Tegest E. Tesfaw is originally from Ethiopia, living in the US. She was established a local NGO which is called Bright Image for Generation Association (BIGA ) belongs to women and children and worked as executive director from 2006-2013. Before she established BIGA Tegest has been worked for 6 year at the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA), in SNNPRS, Ethiopia as Awassa Branch office coordinator. Tegest has BA degree in law from Hawassa University and diploma in Law from Addis Ababa University. Moreover, she has got various trainings in human right, gender, leadership, strategic planning and others from international and national organizations. On the other hand she was trained several community members in paralegal, human rights gender and Ethiopian Law.

Tegest was formed a number of paralegal groups under her organization as well as in partnership with Action Aid Ethiopia and Farm Africa in different part of the SNNPRS. She was also initiated BIGA safe house at Awassa which is providing comprehensive service for the women and children who are the victims of various forms of violence and/or who are exposed for further violence.