Who We Are

Jamie C. Amelio is the founder and CEO of Caring for Cambodia (CFC), a non-profit, non-governmental charitable organization that has dramatically changed the lives of tens of thousands of Cambodian children. CFC started in 2003 with the goal to provide Cambodian children education by building a school in the Siem Reap area. That initial goal of one school has grown into a mission to secure a better, brighter future for those children and so many more.

Jamie is a four-time recipient of the prestigious Golden Hand Service Award (2014, 2012, 2010, 2005) bestowed by the Cambodian government to those who give outstanding service to the Cambodian community. She received the award for Outstanding Community Leader in 2015 and the Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2011 from the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce and was named as a 2010 Classic Woman of the Year by Traditional Home Magazine.

Jamie is no stranger to helping children, and was a dedicated volunteer long before beginning the Caring for Cambodia journey. She served on the Board of Directors of Vistas for Children in Los Angeles, and founded Junior Vistas for Children. She served on the CLASS (Community Leaders Advocating Student Success) and is a member of Leader For Life committee for Lake Travis School District. Most recently, Jamie has founded Staying Bothered, a global movement to help people find what bothers them the most, motivate them to get involved, and provide them with the tools to stay committed to affect real, positive change.

Jamie is the author of three books: Graced With Orange, an inspiring look at how one woman set out against difficult odds to change the education of an entire population, and Stumpy the Crocodile, a children’s book about helping neighbors in need. Her latest book, Staying Bothered, Find Your Passion, Commit To Action, Change the World, was released in November, 2019. She is also the orator of a TEDx Talk, Be Bothered, Stay Bothered, where she reveals the secret to staying motivated to make a difference.

Jamie and her husband, Bill, lived in Asia for a decade and now make their home in Austin, Texas. They have six children, including two from Cambodia, and one grandson, all of whom understand the importance of “Being Orange” and “Staying Bothered”.

Ung Savy is CFC’s Superintendent of Schools and Country Director. He has served as Superintendent since 2003, and additionally, as Country Director since 2006. In this role, Savy oversees all student programs across CFC’s twenty-one schools, offering leadership to the school principals and providing opportunities for improvement at each campus to maximize student learning. As the primary liaison to the Cambodian Government, Savy has implemented the joint Memorandum of Understanding and built important relationships with the Ministry of Education. In addition to managing the school principals, Savy directs the Deputy Country Director, the CFC Administrator, the Executive Assistant of Programs, and the Senior Program Manager.

Under Savy’s leadership, drop-out rates have fallen to less than 10% consistently since 2010 (currently one-third the national rate), and CFC has continued to forge connections with the Cambodian government, achieving the significant honor of being named the country’s model schools by the Minister of Education.

Savy’s early years were overshadowed by the Khmer Rouge, and from the age of one, he lived in Cambodia’s war-torn conditions. Separated from his parents and family, he was provided with limited food and was forced to work destroying termite mounds and making fertilizer for rice paddy fields until the age of 10 when the Vietnamese army forced Pol Pot from power. At the age of 13, Savy finally began his formal schooling as a first grader. After graduating from sixth grade at the age of 18, he joined the Vietnamese army where he started learning English – something that was illegal at the time.

In 1993, Savy was able to use his knowledge to provide translation services to the UN armies upon their arrival in Cambodia. He was also able to return to school to continue his formal education. After relocating to Siem Reap in 1994, Savy obtained a position as an English teacher at Spien Chreav School – now the Spien Chreav Amelio School – and worked as a tour guide in his spare time. Savy stayed in these roles until 2003 when he was introduced to Jamie and Bill Amelio, and accepted the role of Superintendent at what was the first of CFC’s now twenty-one schools.

Since joining the CFC team, Savy has supplemented his education with courses on leadership and English, among others, bolstering his natural ability to guide teams and excel in an international environment.

Savy and his wife, Mom, live in Siem Reap with their son who was born in 2011.

Rebecca Large is CFC’s Deputy Country Director. She helps to establish strategic direction and execution of key CFC initiatives, and works with CFC’s program managers to strengthen current systems as well as implement new community programs. Additionally, Rebecca develops human resource policies and procedures, and trains local teams on communication and public relations skills.

Rebecca started working in Cambodia in 2014 after graduating University of Sheffield with a degree in Human Geography. Employed by Futuresense Foundation in Cambodia, she was initially assigned as a volunteer and program coordinator, but progressed to program manager where she developed and implemented sustainable education programs. It was during this time that Rebecca developed a love for Cambodia, and for grassroots development with a focus on education initiatives and policy.

This experience led Rebecca to obtain a master’s degree from the University of Sussex in International Education and Development, where she conducted research in Nepal about head-teachers’ roles in supporting teachers’ professional development.

Lori Soenksen is CFC’s Director of Finance. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration degree from West Virginia University.

Prior to joining Caring for Cambodia as Director of Finance, Lori was Vice President of Finance for a private equity company focused on the oil and gas industry and located in Princeton, NJ. In this position, Lori was responsible for all financial aspects for the firm, including financial reporting, payroll, and accounting management. She also managed the office and all contact with vendors, building management and IT set-up. Prior to this, Lori held various accounting roles of increasing responsibility with Medical Broadcasting Company and Kraft General Foods. Her public accounting experience came in earlier years as a senior auditor at Price Waterhouse LLC, Philadelphia, PA.

From 2013 through 2015, Lori and her family lived in Singapore where she became acquainted with CFC. She was fortunate to participate in a family service trip during that time and that experience solidified her interest in and commitment to CFC.

Lori and her husband John have three children, and currently live in New Hope, PA.

Deeann Gallo is CFC’s Human Resources Director. She has served in this role since 2013, ten years after she first joined CFC as a volunteer. In this role, Dee is responsible for hiring the Management Team in the US, Singapore and Cambodia, overseeing the recruitment of the support team in Siem Reap, and defining CFC’s succession plan. She also monitors the salary structure, salary increases and bonus plan, drawing on market research in Cambodia, the US and Singapore. Dee is instrumental in helping to develop key CFC initiatives, as well as policies and procedures for the Siem Reap team.

Dee first became involved in CFC in 2003 when she attended one of the first ‘backpack parties’ where groups gathered to fill backpacks with school supplies and uniforms for CFC students. Her love for the organization grew as she took on the job of coordinating and running CFC’s first ‘Make a Difference’ service trip to Siem Reap, as well as advising CFC in the human resources area. After leaving Singapore in 2007, Dee and her family moved to Buenos Aires where she focused her energies on local charity work. In 2012, Dee and her husband Juan moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to be closer to their two sons.

Dee’s previous experience includes jobs as a Benefits Administrator for a law firm in Denver, CO; an HR Generalist for TRW, a large multi-national auto and aviation supply company in Boston; and Office Manager for Wilevco, a small manufacturing company also located in Boston. While living in Buenos Aires, Dee taught Business English to senior leaders and CEO’s of Argentine and US subsidiaries in the Latin America region. In addition to her extensive work-related training, Dee studied Business Administration at colleges in Denver and Boston.

Meera Tank is CFC’s Singapore Operations Manager. In this role, Meera works closely with committee chairs to coordinate several hundred volunteers throughout the region. She oversees fundraising and special events in Singapore and serves as the regional liaison with CFC’s global management team.

Meera began volunteering with CFC in 2018 before joining the staff in October 2019 and feels passionate about supporting students in Cambodia.

With a background in healthcare, Meera is a Qualified Optometrist. She has extensive experience in healthcare, including managing, recruiting, and training staff, as well as caring for her patients. The health and well-being of her patients and staff have always been the main focus of her career.

Meera moved to Singapore in April 2018 with her husband and two young children.  They love to spend time traveling, reading, playing games, and helping the community. Her children often help with the sorting of goods and donations for CFC and they love to help clean the local beaches too. 

Bryan Morytko is CFC’s Communications Director.  In this role, he is responsible for delivering and coordinating all external communications to CFC’s global supporter base, including website, newsletters, chapter outreach and social media.

While living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Bryan and his family traveled to Siem Reap several times and were touched by its people. Upon returning to live in the US, Bryan sought a way to help the people of Siem Reap and discovered Caring for Cambodia. Bryan became involved with CFC in 2018 when he became the leader of CFC’s Northeast US chapter.

Bryan holds a Masters in Nonprofit Management from Regis University and a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Purdue University. He worked as a newspaper reporter and communications director in the nonprofit sector before becoming a stay-at-home parent.

Bryan and his wife Tammi have three sons and currently live in Marlborough, CT.

Celina Maggi is CFC’s Development Director. In this role, she is responsible for developing, directing and maintaining the organization’s strategic approach to fundraising.

Originally from Detroit, MI,  Celina attended Loyola University Chicago and become the first in her family to attend and graduate from a university.  Celina spent the next 10 years working in Chicago with a focus on non-profit fundraising in the field of education. Leaving those brutal Chicago winters behind, Celina moved to Austin and has been a champion for fundraising in K-12 education through work with KIPP Austin Public Schools and Austin Achieve Public Schools. She is excited to take her passion for educational fundraising to Caring for Cambodia to make a global impact and continue to support efforts that provide accessible, high-quality education to all.

When not putting the “fun” in fundraising, Celina spends her time hiking the Greenbelt in Austin, TX, and taking advantage of the great outdoors with her dogs, Olive, Ethel, and Otis.

Kimberly Gibson – Director of US Operations/Executive Assistant to CEO

Kimberly Gibson is CFC’s Director of U.S. Operations and has also served as Executive Assistant to Jamie Amelio since April 2016. Kimberly works closely with the CFC Management team, CEO, as well as the Board of Directors. 

Kimberly was raised in Iowa where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Iowa. After moving to Arizona in 2004, she worked in both the nonprofit and private sectors in event management, fundraising, operations, and human resources. She also earned a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership & Management from Arizona State University.

Kimberly and her husband live in Arizona with their two young daughters. In their free time, they enjoy traveling, spending time together outdoors and watching cooking shows.