Trustees

Ruth, trained as a primary school teacher in France, has a deep passion for children and teaching. She was invited to Albania to specialize in working with children at risk. In 2016, Ruth completed her master's degree in Child Protection and further obtained an advanced certificate in Complex Developmental Trauma in 2022. Alongside her husband, she founded and now leads a local NGO in Albania, Alo! Mik, which serves children from challenging backgrounds. Ruth particularly enjoys facilitating training for those working with at-risk children.

Phil is motivated by his hate of injustice, an unquenchable hopefulness, and the belief that ordinary people can, and the Church should, make a difference in the world. He is the international CEO of Viva - Together for Children. Viva is an international charity dedicated to changing more children's lives to fulfil their God-given potential. He used to be the director of global partnerships for World Without Orphans Global, also leading the WWO global leadership’s response to COVID-19. He is the chair of ‘a little bit of HOPE’ a small international development charity in rural Uganda, which he co-founded; and a board member of Spurgeon’s Children Charity. Previously, he was the CEO of Home for Good, a UK organization that exists to find a home for every child who needs one by inspiring Christians to step up to foster and adopt, and equipping churches to support those that do. He is the co-catalyst for the Lausanne Movement's Children at Risk issue network, a member of the Global Reference Group for Children Impacted by Crisis, and a member of the leadership council for the Homecoming Project – a UK-based campaign promoting family-based care. Phil lives just north of London with his wife Hannah and their two children – Isaac and Tilly.

Involved with World without Orphans from the beginning, Barbara has worked with children since 1990. She has worked with street children in India, in a group home for teenagers in conflict with the law in Switzerland and has been one of the leaders of the children's ministry in a large Swiss church for several years. During 2002-2022 Barbara was part of the international leadership team of King's Kids/YWAM and has a rich experience in working cross culturally. For many years Barbara was part of her sister and brother-in-laws foster family as an aunty, helping to care for their children. She is a trainer and coach in Trauma and Attachment and has written her own training manual on that topic. She has an MA and a PhD in Holistic Child Development and travels widely to train people who work with children, especially with orphans and children in foster care. Barbara experienced orphanhood herself as a child and has a big heart for all vulnerable children, both in her own country of Switzerland and internationally.

Darko's passion is to see the Kingdom of God come, capture and change hearts, restore and redeem broken and lost people, families, and children. He is married to Gorana. God has blessed them with four of their own kids, and currently four foster kids. Becoming a foster parent has opened his heart and widened his ministry and church to the fatherless children. After finishing theological seminary, for the last 24 years, he has been involved in evangelism and church planting. He is a pastor of a Baptist church in Slavonski Brod, Croatia. He is a member of several other boards (Baptist Union executive board, Croatian Evangelical Alliance, and WWO Croatia). Currently, he is developing the construction and vision of the House of Hope ministry centre that will serve foster, orphan and single-parent children and families.

Gordon is a husband, father, and grandfather of five very energetic young grandsons. His whole life he has helped people to catch a vision for what can be achieved together and then realise that vision. He has worked as a teacher, a pastor and a student worker and spent 17 years with Evangelical Alliances. Since 2016, he has focused on families, children, and youth - and the vulnerable: the persecuted, the displaced and the trafficked. Current commitments include WWO, Converge, the Refugee Highway Partnership, the Global Children’s Forum, with time also given to the Religious Liberty Partnership. He also hopes that the first-ever global digital daily newspaper, ‘Christian Daily International’ will bring unheard voices to a global audience, informing and inspiring active engagement with a needy world. He has avoided Boards for years, but agreed to join WWO Europe’s Board, because he believes so passionately in the WWO vision.

Liviu Mihăileanu is an adoptive father and a leading advocate for adoption and foster care reform in Romania. His work has influenced national policy, strengthened civil society, and mobilized faith-based and professional communities around child protection. He is the founder of Tzuby’s Kids Association and President of the Romania Without Orphans Alliance. In recognition of his legislative and public advocacy, he received the Golden PR Award for Excellence in 2020. Liviu holds a PhD in theology, researching the role of Christian communities in adoption, and is the author of ”Born of the Heart” and ”The Lost Treasure”. Professionally, he serves as Director of Research & Knowledge for PwC EMEA, bringing extensive experience in strategy, governance, and organizational leadership.

Steve is based in Bedford with his wife Philippa, where they have lived for the past ten years. He is passionate about seeing change and transformation across the world, caring for the oppressed, investing into the lives of young people and seeing people move into freedom, knowing they are loved and cared for by God. Steve has worked for local, national and international charities, initially to develop their impact through raising funds and most recently, as Finance Manager in Wycliffe Bible Translators, ensuring stewardship of funds and overseeing a team who process over £9m in fundraised income. Alongside their jobs, Steve and his wife are both studying to become chartered accountants and are both involved in leadership development and prayer ministry within their local church.