Scott Blanding, ever our mighty leader, is originally from Roanoke Virginia and graduated from Temple University with a degree in Film and Media Arts. After some time teaching math at a Philadelphia school, Scott now resides in Los Angeles, California with his best friend and our esteemed co-founder: Brad La Briola. Scott and Brad work together at their company which aims to tell stories about marginalized people through media – Made Known LLC. What does Scott enjoy the most about working with us? Perhaps, it’s the excuse he has to not shower when he’s doing field-work? No…it’s because, he’s a man who believes in the importance of standing up for women and is brave enough to do something real to change the world.

Dr. Luhiri is a former fistula surgeon from Panzi Hospital. Today this upstanding Congolese doctor resides in New York City and continues to advocate for the cause of women's health and human rights in Eastern Congo. He participates in several different organizations and activities that aim to alleviate the current human rights crisis in Congo.

Melanie's love of photography began with a wagon full of discarded National Geographic magazines left for recycling by a neighbor down the street. These magazines inspired her to dream about people and places beyond her native Roanoke, Virginia. Melanie is now a building her career as a photojournalist through travelling around the world freelancing for various humanitarian organizations. Melanie is a co-founder of Women in War Zones and traveled to Bukavu with Scott in 2006 for the making of the film with Scott and Brad. She currently lives in Uganda and continues to support our mission with her photography.

Brad is not only Scott's best friend, but an aspiring film-maker. He is currently a student at UCLA, and has worked on several different film projects since the making of the Women in War Zones documentary. Brad was part of the initial team who traveled to Congo and today, he and Scott continue to be strong advocates for peace and protection of women in this region. His and Scott's company: Made Known LLC, works to present the stories of marginalized people around the world through film and other forms of media.