 |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Wende Valentine
Challenge21 Co-Founder
Although Wende Valentine is passionate about helping to make the world a better place, she clearly understands what it takes to do it in a way so that people are empowered to improve and ultimately transform their own lives.
While earning her Master’s Degree in International Development from the University of Denver in 2003, Wende began her career with Water For People. For the next five years, she managed the field work divisions for Water For People's Asia and Africa Programs, spending her time working with local partners, governments, NGO's and volunteers on the ground in India, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Honduras and Bolivia to facilitate sustainable improvements in water and sanitation.
In 2008, Wende moved from programs to strategic resource development, and she continues to work as an active major gifts officer for Water For People.
Living, working, studying and traveling in over 40 countries around the world, plus spending the last eight years with Water For People has allowed Wende to critically see and understand both the need for water and sanitation throughout the world and more importantly the key to lasting solutions for everyone: local partnerships, investments from every stakeholder, committing to coverage for every family, every school and every clinic within entire geographic regions, monitoring of all programs 3, 6, and 10 years down the line, taking innovative and thoughtful risks, and being transparent about all work progress both good and bad.
Wende lives in Golden, Colorado with her husband Jake Norton, children, Lila and Ryrie and dog Pema.