Felege Hiywot Staff
Aster Bekele
Aster Bekele is the Founder and CEO at FHC. Ms. Aster has been working with programs in the Martindale-Brightwood community since 2004 when she created the Center. She emigrated to Indianapolis from Ethiopia and brought with her a sense of community and love of service. A retired chemist, Aster started the Youth Farm Initiative, established a food production space to give to the community, and continues to engage partners from across the city. Her focus is on youth farming, care of orphans and cultural expression.
Emma Hall
Emma Hall is the Youth Development Educator at FHC.
An Indianapolis native, she graduated from IU Indianapolis (formally IUPUI) with a BA in Sociology and has a professional background in social work and education. She has worked almost exclusively for nonprofits and small businesses.
In her free time she enjoys listening to podcasts, spending quality time with friends, learning how to make her own clothes, writing songs, and tending to her many, many house plants.
Jerry Hernandez
Jerry Hernandez is the Administrative Manager/ Funding Specialist at FHC. He is a Hoosier native from Central Indiana. He currently holds a Master of Arts in Food Studies from the Department of Anthropology at Indiana University, Bloomington. Specializing in food advocacy and youths’ experience around what a good meal is. Additionally, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality and Food Management with a minor in Spanish from Ball State University, graduating from BSU’s Honors College. He came to FHC through a faculty connection during his master’s, where he served as a camp counselor and social impact coordinator for the 2022 summer camp. He has enjoyed all the connections he has made while at the center and hopes to continue to serve the center/ Indianapolis community. He enjoys gaming, sleeping, and reading a good book on a rainy day while pursuing his PhD.
Kyla Jefferson
Kyla Jefferson is the Executive Assistant for FHC. She was born and raised in Indianapolis in the Martindale-Brightwood area. She graduated from Broad Ripple Magnet High School for the Performing Arts and went on to earn her Bachelor’s in Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management from IUPUI, with a certificate in Business Foundations from the Kelley School of Business. She has been involved in non profit work since volunteering as a Student Campus Ambassador at IUPUI for United Way. She states that non profit work is “the heart of a community and a direct lifeline to marginalized communities and individuals”.
She is a mom of 2 boys and is married to her high school sweetheart. She enjoys traveling, drinking tea, reading, and singing loudly in the shower. She is also a small business owner, having created a bath and body care line, Peaceful Pixie, in 2021.
Michael Lee
Mike Lee is the Founder and CEO of Agile Management and Project Manager for FHC. He has over 10 years of experience creating and managing projects successfully. He is a multifaceted talent as an author, entrepreneur, musician, and producer. He enjoys using Scrum and Project Management in all his personal goals and projects he oversees.
Sarah Peterson
Sarah Peterson is the Communications Manager for FHC. Sarah has worked in communications and external relations for nonprofits across the country for over a decade. At FHC, she helps coordinate the newsletters and social media so that more people can be introduced to the work of the Center.
Hope Staton
Hope Staton is the Farm Instructor/Manager at FHC. She is originally from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia where she obtained her BA in English Literature with minors in Theater and Communications. She developed her passion for gardening during her time in the volunteer service in Northern Ireland and her love of working with young people during her years serving in church youth ministry. Hope moved to Indiana to complete her Masters of Divinity at Bethany Theological Seminary and was introduced to FHC through her ministry formation internship.
She is married with cats and in her free time enjoys camping, gaming, cardmaking, reading with hot cups of tea, and all forms of fibercraft, especially using her Tardis blue spinning wheel.