Meet the founders
Jennifer Grisham-Brown
Co-founder, Board President
Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Co-Founder and President of Hope for Tomorrow. As well, she is the Founder of the Hope for Tomorrow Preschool program. Jennifer is a Professor in the Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education program and faculty director of the Early Childhood Laboratory School at the University of Kentucky. She works across the country and internationally to support inclusive educational practice for young children. She generally visits Guatemala about 3 times a year with her son and greatest source of pride, Kendall Aroldo Lee Brown, who was adopted from there 22 years ago.
Brenda Riddle
Co-founder, d. 2019
Brenda Riddle was the executive director of Adopt!inc. and had obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Social Work and her master in Rehabilitation in Administration and Services. She worked in social services most of her adult life. Brenda had been involved with various aspects of Guatemalan adoptions and other humanitarian aid in Guatemala for over 26 years. In November 2019, she passed away.
Meet the team
Kenneth Sese
Director
Diana Sese
Director & Social Worker
Lisa Birdwhistell
US Office Manager
Kristina Newton
Sponsorship & Team Coordinator
Blanca Ixmatul
Cook
Delmy Vasquez
Preschool Director
Eliza Pirir
Psycologist, Group Home Coordinator
Gricelda Ixmatul
Caregiver
Irma Carranza
Cleaning
Jenifer Rivas
Caregiver
Lorena Colocho
Caregiver
Miguel Angel Castillo
Administrative Assistant
Mirna Lopez
Caregiver
Onoria Amador
Caregiver
Salvador Marroquin
Driver, Maintenance
Susanna Marroquin
Independent Living Caregiver
Stephanie Zeto
Preschool Teacher
Meet the board
Jennifer Grisham-Brown
President
Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Co-Founder and President of Hope for Tomorrow. As well, she is the Founder of the Hope for Tomorrow Preschool program. Jennifer is a Professor in the Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education program and faculty director of the Early Childhood Laboratory School at the University of Kentucky. She works across the country and internationally to support inclusive educational practice for young children. She generally visits Guatemala about 3 times a year with her son and greatest source of pride, Kendall Aroldo Lee Brown, who was adopted from there 22 years ago.
Lisa Birdwhistell
Treasurer
Lisa Birdwhistell is the treasurer for the Board of Directors. Lisa has a bachelors degree in Social Work from the University of Kentucky. She has been involved international and domestic mission work since she was 18 years old working in Egypt, India, Guatemala, Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Kentucky to name a few!! Lisa and her husband Randy have 2 cats and love spending time with her family including her 16 year old niece. She has been with Hope for Tomorrow since June 2004. Currently, Lisa manages and is the bookkeeper for our office in Lawrenceburg, KY.
Kenneth Sese
Secretary
Kenneth Sese is the Director of Hope for Tomorrow in Guatemala and is the Secretary for the Board of the Directors. Kenneth has been serving as a missionary for the ministry since 2009. His wife, Diana, also works for the ministry as a social worker. The couple have two children, Madisson and Jacob.
Mary Louise Hemmeter
Director
Mary Louise Hemmeter is a professor of Special Education at Vanderbilt University where she teaches courses, conducts research and provides training and technical assistance around issues related to young children with disabilities and challenging behavior. She travels around the world talking to teachers and administrators. She has been visiting Hope for over ten years and has a deep commitment to the ministry.
John & Marcy Weidman
Directors
John and Marcy Weidman are from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They became involved with Hope for Tomorrow over 10 years ago through their relationship with Kenneth and Diana Sese. They started coming to Guatemala with their church, Asbury UMC, on youth trips. After outgrowing the youth trips, their hearts were still in Guatemala. As a result, they started adult mission trips to the children’s home about 7 years ago. John and Marcy have 4 children and 8 grandchildren.
Bill Wilson
Director
Bill Wilson was born and raised in Meade County, Kentucky where he has been attending Muldraugh Baptist Church since 1964. He first visited Guatemala in the summer of 2014 and has returned twice, each time with a mission team from church. Through the years, the Lord has worked in his heart creating a deep love and commitment to the children and staff at Hope for Tomorrow. Bill is blessed to have his loving wife Kelli, of almost 30 years, who walks with him daily in his journey with Christ. Bill and Kelli have 4 children and 2 grandchildren.
Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans.
Isaiah 1:17
