LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Officer at Large
- Senior Vice President for Programs at Episcopal Relief & Development
Abagail Nelson is the Senior Vice President for Programs at Episcopal Relief & Development. She has worked throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America and the United States and with the worldwide Anglican Church, responding to disasters, alleviating hunger, fighting disease and reducing exposure to risk for almost 20 years. Ms. Nelson takes a systems approach to development challenges, and has led broad coalitions of private, public and faith based partners to achieve programmatic impact. Before coming to Episcopal Relief & Development, Ms. Nelson worked with the government of Ecuador on its coastal resource management program and as a financial analyst for several investment banks. She is currently on the vestry of Grace Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, New York, which she attends with her husband and two children, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Job Titles:
- General Counsel and Vice President of Compliance for Corus International
- General Counsel, Vice President, Compliance
Andréa M. Wilson is the General Counsel and Vice President of Compliance for Corus International. Prior to her role at Corus, she served as Americas General Counsel, VP Compliance, and Corporate Secretary for Smiths Detection, a leading multinational defense and security equipment manufacturer. She has held several senior level positions in legal, contracts and compliance in the aerospace, education, defense, health, manufacturing and technology industries in private sector and non-profit organizations.
After working full-time as a director of government contracts while completing law school, Andréa started her legal career at Johns Hopkins University, where she combined her many years of business experience with her newly acquired law license to support health and humanitarian programs in developing countries. Over the past 20 years, Andréa has been traveling domestically and globally, honing her legal skills, and growing her expertise while working for Fortune 500 companies such as Honeywell, Raytheon, IBM and UnitedHealth Group.
Andréa is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law where she was president of her law school class and volunteered as a mediator for the District Court of Maryland's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Office. She has provided pro bono services to the Maryland Foreclosure Prevention Program, offering legal support to homeowners in danger of losing their residence through foreclosure, worked with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for those in need, and volunteered with St. Frances Academy, helping students in underserved communities explore untraditional careers in law.
Job Titles:
- Senior Technical Advisor, Market Systems
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Business Development
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Fundraising Operations and Analytics
- Senior Regional Director, Asia and Middle East
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Human Resources Operations
Job Titles:
- Ambassador
- President & CEO of Corus International
Daniel V. Speckhard is the president & CEO of Corus International, an ensemble of organizations including Lutheran World Relief and IMA World Health. A former U.S. Ambassador to Greece and Belarus, Daniel has had a long and distinguished career in government service under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Daniel's previous positions have included serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary General at NATO and Deputy Chief of Mission in Iraq.
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President, Global Relationships & Resources
Dave Fuerst leads a team of donor advisors located throughout the U.S. who engage individuals and congregations in supporting our work around the world. He has over 20 years of experience in development and fundraising work for Lutheran causes.
Dave's interest in international development started early in his life, when in 1st grade he participated in his first Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty (CROP) walk, which raises money to fight hunger worldwide. He previously served as a vice president/foundation at Tabitha Health Care Services in Lincoln, Neb., and was a regional gift planner for the ELCA Foundation, as well as the president of Lutheran Planned Giving Services.
He has volunteered in many capacities for his local congregation, campus ministry and professional organizations. He is currently the president for the Association of Lutheran Development Executives. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Services Administration from Bellevue University in Bellevue, Neb.
Job Titles:
- Senior Technical Advisor, MERL
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Procurement
Job Titles:
- Board Director
- Health Technology Executive
Cathy A. Petti, M.D., is a health technology executive and the founder and CEO of MoDx, a medical knowledge domain platform. She also serves as a practicing physician in infectious diseases.
Dr. Petti has served in a number of senior executive roles at the intersection of health and technology. As the global head at Novartis Diagnostics, she was responsible for expanding global markets for their core products and building R&D teams for three de novo franchises. As chief health officer at Ancestry, Dr. Petti built its direct-to-consumer health genetic testing portfolio and served on executive team that led to private equity investments at enterprise value of $2.6 billion. She led ARUP Infectious Diseases Laboratory, one of the country's largest infectious diseases laboratories and pioneered research in DNA sequencing.
Dr. Petti shares her expertise and leadership with several global non-profit organizations and regulatory agencies, including having chaired committees for the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, as well as serving as program lead for Infectious Diseases Society of America and advising the FDA Microbiology Device Committee.
Previously, Dr. Petti was a Governor Appointee and member of the Board of Directors for Utah's Science, Technology and Research (USTAR) Initiative. Committed to underserved populations, she received the College of American Pathologists' Humanitarian Award for her work in providing diagnostic testing in sub- Saharan Africa, was awarded the 2015 ASMIUSSTF Indo-US Professorship in Microbiology, and served as 2019 Visiting Professor to Infectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President & Senior Technical Director for Health and Nutrition
- Physician With a BHMS
Dennis Cherian oversees Corus International's Health, Nutrition and WASH work, and serves as its global practice lead. Dennis is passionate about health equity and integrating health in multi-sectoral platforms.
Dennis brings over 25 years of global health leadership and experience in non-profit organizations and government to Corus International. Prior to joining Corus International, Dennis was the Senior Director of New Program Development at Jhpiego, where he supported the growth and diversification of new business development activities. As the Senior Director of Health at World Vision, Dennis led a team responsible for advancing the organizations technical profile and for the acquisition and implementation of a broad range of health programs worldwide.
Dennis also held senior technical advisor and program management roles with Plan International, Medical Care Development International, and the New York State Department of Health, Division of Tuberculosis. He has extensive experience designing and implementing integrated child health and development, tuberculosis/HIV, nutrition, WASH, Global Health Security, and NTDs projects.
He currently serves as the Secretary of the Christian Connection in International Health (CCIH) Board and is the Co-Chair of the CORE Group board.
Dennis is a physician with a BHMS degree from the Mahatma Gandhi University, a Master in Health Administration from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and a Certificate in Psychology of Leadership from Cornell University.
Job Titles:
- Technical Director, Social and Behavior Change
As the Social and Behavior Change Lead for the MOMENTUM Integrated Health Resilience project, Dr. Kamden Hoffmann serves in a cross-cutting role supporting the project to enhance coordination between development and humanitarian actors and strengthen the resilience of individuals, families and communities, supporting countries on their journey to self-reliance.
Kamden has over 20 years of experience in health and development. Her technical areas span maternal and child health, malaria, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, mental health and physical activity, among others. She has worked in health and development with numerous governmental and non-governmental organizations, including the U.S. Agency for international Development, Save the Children, Catholic Relief Services and University Research Co., LLC. She co-founded INSIGHT: Innovative Social Change in Global Health, a women-owned small business consulting firm focused on social and behavior change capacity strengthening through technical assistance to a variety of U.S. and non-U.S. based clients.
She began her career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines, where her passion sparked her to focus on the well-being of the most vulnerable populations globally through social and behavior change and development.
Kamden has a Ph.D. in Behavioral and Community Health Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, with a concentration on Community-Based Participatory Research, an M.P.H. in International Health Promotion from George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, an M.A. in International Development with an International Health concentration from the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, and a dual B.S. degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Tufts University.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Vice President for Mission, Strategy, and Innovation at Gustavus Adolphus College
Kathi Tunheim, Ph.D., is Vice President for Mission, Strategy, and Innovation at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn. In this role, Kathi leads the execution of the Gustavus Acts Strategic Plan, which includes managing the College's National Advisory Boards and Gustavus Women in Leadership group, leading the human resources department, and growing external partnerships that advance the Gustavus mission. Dr. Tunheim has managed training and development at Northwest Airlines and Carlson Travel Network, and served as Director of Leadership Development at American Express Financial Advisors. In 1998, she founded Tunheim Leadership Group, Inc., a consulting firm with a mission to recognize, educate and inspire leadership, team and organization development.
Job Titles:
- Board Director
- Surgeon
- Children 's National As a Surgical Fellow
- President and Chief Executive Officer of Children 's National Hospital
- Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine
Dr. Kurt Newman is President and Chief Executive Officer of Children's National Hospital. Children's National is ranked as one of the top 10 best children's hospitals in the country and number one in neonatology by U.S. News & World Report.
Dr. Newman is a surgeon and recognized leader in pediatric healthcare nationally and in Washington, D.C. Since becoming CEO of Children's National in 2011, he has fostered a culture of patient-centered care and championed a culture of innovation in research, operations and clinical care. Dr. Newman is also a strong advocate for expanding mental health access for kids and has led two national forums on this issue.
Dr. Newman joined Children's National as a surgical fellow in 1984 and became surgeon-in-chief and senior vice president for the Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Center for Surgical Care in 2003. In 2009, he was instrumental in securing the transformational $150 million gift to create the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children's National. The institute has the bold vision of making surgery for children minimally invasive and pain-free.
Dr. Newman serves on the board of the Economic Club of Washington, Greater Washington Board of Trade, Federal City Council, D.C. Chamber of Commerce, Fight for Children and YMCA Camp Sea Gull/Seafarer. Previously, he served on the Board of Commissioners of The Joint Commission, the Board of Governors of the American Pediatric Surgical Association, and as chair of the Surgery Section of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is also a past chair of the Board of Directors for the District of Columbia Hospital Association and the Children's Hospital Association (CHA) Board of Trustees. He now serves as the chair of the Governance Committee for CHA.
Dr. Newman is a professor of surgery and pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Public Health. He is the author of a 2017 medical memoir, Healing Children: A Surgeon's Stories from the Frontiers of Pediatric Medicine. The book debuted as an Amazon bestseller in pediatrics and earned national attention and critical praise in The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post and Harvard Business Review. All of the proceeds from his book go to pediatric research.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Global Relationships & Resources
Eddie Byrd oversees fundraising, marketing and media relations. He has worked for domestic and international NGOs for the past two decades following a career as a reporter, editor and publisher in business journalism. He joined Lutheran World Relief in 2017.
Eddie previously worked at Pact, where he was the Director of Integrated Communications, leading the international NGO's branding, multimedia outreach and institutional-donor engagement. He has also served at Habitat for Humanity International in several roles, including as Director of Communications & Advocacy for Europe/Central Asia, based in Bratislava, Slovakia. Earlier, he was the executive director of a regional food bank.
Eddie's field experience includes work in more than 30 countries. An accomplished photographer and videographer, he earned a bachelor's degree at Georgia Southwestern State University and an MBA at the University of Phoenix. He is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) and Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).
Job Titles:
- Chief People & Diversity Officer
- Chief People and Diversity Officer for Corus International
Frances Woodard is the chief people and diversity officer for Corus International and is responsible for the overall management of human resources, with a focus on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), a Corus priority.
Frances brings over 20 years of experience in strategic human resources, talent management, and organizational effectiveness.
She has most recently served as Vice President, People & Culture at National Quality Forum, a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to improving healthcare. She has previously directed human resources at the Walton Family Foundation, Human Rights First, and the ONE Campaign.
Frances earned an M.S. in Management with a specialization in Human Resources and a B.S. in Business & Management at the University of Maryland College Park.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Humanitarian Assistanc
Job Titles:
- Senior Regional Director for Latin America
George Flouty works as an accountant in a hospital but cannot access the funds in his bank account, following the government's financial collapse. "I was thinking how am I going to be able to pay, with the financial and banking situation in this country?" With USAID support, Lutheran World Relief was able to step in and help Flouty to make significant repairs so he could return home. "Just to be back in the space with my same neighbors who shared the experience with me, I think it helps a lot."
Job Titles:
- Project Director, MOMENTUM Integrated Health Resilienc
Job Titles:
- Senior Regional Director, West Africa and Haiti
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, CGA Technologies
Jean Hanson served for 19 years as a partner of the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, New York, retiring in 2012. Ms. Hanson's specialties included securities law and corporate finance. During the early 1990s, she was general counsel to the United States Treasury, heading a 2,000-lawyer legal department. Ms. Hanson served two terms as a member of the Securities Regulation Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Ms. Hanson also served as a member and chair of the Board of Regents of Concordia College New York and a member of the Board of Regents of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, Ground Up Investing
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager, Institutional Donor Marketing
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President, International Programs
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Marketing & Communications
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President, Operational Effectiveness & Development
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Farmers Market Brands LLC
Job Titles:
- Interim Chief Financial Officer
- Interim Chief Financial Officer for Corus International
Mark Moyer is the Interim Chief Financial Officer for Corus International, overseeing the overall management of the organization's finance.
Mark brings over 40 years of experience in financial management. Most recently, Mark served for 5 years as Chief Financial and Administrative Officer for Freedom House, a USAID and US State Department-funded NGO dedicated to expanding freedom and democracy globally.
Prior to Freedom House, he was providing interim CFO services to non-profit organizations, including the Harlem Children's Zone, National Audubon, ASPCA, and a regional council of the Boy Scouts.
His entry into the NGO sector was as CFO for the Institute of International Education, administrator of the US State Department's Fulbright Scholarship and other international education programs.
A licensed CPA, Mark started his career as an auditor with Ernst and Young. He obtained his BBA in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame and MBA in Finance from New York University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Development
Job Titles:
- Senior Regional Director, ECS Africa
Job Titles:
- Senior Technical Advisor, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning
Job Titles:
- Senior Technical Advisor, SGBV
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President, Rural Economies and Agricultural Livelihoods
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Public Policy and Advocacy
Paulina Acii has survived war by fleeing for her life. But in a refugee camp in Uganda, will she survive COVID-19?
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President, International People & Diversity
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor for Faith Engagement
Job Titles:
- Chief Humanitarian Officer
Tamara Demuria shapes and heads humanitarian assistance for Corus International, bridging a developmental approach to the most complex humanitarian crises and looking to leverage and support local capabilities with an eye to recovery, resilience and lasting impact.
Tamara joined Corus in 2020 from FHI360, where she served as the associate technical director, crisis response and integrated development. She brings years of experience leading complex humanitarian and development programs, including at the Danish Refugee Council as interim head of programs for Ethiopia and Djibouti; CARE USA, where she served in multiple roles as a director of practice, partnerships and innovation, and deputy director of humanitarian strategy.
Tamara has spent substantial time working overseas. Over the last decade, she served as deputy country director in Haiti, deputy chief of party for a multi-million-dollar food and nutrition security program (USAID), program director in the Caucasus, among many other field-based leadership roles. Tamara's achievements and highlights of her career include her nomination as "Mobile Money Pioneer" by USAID, her role in introducing and advancing cash and voucher assistance, including the gender and cash angle at CARE, her partnership work across a network of private sector companies and a unique sign-off on Data Sharing Principles among 15 NGOs.
Tamara holds a master's degree with honors in Leading Innovation and Change from St. John's University, in the U.K., and a bachelor's degree in Public Administration from the State Technical University, the Republic of Georgia.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, People, Culture, and Diversity
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Impact and Partnerships
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Grants, Contracts and Complianc