about us

Our Mission: Restoring childhoods disrupted by war

Novi team members are experts with three decades of experience helping children  and families in war-torn communities.

Our team consists of experts in child protection, education, mental health, and social work who are dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of those affected by crisis situations.

We work closely with local leaders and professionals to provide critical services and support to vulnerable communities in a wide range of settings.

Our commitment to improving the lives of those affected by war and conflict drives us to make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable.

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“Novi is a Latin adjective that means "new." War may destroy countless things, but we believe that children are capable of building new and beautiful futures with our support. The Novi community is a team that stands together to help them survive and thrive.”

Oddny Gumaer
Novi Founder

our  team

The Novi Community was first registered in May 2022, then determined by the IRS to be a 501(C)(3) tax exempt non-profit organization.

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Oddny Gumaer
Co-founder & Chief of Communications

For over 30 years, Oddny’s most fulfilling work has been showing compassion and calling...

For over 30 years, Oddny's most fulfilling work has been showing compassion and calling others to care for and help the youngest victims of war. Oddny is an accomplished writer, public speaker, and columnist with a Master of Arts in Transformational Development who applies her talent to supporting children marginalized by conflict and oppression.

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Steve Gumaer
Board Member (Voting)
Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer

Steve has dedicated his life to helping children in war-torn communities. For more than 3 de...

Steve has dedicated his life to helping children in war-torn communities. For more than 3 decades he has worked to deliver relief, aid, and programs to support families uprooted by war in SE Asia, the Middle East, and Ukraine. He has a Master’s Degree in Transformational Development, is an EMT, and loves his team, ethos and work the The Novi Community is doing to help children

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Elizabeth McWilliams
Director of operations (usa)

Elizabeth (Liz) is experienced in non-profit public relations development and Corporate...

Elizabeth (Liz) is experienced in non-profit public relations development and Corporate Program Management. Liz studied Child and Family Studies for her BA and is passionate about the work she helps lead to help children in war-torn communities. She manages the Novi office in Midland, Texas, and holds a Master of Arts in Communication focused on Organizational Development.

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Board Members

Tammy Lowry
Board Chairperson (Voting, Independent)
Board Term: 2022 - Present

With 25 years working in executive human resource management, Tammy brings a mult...

With 25 years working in executive human resource management, Tammy brings a multi-cultural perspective to the relationship between people and results. She has a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology.

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Julie Edwards
Board member (Voting, Independent)
Board Term: 2022 - Present

Julie has managed her family business for 30 years. She brings a value for creating practic...

Julie has managed her family business for 30 years. She brings a value for creating practical systems for long-term success and stability. She has a Master of Arts degree.

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Link Grimes
Board Secretary (Voting, Independent)
Board Term: 2022 - Present

Holding an M.A. in Law, Link has 30 years practicing law and managing his firm. He...

Holding an M.A. in Law, Link has 30 years practicing law and managing his firm. He brings a unique blend of critical thinking, attention to detail, and optimism to the team.

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Mary Beth Anton
Board Treasurer (Voting, Independent)
Board Term: 2023 - Present

Mary Beth has 30 years experience in pastoral ministry in many congregations...

Mary Beth has 30 years experience in pastoral ministry in many congregations. She was a school chaplain for 11 years and most recently she worked with the Women in Ministry Initiative at Princeton Theological Seminary. She holds an MDiv, from Princeton Theological Seminary and is passionate about helping vulnerable people.

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The Novi Community in Norway is called Novi Stiftelsen and is a fundraising and advocacy location for international operations

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Hans Christian Kvale
General Manager, Norway

Hans Christian has supported efforts to aid families displaced by war for 3 years.

Hans Christian has supported efforts to aid families displaced by war for 3 years. He has an M.S. in Multicultural leadership and team management.

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Board Members

Sverre Solverson
Board Chairperson (Voting, Independent)

Sverre is a nurse and holds an MBA. He also has broad experience from various...

Sverre is a nurse and holds an MBA. He also has broad experience from various positions within the pharmaceutical industry. In addition to this he is also dedicated to bring help and support for the poor and needy around the world.

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Marianne Berg Slettahjell
Board member (Voting, Independent)

Bio coming soon...

Bio coming soon!

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Siv-Margrethe Solberg Grimstad
Board Members (Voting, Independent)

Bio coming soon...

Bio coming soon!

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Novi Ukraine is a registered Non Governmental Organization (NGO) in Ukraine with reporting obligations to local government regulators and the tax department.

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Sasha Riabyi
National Director, Ukraine

Sasha has 20 years of experience working in relief and development with...

Sasha has 20 years of experience working in relief and development, with a talent for building thriving grassroots communities that care for people in need. He leads with a personable warmth, and a commitment to action and accountability. Sasha holds an M.A. in International Law

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Jon Peerbolt
Director of Monitoring and assessment

After building a career in sales, Jon looked for ways to help children marginalized...

After building a career in sales, Jon looked for ways to help children marginalized by war. In May, 2022, Jon joined the Novi team to help develop programs for children living under active conflict in Ukraine and supported the CEO in development activities. He has been active in the process of developing Novi's tools for emotional regulation and establishing Young Peace Builders clubs. He lives with his wife Hanna in Ukraine and is mastering the language while working to support the growth of Novi and management of programs that are all run by Ukrainians.

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our Values

Humility: We will be trustworthy, inclusive, respectful, curious, and generous in all we do.

Fortitude: We develop our ability to overcome obstacles and hardships.

Courage: We will do what is right when confronted by adversity, discomfort, and risk.

Empathy: We will understand and be sensitive to the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of others.

our  Ethos

The Novi Community adheres to the Red Cross Code Of Conduct and the principles of Do No Harm in all matters of program delivery and international aid. For communications, photography, and media our team follows the Dorcas Ethical Communication Guidelines. We also have a strict child protection policy that is signed by all volunteers, interns, and staff members.

The Novi Community adheres to the Red Cross Code Of Conduct and the principles of Do No Harm in all matters of program delivery and international aid. For communications, photography, and media our team follows the Dorcas Ethical Communication Guidelines. We also have a strict child protection policy that is signed by all volunteers, interns, and staff members.

At Novi, achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. We believe that only by bringing together a diverse range of people and perspectives can we tackle complex crises and create a future where everyone prospers.

We are committed to creating a culture of belonging, where all team members are valued for who they are and given equal opportunity to grow and succeed, with no discrimination on the basis of their race, color, gender, religion, age, socioeconomic status, national or ethnic origin, disability, marital status, military veteran status, or identification with any marginalized community where we work. Diversity, equity, and inclusion can look different in every country, and we’re committed to creating positive change at a local level within all of our teams across the world.