SANDRA MUNOTYEI MATOUSHAYA (39)
Missional Engagement Coordinator, Western PA Conference
of the United Methodist Church

Humanitarian assistance is Sandra Munotyei Matoushaya’s passion.

After moving to the United States from her native Zimbabwe in 2002, Matoushaya graduated from and worked at the University of Pittsburgh before accepting a role at the Western PA Conference of the United Methodist Church, where she has worked ever since.

“As a Christian, I know that [serving others] is something I’ve been called to do,” she says. “There are people who are suffering and there’s ways in which I can help.”

In her role, Matoushaya plans local and national mission trips, recruits and trains people to lead trips and works with churches in Pittsburgh and Butler area as a consultant as they seek ways to better serve their communities. She also volunteers with Pittsburgh-based organizations such as Global Links and the Junior League of Pittsburgh, where she was nominated as the league’s member of the year in May.

“A lot can be done if we come together,” she says. “I want to be a bridge for people to understand different cultures and their role in this world and what they can fulfill in life.”