The Empower Asia team is made up of full time, part time and volunteer staff who provide services. We invite you to get to know what motivates us and and how we can help you or your organization.
Maik Friedrich
Executive Director
Raised in Germany, Maik left his professional career in a private bank to use his experience to support young people in their life journey. Educated in Germany (Banking), the United Kingdom (International Business) and the USA (Theology), Maik moved to Hong Kong in 2006 to serve students in Asia as staff in different non-profit organizations before joining EA. Hong Kong is also the place where he met his wife Katie who also works with EA. He is passionate to see people discover their gifts and unfold their talents, and live life to all its fullness.
Katie Friedrich
Senior Service Advisor
Katie is a native of Montgomery, Alabama USA and lived there until 2009 when she came to Hong Kong. She spent every summer in Hong Kong since 2007 coordinating English camps for teens and leading North American University students to love the city and the people in it. She has served University students for the past seven years, the last four of those in Hong Kong. She studied Nursing at Auburn University and took up counselling as she is passionate about helping people overcome obstacles in their lives so they can come to know their purpose and calling.
Andrew Hutton
Service Advisor
Andrew was born and brought up in the Black Country in the West Midlands of England. He has a military and law enforcement background and lived in Northern Ireland for much of his working life before moving to Hong Kong. He came to Hong Kong in March 1997 having studied at college in Swansea, South Wales as a mature student. During the more than 20 years spent in Hong Kong he has worked with various NGOs. He joined EA in April 2018. He and his wife Emie have been married for 20 years. They have five children, four boys and a girl born between 2000 and 2014. Andrew has been involved in mentoring young people throughout his adult life. He is keen to see them enjoy the best life they can live.