OUR TEAM
Ellyn Ito
Social Entrepreneur, Investor, & CEO
Ellyn Ito combines her experience in both corporate boardrooms and grassroots initiatives to challenge conventional approaches and drive meaningful change. With over 20 years in management and executive roles, she brings a steady hand to organizations navigating periods of growth or restructuring, focusing on risk mitigation and operational efficiency.
In 2010, she founded Seeds to Sew International, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls in underserved communities through skills training, economic opportunities, and education. Ellyn continues to serve as the organization’s Executive Director and Trustee.
In 2021, she co-founded Innerstill, a med-tech start-up, where she leads as CEO. She is also a board member of Redeemer Health Systems and the Gail Birenbaum Executive Leadership Council at Rider University.
Ellyn is committed to fostering inclusivity as a pathway to stronger communities, economic stability, and improved health outcomes, especially in the context of social and environmental challenges. She holds a BA from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and is a frequent guest speaker at the Leeds School of Business, Rider University, the Lawrenceville School and other area high schools.
Nina Moukova
Operations Manager
Nina joined Seeds to Sew on the inaugural trip to Kenya in July/August 2011 to document the visit and the initiation of the first program in our first community, Enoosaen, Kenya and has been involved with Seeds to Sew ever since. In her role of Operations Manager, she is instrumental in everyday operations both in Kenya and in the US, business development, record-keeping, public relations, website administration, graphic design, sales and marketing. Nina grew up in the Czech Republic and now lives with her husband in Pennington, NJ.
Alice Kimaru
Kenya Program Manager
Alice is our Program Manager for the programs in Kenya since 2018. Alice grew up in Nyeri, which is in the central region of Kenya. She graduated from Nyeri Technical Training Institute with a diploma in accounting. She joined Seeds to Sew in the spring of 2018. Alice is instrumental in the Kenyan operations, serving as a liaison between the women and girls in our programs and our US headquarters, making sure school fees are paid on time, and that the program participants have the support that they need. Alice lives with her husband and children in Naromoru.
Our Volunteers
We couldn't do what we do without the incredible support and enthusiasm of our many volunteers! They are an essential part of our team, and we are deeply grateful for all they do.
Week after week, they lend their time and talents to help with everything from organizing inventory and creating fundraising products to selling at events and SEW much more.
We also want to extend our thanks to the two local Seeds to Sew clubs—the one at Stuart Country Day School in Princeton and the one at Hopewell Valley Central High School—for their continued efforts in raising funds for the school fees of the girls in our education program.
If you're interested in joining our team, we’d love to hear from you! Simply fill out the application. And if you're inspired to start a Seeds to Sew club at your school, please reach out—we’d be thrilled to welcome you aboard.
Past Field Program Managers
Chris Myers
Enoosaen Program Manager (July – November 2014)
Calum Davies
Enoosaen Program Manager (November 2014 – May 2015)
Jordan O'Neal
Enoosaen Program Manager (May – October 2015)
Chris, Calum, and Jordan, recent college graduates, were stationed in Kenya from 2014 to 2015, where they each spent time in Enoosaen contributing to the growth of Seeds to Sew. Their efforts were instrumental in establishing key processes that laid the groundwork for the success of our programs.
