Emmanuel “Manny” Ohonme is the Co-Founder, President and CEO of Samaritan’s Feet International, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that shares hope with those in need by washing their feet and giving them a new pair of shoes.

Manny grew up in Nigeria and received his first pair of tennis shoes at the age of nine from a “Good Samaritan” visiting his country. Those shoes became a symbol of hope as he earned a college basketball scholarship in the U.S. and began a career in the technology industry. But Manny never forgot the children of his homeland or the “Good Samaritan” that encouraged him to believe in his dreams.

In 2003, Manny and his wife, Tracie, founded Samaritan’s Feet and have distributed more than 8.6 million pairs of shoes in 108 countries and over 530 U.S. cities.

Because of his eclectic career and inspiring life-story, Manny is a sought-after panelist and global speaker on topics like strategy, vision, purpose, leadership, social justice and have worked with companies and leaders around the world.

Manny currently serves as the Chair of the International Board of Directors for Sanford Health. He’s the recipient of the 2021 Pontifical Hero Award for Inspiration from the Vatican and the Cura Foundation. He serves on the NC USGLC Advisory Board. He is the Founder and President of Barefoot Legacies Group, author of Sole Purpose, and the developer of the World Shoe, a bio-degradable footwear with built-in innovation to curb the spread of foot-borne diseases affecting over 1.5 billion people worldwide.

Manny is committed to the betterment of communities worldwide and wants to repay that encouraging gift he received at the age of nine by creating a world with zero shoeless children.