Founders
Medical professionals who have dedicated their lives to caring for those who may be overlooked.
A Shared Vision
“Two Brothers trained at Stanford and Harvard Medical Schools dream of a globally replicable sanctuary where the vitality of the young and the wisdom of the old are woven into a unified purpose to cultivate future leaders.”
The Founders
Michael Ghaly, MD
Founder & Executive Director
A Stanford Medical School graduate and psychiatrist, Michael has spent over 18 years serving the homeless in San Francisco's Tenderloin and over a decade at the San Francisco Jail. His vision was shaped by witnessing Saturday mornings at the jail, where lines of children waited to visit incarcerated parents.
His perspective is informed by his travels to over 170 countries; across these nations, he has had the unique opportunity to volunteer with children without family care and refugees in many settings and has witnessed firsthand a vast spectrum of care models.
Michael was a pioneer in home care, being among the first people in the world to administer home hemodialysis for his aging father for over three years. During COVID-19, he launched a program bringing psychiatric care into nursing homes. Fluent in Russian, he is dedicated to leading and directing Rifka's House on the ground in Egypt.
Mark Ghaly, MD, MPH
Co-Founder & Medical Director
A pediatrician and Harvard Medical School graduate, Mark is the former Secretary of Health and Human Services for California, where he oversaw the health of over 40 million people.
His career is defined by public health reform and youth violence prevention, and he brings two decades of experience working with kids and families in the child welfare system, including kids in foster care.
Mark continues to model service through action, often spending family vacations volunteering in Africa alongside his wife and their four young children.
A Message from the Founders
When we first walked through the streets of Cairo as children, we saw something that would shape the rest of our lives: young faces filled with possibility, waiting for a chance that might never come. And alongside them, elders whose wisdom had no audience.
We asked ourselves a simple question: What if these two groups could become family to one another? What if the energy of youth could be nurtured by the patience of age, and the wisdom of elders could find purpose in guiding the next generation?
Rifka's House is our answer. It is not an institution. It is not a handout. It is a village, a weaving of lives into a permanent tapestry of belonging. Every child deserves to grow up knowing they are essential. Every elder deserves to age knowing their life mattered.
Together, we build a home that lasts generations.
Explore Our Leadership
Meet the dedicated team guiding Rifka's House with wisdom, integrity, and purpose.
World Class Clinical Excellence
Today, our founders are bringing world class clinical excellence from Stanford and Harvard to create a sanctuary where those once overlooked find a permanent place of belonging and purpose. This is a village built on mastery, synergy, and a blueprint for global replicability.
Join Our Leadership Team
We are always seeking passionate individuals who share our vision for intergenerational healing.