The WAVS team is made up of passionate individuals on two different continents working together to equip young men and women with life changing-job skills.

To see the WAVS School staff in Guinea-Bissau go here.

WAVS Staff

Chris Collins

Executive Director

Chris first traveled to Guinea-Bissau in 2008, shortly after WAVS opened up its first vocational school in the country. On that two-week trip, he saw how WAVS was equipping students with the job skills they need to provide for their families for the rest of their lives. In December 2010, he became the first full-time executive director of WAVS.

Prior to joining WAVS, Chris was a journalist in Fresno, California, for five years and received several national and regional awards for investigative reporting. He spent six weeks covering the war in Iraq in late summer 2007 for McClatchy Newspapers.

Chris was born in Boston, grew up near Seattle and graduated from Whitworth University in Spokane in 2005 with bachelor’s degrees in journalism and political studies.

Alyssa Braun

Donor Relations Manager

Alyssa comes to WAVS with an eclectic life resume. Some of her most important titles include wife, mother of four, cancer mom, writer, serial entrepreneur, and Make a Wish fundraiser. She was deeply impacted by the phrase “blessed to be a blessing” when she was much younger, and that core value is what drew her to WAVS.

Alyssa is passionate about family, movement, mental health, travel and intentional connection. She is living proof that life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful and spends her days chasing the mundane joys this imperfect world has to offer. She believes vulnerability is a superpower and gratitude can change the world.

She looks forward to seeing how God uses her unique experiences, personality, and giftings to be a blessing to the people of Guinea Bissau.

Crystal Moritz

Director of Marketing and Events

Crystal grew up in Palmdale, California and moved to Fresno in 2001 to attend Fresno State. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, specializing in marketing, and received a minor in interior design. While at Fresno State, Crystal met the love of her life, Luke, who would become her husband.

Crystal later served as the Event Manager for The Grand 1401, a historic building in downtown Fresno. Crystal next worked as the Marketing Manager at STAR Fine Foods and helped build the company’s social media presence, expand its existing product lines, and manage its media campaigns.

In the meantime, Crystal also volunteered with WAVS to coordinate the décor at its annual dinner banquets in Fresno. In 2017, she joined WAVS as its Director of Marketing and Events. Crystal has always been impressed with how WAVS focuses on gospel-centered and long-term development in Guinea-Bissau and its drive to build relationships with the students and community while empowering them to rise out of poverty through vocational training.

Razan Altareb

Marketing and Events Intern

Razan was born and raised in Tulare, California, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing at California State University, Fresno. Outside of academics and professional pursuits, Razan enjoys creative hobbies like nail art and fashion and loves spending time with her cat to unwind.

In 2023, Razan volunteered with the Zachary Horton Foundation, where she developed a marketing plan to support the foundation’s mission of breaking the stigma of addiction and assisting individuals and families affected by it. This experience with a nonprofit organization inspired her to join WAVS, whose mission to provide vocational training and education in Guinea-Bissau resonates deeply with her.

Having experience as a student tutor since high school and continuing in university, Razan is passionate about making education accessible to all, a value rooted in her faith, which emphasizes the importance of seeking and sharing knowledge. She is excited to bring her passion for education and creativity to WAVS and support its impactful work in Guinea-Bissau.

Paola Luna

Finance Intern

Paola is a senior at Fresno State majoring in Business Administration with an option in Data Analytics and a certificate in Finance. She grew up in Tototlán, Mexico, a town known for its tequila industry, where she learned the value of hard work and community. In 2010, she settled in California’s Central Valley, which has been her home ever since.

In her free time, Paola enjoys spending time with family and friends or reading. She believes education has the power to change lives, which is why WAVS’ mission resonated with her. Paola is excited to intern with WAVS, contribute her skills, and grow professionally while supporting meaningful projects. She looks forward to making a positive impact.

WAVS STAFF IN GUINEA-BISSAU

Sloan Galbraith

Country Director

Sloan joined the WAVS team as Country Director in October 2019, bringing with her years of experience working in humanitarian aid and international development. Before joining the team, Sloan worked with several NGOs in Greece, primarily serving as a coordinator for various projects to provide long-term support to refugees, including welcoming and integrating them into Greek communities.

A native of Ohio, Sloan holds her Bachelor’s in Sports Management from Wittenberg University and her Master’s Degree in International Peace & Conflict Resolution from Arcadia University, where she focused on security management and emergency response.

Sloan is passionate about supporting others in pursuing their goals and identifying ways to strengthen programs. She spends most of her time living and working with the WAVS staff in Guinea-Bissau.

Adriaan Shcikkerling

Director of Construction Management and Training

Since a very young age Adriaan has been passionate about making a difference in the lives of underprivileged individuals as well as poverty stricken communities. He believes every human being has the right to basic necessities and therefore serving in love and good will has been his goal over the years in whatever way or form it presents itself.

Being part of a low cost housing project for Jimmy Carter in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa – Habitat for Humanity’s vision catapulted Adriaan into living an extraordinary lifestyle. He spent two years in Zimbabwe on a construction project accommodating and hosting international missionary teams whilst providing aid to local orphanages, rural churches and prisons. Adriaan serves as part of a global emergency response team for Samaritans Purse serving victims of war, poverty, famine, disease and natural disaster. Through Samaritans Purse, he deployed to the Hurricane Dorian response in 2019.

Over the years Adriaan and his wife Joscelin have also been a foster family – looking after newborn babies giving them a loving home until permanently placed. Various trade skills experience allowed Adriaan to start his own construction business in 2020. He managed projects for hospitals, residential homes and industrial warehousing while providing a service where they aid the elderly with everyday needs.

“Joining WAVS and being part of a vision that will impact so many lives is an absolute privilege. I am excited to see what the future holds.”

Laura Trickett

Director of Administration & Operations

Laura was born and raised in Fresno, California and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a certificate in ESL Linguistics from CSU Fresno. She also accidentally received a certificate in community change and social justice, but that’s a story for another time.

Laura traveled to Guatemala twice in partnership with a missions organization and has been involved with several Fresno based nonprofits. These experiences were instrumental in cultivating her passion for sustainable and holistic development work.

Laura spent the first two and a half years with WAVS at the Fresno office helping with events, marketing, and donor relations. After a visit to the WAVS schools in 2022, Laura realized her desire to work hand-in-hand with the school staff and students. This led to her becoming the Program Director for WAVS in early 2023. She now spends 5-6 months in Guinea-Bissau each year working with local teachers and administrators while collecting student and graduate stories to share with donors.