Jedd Medefind
President, Christian Alliance for Orphans

Jedd Medefind serves as President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO). Through CAFO, more than 225 respected organizations and a global network of churches unite in coordinated action to better the lives of vulnerable children worldwide – from foster care and adoption to family restoration. 

Prior to this role, Jedd led the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives under President George W. Bush. In this post, he oversaw reform efforts across the government to make community- and faith-based groups central partners in all Federal efforts to aid the needy, from prisoner reentry to global AIDS. As described by the Harvard Political Review, these reforms "fundamentally changed the government's strategy for improving the lives of the downtrodden..." Previously, Jedd held a range of posts in the California State Legislature. He has worked, studied, and served in more than thirty countries.

Jedd also enjoys writing articles and books, most recently Becoming Home (Zondervan). He’s written for and/or been quoted in publications ranging from the Wall Street Journal and NPR to The Gospel Coalition and Al Jazeera. Jedd and his wife Rachel live near Washington, DC with their five children.

Rephat Nyarenda
Zimbabwe Without Orphans

Rephat Nyarenda has been in pastoral ministry for the past 26 years, he is passionate to see orphans find loving and secure families. His advocacy for adoption and foster parenting has taken him across his country, engaging church leaders.

Pastor Ray, who has studied theology, strongly believes that only the church has the ultimate answer to the crisis of orphans and vulnerable children. His vision is to see the church equipped to properly care for orphans and vulnerable children, because it is the church’s mandate to do so.

Rephat is married to Mavis, and together they have 4 children and are foster parents to two.

Belay Gebru

Founder, Hope for the Fatherless

Belay T. Gebru (“Uncle Ben”) founded Hope for the Fatherless (HFTF) in 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His own story as an orphan is one of tremendous tragedy and redemption, both of which shaped much of his ministry to the fatherless of Ethiopia. Belay began HFTF with a vision to see children thriving in families instead of being cared for in institutions. Today, HFTF serves orphaned and vulnerable children through small-group, family-based homes, domestic adoption, and family sponsorship.

Belay is gifted in inspiring those around him to champion excellence for the most vulnerable. Prior to starting HFTF, he served as a child advocate for sponsorship with Compassion International and tour staff for the His Little Feet children’s choir. Today he serves as executive director at HFTF and is married to Koki. They have two beautiful children, Oni and Pat.