Dan and Rachel Smither

Founder & Executive Director Co-Founder & Culture and Creative Arts Director
Email Dan | Dan on Facebook
Email Rachel | Rachel on Facebook

In 2007, after ministering to thousands of inner-city children for more than ten years with The Power Company Kids Club in Pontiac, Michigan, Dan and Rachel founded Key of Hope. Dan has a bachelor’s degree in theology from William Tyndale College, and Rachel studied music theory at Oakland University. They have been married since 1995, and have four beautiful daughters.

Nhlakanipho Goba

Program Manager
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Nhlakanipho has been managing our programs since 2018, making sure all our weekly programs point children to Christ, are fun and run smoothly. When he is not at Key of Hope, he spends his time volunteering in his church by leading through evangelism and helping in Sunday School. Nhlakanipho is married to his wife Sonto who also serves on staff. They have two beautiful daughters.

Bridget Shange

Finance Manager
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After several encounters with Key of Hope, Bridget came on staff and manages the finance department. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting at the University of Zululand and also has her postgraduate certificate in accounting with the University of Johannesburg. Her work experience ranges from a small audit firm to one of South Africa's top banks.

Nkosinathi Hadebe

Facilities & Fleet Manager
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First hearing about Key of Hope in 2009, Nkosinathi joined the Key of Hope staff a few years later. He is committed to keeping our grounds impeccable and our fleet running smoothly. He is also the pastor of Lamp Stand Ministries, a church in one of our ministry areas . Nkosinathi is married to his wife Nthabiseng and they have two children.

Thalente Zwane

Hope Fund Manager Email Thalente

Thalente has been coming to Key of Hope since 2018. She came on staff in 2020 and she now holds the title of our youngest manager ever. Before Thalente was invited to serve full-time, she worked at a customer call center and volunteered at a local church. On top of being a manager at Key of Hope, Thalente is currently in college working towards her psychology degree.

Sthandiwe Chiliza

Staff Care Counselor
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Sthandiwe joined the Key of Hope staff after taking an early retirement from the Department of Education. Beginning as a kindergarten teacher, she worked her way up through the ranks to serve as Head of Department and then Deputy Principal of Ifafa Primary School. She and her husband Thami have one son, and one grandchild.

Supervisors

The supervisors serve directly under our managers and are being strategically groomed in leadership development. While completing all their daily tasks, they are also given charge of the temps and interns who serve under them. supervise and direct the staff at Key of Hope. Many of our staff refer to the supervisors for decision making and support.

From left to right - Sinethemba, Sandiso, Mhlengi, Asiphe, Liyanda & Zama

Key of Hope South Africa Staff

USA Staff

Paul Dziepak

US Team Leader | CFO
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Paul Dziepak is the US Team Leader at Key of Hope, joining the US staff in 2021, he started as US Finance Manager. With a robust background in finance and a commitment to ministry, Paul brings a unique blend of expertise to his role. Alongside his professional pursuits, Paul prioritizes family, sharing a fulfilling life with his wife Katrina and their four children. His dedication to financial management and passion for making a positive impact align seamlessly with Key of Hope's mission.

Pam Dubs

US Bookkeeper
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Pam has been with Key of Hope since 2016 as bookkeeper. She has been married to her husband Bill for 46 years and enjoys spending time with her two married sons and six grandchildren.

Sasha Smither

Social Media & Website Coordinator and Assistant
Email Sasha | Sasha on Facebook

As the daughter of Dan and Rachel Smither, Sasha lived in South Africa for 14 years where she served alongside of her parents at Key of Hope. She now lives in the United States and organizes the Key of Hope social media and website.