Empowering change together
Nina Ng, President and Founder of Help Me Live USA
Nina is a Chinese American nurse who was born and raised in New York City. She has served as an emergency medicine registered nurse, hospital administrator, and humanitarian leader for over 15 years. She has worked in numerous conflict settings and war zones including Haiti, Iraq, Bangladesh, Mexico, Ukraine, Sierra Leone, and Gaza.
Several years ago, Ms. Ng left the hospital setting in the United States in order to dedicate more of her time to humanitarian aid. Her calling to help underserved populations has been so strong that she founded her own non-profit organization, Help Me Live USA, in 2023.
Nina is currently a nomad who lives in different parts of the globe in between work assignments. She has a great love for children, nature, and animals.
Dr. Shaima Alghamdi, Gaza Operations Manager
Dr. Shaima Alghamdi, an extraordinary pediatric surgeon from Saudi Arabia, is currently serving as our Gaza Operations Manager. With over seven years of practice in pediatric surgery as well as an array of humanitarian aid experience, she has been a valuable asset to our team.
Dr. Alghamdi’s first medical mission took place in Jordan’s Zaatari camp, where she cared for Syrian refugees. It was her first encounter with patients who fled from war, which left her with intense emotions. To this day, she recalls the stories told to her by the Syrian children she encountered–the work they had to do at a young age in order to support their families and how poor their living conditions were. At Zaatari camp, Shaima worked as a physician and a teacher at the same time, spending half of her days performing procedures at a surgical clinic then volunteering the rest of her time teaching kids arts and crafts in a classroom setting.
Ms. Alghamdi continues to grow as a humanitarian by working in countries such as Yemen, Gambia, Burkina Faso, and most recently, in Gaza. She notes that her missions have empowered her by making her more proficient and giving her greater awareness of what the healthcare needs are in low-resource communities and conflict zones.
Gaza was Shaima’s first combat zone mission. It was like nothing she had ever experienced. She spent her time volunteering as a surgeon at European Gaza Hospital, where she witnessed the intense suffering of those affected by war. Day and night, Dr. Alghamdi experienced active warfare as bombs and gunshots went off near her location. This resulted in mass casualties, trauma cases, and an ever-rising death toll.
We are grateful for Shaima’s bravery and continued commitment. She is a brilliant human being who brings light to those around her, even in the darkest moments. As our Gaza Operations Manager, Dr. Alghamdi will oversee our mission there as we look to continue providing medical care, food, and water to those in need as well as activities that promote the mental health of children.
Kirsten Else, Coordinator for the Medical Emergencies Network
Kirsten’s diverse career spans across various roles and industries, all unified by a commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable populations through innovative solutions, strategic development, and dedicated support. She’s worked with children as a youth leader, served as a development coordinator in London, worked as a web developer, and is a photographer.
In her current role, Ms. Else oversees referrals and medical cases for patients in Gaza and Egypt. She facilitates access to essential services such as medical evacuations, emergencies, medication, and triage referrals. To date, our program has helped more than 11,000 Gazans.
Mohammad Ibrahim, Gaza Logistics Coordinator
Mohammad Ali, also known as Mohammad Ibrahim among his people, is a bright young Palestinian man who recently turned 15 years old. Prior to the devastating war on Gaza, he achieved many accomplishments.
Mohammad was a robotics engineer who created cars that operate automatically or by human control. Additionally, he built a submarine for an international competition on behalf of Palestine.
Mr. Ali notes that a mentor of his is Thomas White, head of the United Nations (UN) in Gaza. Through interactions with Thomas and other internationals, Mohammad improved his English to the point where he was appointed as a speaker with the Chinese delegation from the UN in Gaza.
Despite his young age and at times, difficult circumstances, Mohammad studied directing, editing, photography, dubbing, acting, voice acting, radio broadcasting, journalism, and presenting. He was initially given the chance to travel to the West Bank and Jerusalem January 2024, but his trip was canceled due to the war.
Although his dreams were destroyed, Mohammad did not despair and vows to never despair. Mr. Ali’s primary goal now is to help his Palestinian people and his secondary goal is to provide humanitarian aid around the world.
Mohammad first crossed paths with Help Me Live USA in April 2024 when they met in Rafah. A few months later, he expressed wanting to be a part of our NGO. Since then, he has become our Logistics Coordinator in Gaza—a role that he assumes with much pride. Mohammad executes food and water distributions, assists with pricing items for hygiene kits, takes photos and videos at our school and clinics, and identifies gaps within the community for us to address.
Mohammad hopes to achieve his dream of leaving Gaza to study abroad with the aim of returning to rebuild his land alongside his people.
Courtney Ignelzi, Gaza Education Coordinator
Courtney’s passion for humanitarian work is deeply rooted and inspired by her family. As global citizens, she and her loved ones have traveled and lived in more than 45 countries; immersing themselves in diverse cultures while also witnessing firsthand the challenges faced in today’s world.
This experience inspired Courtney and her young daughter to create their own charity, The KITS Foundation, giving them not only a project to bond through, but an outlet to foster their passion by giving back to the local communities they have visited.
Courtney’s role as Help Me Live USA’s Gaza Education Coordinator focuses on supporting displaced children in conflict zones through transitional education programs. She is responsible for implementing safe learning environments that address both the academic and emotional needs of these students.
Ms. Ignelzi is committed to making her impact in this world and will never stop advocating and striving to create a better future for the world’s most vulnerable children.
Joshua Seillier, Program Coordinator
Josh has a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and is a firefighter/paramedic in the greater Austin, Texas area. He has over 7 years of experience in emergency services. Josh is passionate about extending the reaches of health equity and has volunteered in humanitarian missions in Haiti, Ukraine, and Mexico. He is eager to continue to aid in the spread of health and wellness as a leader for Help Me Live USA.
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