About

LinkAcross was founded in 2009 with a vision to bring about flourishing in the Balkans through linking partners around economic, healthcare, and community development endeavors. Our CEO Clay Buttemere was one of the founders, and several founding board members continue to serve on our board. We believe this kind of long-term commitment is essential to sustainable change in the Balkans.

Since establishing our original office in Skopje, North Macedonia, we have expanded to Albania and have a vision to extend our presence to other Balkan countries. Our multicultural team includes a diverse mix of talented and dedicated Macedonians, Albanians, and Americans all committed to linking, developing, and flourishing. Read on to learn more about our What? Why? and How?

Linking Partners For Holistic Development

Our Mission

Our mission starts with linking partners. Our partners are both local and international and include individuals and organizations that donate their finances, as well as their time and expertise. We partner with public institutions, aid agencies, embassies, businesses, non-profits, faith communities, and individual volunteers and donors to accomplish our mission.

We link partners for the purpose of holistic development - to address economic, healthcare, and community development challenges in the Balkans in a holistic manner. For example, we recognize that poverty is more than just the absence of money and health is more than just the absence of disease. Like an iceberg, invisible values, mindsets, and worldviews underlie the visible challenges above the surface.

To See Lives And Communities Flourishing Across The Balkans

Our Vision

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We believe that people were created to flourish, both physically and spiritually. We further believe that true flourishing begins at a values or “heart” level and that positive, life-giving values and core beliefs will result in greater flourishing at the individual and community levels. That is why we are committed to an approach that addresses development challenges at this deeper level in the context of long-term relationships with our stakeholders.

As we live out the following values in our work

Our Values

Service:

Following Christ’s example of service to humanity and leading by example

Partnership:

Serving with our partners in a spirit of mutual cooperation and respect around a shared vision

Integrity:

Serving with honesty, transparency, and consistency

Credibility:

Serving in ways that add value and benefit communities physically, socially, and spiritually

Excellence:

Serving with professional, cultural, and linguistic excellence

Stewardship:

Wisely managing the resources that are entrusted to us

Our organization is committed to basic Christian principles and beliefs. This informs and inspires our desire to serve all people in the Balkans regardless of their background.

Leadership

Meet the Management

Co-founder and CEO
Director of North Macedonia Office

Clay Buttemere

Before relocating to Macedonia in 2008, Clay worked as a biomedical engineer for the Food and Drug Administration in Washington, D.C. He is passionate about developing and equipping leaders in healthcare and business to bring about flourishing in their organizations and communities. He is a member of the board of directors of LinkAcross.

Chief Strategy Officer
Director of Albania Office

Jeff Barrett

Before relocating to Albania in 2016, Jeff worked as a corporate lawyer in Wisconsin for seven years. Jeff is driven by a desire to see holistic development take place in the business and legal sectors of Albania.

He is a member of the board of directors of LinkAcross.

Meet The Board of Directors

Donald Bradshaw, MD
Physician and Healthcare Consultant

Donald M. Bradshaw is a senior Physician Advisor with Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. – a global advisory organization. Bradshaw earned his BS from Wheaton, his MPH from University of Washington and his MD from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

James A. Bailey
President and CEO of Armedia

James A. Bailey, Jr. is the President and CEO of Armedia – a global provider of digital transformation solutions since 2002. James earned is BS in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University and his MS in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University. In 2015, James, with the help of LinkAcross and other executives, opened a branch office in Skopje, Armedia MK.

Greg Edlund
Owner of CFO Unlimited

Greg Edlund owns and manages CFO Unlimited, which provides a full suite of accounting services to businesses all across the USA. He is a certified public accountant and has served as a business coach through LinkAcross' entrepreneurship programs in the Balkans.

Reed Kennedy
Strategic Management Consultant

Reed taught at the College of Business at Virginia Tech. He also owns a strategic management consultancy and has a background in hospital management--both in the U.S. and abroad. He serves as President and Chairman of the Board for LinkAcross.

Lisa Redell
Global Project Manager

Before relocating to Macedonia with her family in 2003, Lisa worked in Finance and Marketing Management in Texas for fourteen years. After serving as Chief Financial Officer of LinkAcross for four years, she joined the Board of Directors where she is able to leverage her experience in the Balkans and in non-profit management.