and taught English on TV as part of the Educational Broadcasting Service in Korea.  In addition to her social work with sex trafficking survivors in Albania, she has also worked with former political prisoners in Burma, orphans in India’s largest slum, and at-risk high school students in Arlington, Virginia.

 

D. F., Past President and Lead Consultant

 

D.F. is a sex trafficking survivor and one of the founding members of AAGW.  She is is passionate about helping those vulnerable to exploitation of any kind and serves as a mentor to our younger members. She is fluent in three languages, has worked as an associate in the telecommunications industry, and is currently the mother of two and co-founder/sales manager of an innovative startup.  She believes strongly in the equality of all people, the beauty of life, and the importance of resiliency and hope. For security reasons, her name is not publicized.

 

Alison McGann, Technology Support

 

Alison met AAGW founder Amy Sebes while at Stanford University and has been a volunteer with AAGW since its founding.  After earning her MA, Alison spent 10+ years as a researcher at NASA investigating aviation safety and automation issues.  She has held several volunteer positions in her local community and is currently a Research Analyst at West Valley College in Saratoga, California.

 

Ardiana Brahja, Consultant 

 

Ardiana was born and raised in Tirana, Albania and currently lives in Bethesda, Maryland with her three children and husband. She worked for Peace Corps Albania for fifteen years promoting health, education, and economic development and is currently a Budget Analyst for the Office of the Chief Financial Officer in the Washington, DC mayor's office.  Ardiana is committed to justice and being of service to those who are overlooked. 

​

Bette Vajda, Graphic Designer

 

Bette is a freelance graphic designer and recent graduate of King's College London.  She lived in Albania as a young child and is passionate about social equity.  She has contributed to AAGW for ten years. 

​

Kristina Nikolaj, Volunteer

​

Kristina is an Elite Service Associate at Delta Vacations and the founder of the 2023 Albanian American Women’s Health Summit. With seven years of experience in video production and wellness, she brings a unique blend of creative and holistic expertise. As a former health coach with a focus on trauma-informed healing, Kristina is committed to fostering authenticity, integrity, and the growth and empowerment of women.

 

Linda Reid, Volunteer

 

Linda has been an AAGW volunteer since its founding.  She spent twenty years working in college and Olympic sports publicity and now is a college and grad school admissions essay editor.  In addition to sitting on the steering committee for the non-profit John R. Wooden Award, Linda has served on the Board of Education of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District in California since 2014. 

 

​