Founder/President

Michael Capponi

Michael Capponi is known as one of the key pioneers instrumental in shaping the image, popularity, and growth of Miami Beach. Over the past 30 years, Michael has been a leading force in the hospitality and entertainment industries and one of the most accomplished residential real estate developers in South Florida. Michael’s humanitarian and philanthropic missions started in 1999. He is now fully retired from the private sector and focuses 100% of his time and efforts on GEM. He now brings the skills of his prior endeavors to his philanthropic work with GEM. 

He has built an international organization that’s disrupting the disaster sector through its innovative, efficient and modernized systems. Unlike many non profit executives, Michael is hands on, boots on the ground, on the field and the offices. He oversees the management of 6 international branches on multiple continents. Read More.

Headquarters

Michael Capponi
President-CEO

Erika Ruiz
Chief Financial Officer

Raul Celaya
Vice President of US Operations

Jeff Popovich
Director of Global Operations

Executive Finance Team

Jessica Olivares
Senior Finance Director

Omar Elshabrawy
Finance Director

Maria Zuniga
Senior accountant

Sergio Flores
Senior accountant

Cynthia Hernandez
Senior accountant

Operations

Hana El Gamal
Director of Global Logistics

Kimberley Bentley
US Director of Field Missions

Billy Richardson
Warehouse Manager HQ

Johnny Knowles
Assistant Warehouse Manager HQ

Ricardo Roca
Warehouse Supervisor HQ

Kathy Calderon
Missions Manager

Hope Westling
Operations Manager

Santiago Neira
Community Projects Lead

Emily Garland
US Program Lead

Donor Department

Mila Gonzalez
Development Operations Manager

Rene Dago III
Institutional Giving Manager

Alina Kurska
International Affairs Director

Michael Kesti
US Government Affairs Director

Alistair Kiyingi
Community Engagement Manager
[email protected]

Sue Cushman
Director of Global In-Kind

David Brooks
Strategic Partnerships

Public Relations

Bianca Bucaram
Public Relations
[email protected]

Alexandra Lansky
[email protected]

Katazyna Merrett
Europe-Middle East
[email protected]

Marketing Team

Clif Loftin
Marketing Director

Spencer Taylor
Director of Video and Imaging

Taylor Jenisch
Video Manager

Robin Watson
Video Manager

HR & Legal

Peter Homer
Head Council

Gregory Homer
Employment Council

Jennifer Fredricksen
Human Resources manager

US Registered Branches

USA West Coast (NW California & Los Angeles)

Elizabeth Jernberg
Director of Operations, USA West

Jason Jernberg
Warehouse and Inventory Manager, USA West

Joe Alvino Castro
Warehouse Associate

Jessie Ingalls
Field Missions, USA West

GEM Hawai’i-Pacific

Danielle Kawehi Dreis
Executive Director

Christy Mendoza
Finance Manager

Kamaka Kan-Hai
Manager of DCMP & RAP

Niki Trivison
Executive Assistant

Jacek Zylak
Construction Supervisor

GEM Caribbean

Deika Morrison
Executive Country Director

GEM Europe

Majel Wilson
Executive Director

Wiktor Nguyen Van
Chief Financial Officer

Wiktoria Maciejewicz
Director of Field Missions

Filip Skrzypczak
Field Missions

Grezgorz Swiatek
Warehouse Manager

Roman Andriychuk
Director of Road Transport

Katazyna Merrett
Public Relations, Europe
[email protected]

GEM Ukraine Branch

Alina Kurska
Director of Ukraine Programs

Andriy Negrych
Director of Operations

Mykhailo Kinash
Chief Financial Officer

Tetiana Radchuk
Chief Accountant

Serhii Perminow
Legal Council

Volodymyr Kuriennoi
Warehouse Manager

Vira Negrych
Inventory Director

Antonina Kinash
Inventory Manager

Mariana Yavorska
Reporting Manager

GEM Middle East

Cairo- Palestine Branches

Nuha Bashir
Executive Country Director, MENA Palestine

Ahmed Qandeel
Operations Director, MENA North Africa

Joudy Habash
Mission Lead

Türkiye Branch

Ayça Aydın
Executive Country Director

Gürhan Çevik
Warehouse and Inventory Manager

Latin America Branch

Luis Velasquez
Executive Director

Luis Guillermo
Field Missions

Haiti Branch

Claude Forbin
Executive Country Director

Danoushka Capponi
Director of Haiti Programs, Director of Educational Programs 

Yougains Fils
Programs Manager

Kesny Phillipe
Community Center Administrator

Our Board

Executive Board Chair

BASH KAZI

Bash Kazi is a seasoned executive with a proven track record in leadership, management, and entrepreneurship, showcasing expertise across various industries. Currently, he serves on the executive board of Global Empowerment Mission, leveraging his extensive network and expertise to foster high-level government partnerships and execute impactful programs globally. His dedication to making a positive impact is evident in his work with GEM, where he has contributed to several on-ground missions and programs in countries like Turkey, Morocco, and Israel. Read More

Junior Committee

GEM encourages the youth to get involved in humanitarian initiatives.

Join our Team

GEM is on a mission to deliver the most amount of aid, to the most amount of people in need, in the shortest amount of time and with the least amount of costs to our donors. We are a fast-paced team passionate about disrupting disaster relief with a complete 360-degree response. Ready to get started?