VAWGLOBAL - Key Persons
My name is Alejandra Quispe and I was born in the most important and beautiful city of Peru: Cusco. I have a degree in Social Communication Sciences from the Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco and since I was a child I had the opportunity to participate in different volunteer work, which motivated my interest in the social area. Something I really enjoy is hiking, traveling, discovering new places and cultures, as well as my interest in photography and digital illustration.
Being part of VAW Global is being part of a very diverse and enriching family. It is very rewarding to be able to provide health care to the communities that most need it. Furthermore, I can discover and develop new skills, as each experience brings new challenges and with it, learning how to make decisions. Thank you VAW!
Arush Lal was the founding Team Leader for the Georgia Tech chapter, helping lead 70 students to provide medical care and health education across four LMICs and eventually serving as a Team Development Coordinator and VAW's first Global Health Advisor.
Arush has policy, advocacy, and research experience in primary health care and community workforce capacity-building, emergency preparedness and response policy (including integrating health information systems to control the DRC Ebola outbreak), and resilient health systems governance and financing at the national and global levels. He has supported health systems strengthening and rights-based development initiatives with organizations including the U.S. Office for Global Affairs (HHS/OS/OGA), IntraHealth International, and The Task Force for Global Health. Arush recently completed an MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Financing between the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and London School of Economics.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Women in Global Health and the WHO Youth Hub, and has been nominated as a WHO/UNICEF Primary Health Care Young Leader, Gates Foundation Goalkeeper, and Emerging Voices for Global Health Fellow.
Bocas del Toro (or, literally, "Mouth of the Bull" in English) is a region located on the northeastern part of the Panamanian coast, along part of the border with Costa Rica. The region consists of a portion of the mainland and nine main islands.
Bocas del Toro is considered to be one of the most beautiful regions in Panama and attracts visitors from around the world every year. Within the region itself, there are two national parks: Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos and Parque Internacional La Amistad.
Bocas del Toro is also one of the poorest regions of Panama, the remote distance from the capital has left the region basically forgotten by the government. As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity to work with people that are living in some of the most desperate of circumstances while surrounded by one of the most beautiful environments in the world!
Briana Pinto-Sherlock has worked with VAW Global Health Alliances since 2009 as a Chief Operating Officer. She became involved with VAW Global at UC Berkeley as an intern and helped develop the Nutritional Security and Water Filter Outreach Projects. Since then, she has worked with VAW Global as a Team Leader, Site Coordinator, Team Development Coordinator, and Chief Operating Officer.
Briana grew up in Northern California and attended university at UC Berkeley. She graduated from Berkeley with a BA in Psychology and a BA in Spanish and Portuguese Literature. Briana has had the opportunity to travel and live abroad in several capacities, ranging from building houses in Tijuana, Mexico to hiking up to glaciers in Ushuaia, Argentina to studying abroad in Santiago, Chile.
Job Titles:
- Site Outreach Coordinator
Hi everyone, my name is Nhu Cam, from Vinh Long province. My hometown is in the middle of the Mekong Delta, which is well-known for many fresh fruits and specialities. However, I move to Can Tho city to study and work. My major was International Business, and I graduated in 2021. Then, I worked as an intern assistant at GIZ, an NGO about climate change in the Mekong Delta. It is my pleasure to be a part of VAW. In my free time, I enjoy reading comic books and travelling.
Chelsea is originally from Orlando, FL, graduating from the University of Central Florida in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology. She was a Team Leader for the Medical Outreach at the University of Central Florida. She has been with VAW Global for more than 5 years - originally starting off as an intern, becoming a Team Leader and then Team Development Coordinator, and now the Director of Operations! She will soon pursue an M.S. in Anatomy degree at the University of South Florida where she plans to apply to medical school to become a surgeon. She knew she wanted to go into the medical field from a young age, but she finds curiosity and opportunities in all places in which she strives to gain more knowledge and skills globally. VAW has exemplified how important global health is and opened her eyes up to how different things can be in other areas of the world, and why she has a passion to help others in need. Besides her work with VAW Global, she is also an insurance professional. Some of her hobbies are going to the beaches, traveling, and powerlifting.
Cindy Nguyen is a Northern California Native who enjoys traveling, good food, concerts, and anything involving the outdoors. She was first exposed to opportunities in the healthcare field at the age of 16 when she attended a 3 day event called Nurse Camp. She felt a call to service after seeing how impactful and important nurses were in healthcare. Cindy went on to graduate with her Bachelors in Nursing in 2015 from Sacramento State University and currently works as a float pool RN at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, CA. She enjoys the never ending excitement of floating in between the Emergency Department, Trauma Unit, Oncology Unit and 20 other departments.
Cindy first became involved with VAW in the summer of 2014 when she had the opportunity to assist in providing healthcare to rural communities in Bocas Del Toro, Panama. The trip was so impactful on her outlook on healthcare and life that she wanted others to have a similar experience. In the summer of 2015, Cindy co-lead two medical volunteers teams with VAW to The Philippines and Peru. Being a part of the Board of Directors is Cindy's way of giving back to an organization that has given her so much professionally and personally.
David Liberman has been involved with VAW since his sophomore year of college. He helped start University of Southern California's first medical chapter in 2012. He noticed the imperative need for dental care in some of the countries and was instrumental in creating VAW's dental outreach program. This program now expands to multiple countries and services thousands of patients each year. It focuses on sustainable dental care and education to underserved communities.
David has graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 2019 and is currently serving as a Captain in the United States Army, offering dental care to the American Soldiers that fight to keep our country safe. David has a true passion for global health and continues to work with VAW to better the organization and make it a powerhouse to help serve many communities abroad. He loves to mentor undergraduate students to better prepare them for medical and dental school.
My name is Ana Bove and I was born in Venezuela. Because of the terrible situation in Venezuela, my family moved to the Dominican Republic in 2009, where I studied Medicine at Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE). Currently, I'm working at the Dominican Red Cross. My hobbies are cooking and baking, and I am recently trying boxing. The reason I wanted to become a doctor is that I love to help people in all aspects of life. Now I realize we can touch people's life with a simple gesture and that's why I want to join Volunteers Around the World.
Job Titles:
- Medical Coordinator / Guatemala
Dr. Israel Hernandez graduated from the University of San Carlos in Guatemala in 1995, with the title Medical Doctor and Surgeon. Dr. Hernandez also has a Post Graduate title in Community Attention to Persons with Diabetes from the University of San Carlos in Guatemala.
He has worked for 15 years in Community Health and currently holds a diploma for Risk Management and Reduction from the Instituto Nacional de Administracion Publica de Guatemala. Dr. Hernandez is also studying for a diploma in Nutrition in Emergency Situations from the Instituto de Nutricion de Centroamerica y Panama (INCAP). Dr. Hernandez began working with Volunteers Around the World in 2004 and has been instrumental in the development of the organization.
Job Titles:
- Medical Coordinator / Cambodia
Hi! My name is Ly pagnarith, I am from Phnom Penh, the capital and most populous of Cambodia, where I grew up and studied medical school. I graduated from University of Health and Science in 2014 as a medical doctor. After that I worked at University Research Co.,LLC as a team for Quality of Care assessment of USAID social health protection project, and then I have worked as physician at French NGO (Mission Humanitaire).
There I learned a lot of things, did the mobile clinic, went to many places in Cambodia and knew the situation of people's lifestyle in the province. Recently, I have been working at NekTeb Clinic in Siem Reap, a resort town in northwest Cambodia, being a popular tourist destination because of having a lot of ancient temples, especially Angkor temple, the central feature of the Angkor UNESCO world heritage site. As a medical student, I always hope that I could help the people to understand about their health, the importance of hygiene and nutrition that why I become a part of Volunteers Around the World (VAW) to do the mobile clinic to provide communities with access to medical and dental treatment, medication, nutritional security, clean water and health education to those that cannot afford it. This is a high motivation for me being a part of the VAW team. When I have free time I like to play football, chess, read books and watch movies.
Dr. McAllister graduated with a BA in English from Brigham Young University, after which he completed four years of dental education at Oregon Health & Science University, receiving a doctoral degree in dental medicine (DMD). After dental school, he furthered his training, completing a 30 month residency at the University of Nebraska Medical Center to become an orthodontic specialist.
Dr. McAllister has practiced orthodontics since 2010, and maintains dental licenses in Arkansas and Nebraska.
Dr. McAllister and Mr. Stanley first became acquainted as they volunteered together, full-time from 1996 to 1998. They worked closely together, serving and teaching among the Hispanic population in Northern Virginia. During their service together they learned to speak fluent Spanish, and to appreciate the cultures and traditions of various Central and South American countries. Dr. McAllister is honored to help Volunteers Around the World achieve its mission to improve the standard of living for some of the world's poorest communities.
Dr. Kasteler is a member of several medical societies, including the American Academy of Dermatology. He has published in several medical journals, including JAMA. He lectures regularly on various medical subjects both nationally and internationally. In his office and at the University, he participates in the education of medical students, dermatology residents and residents in other specialties. Dr. Kasteler is married and has five children and one grandchild.
Job Titles:
- Dental Coordinator / Peru
My name is Yajhaira Peña. I was born in Cusco and I am a dentist. I studied at the Andina University of Cusco and worked for many years in the rural areas of Cusco and Apurimac in health centers and ONG projects, where I learned a lot. Currently, I am working in my dental office, as well as studying for a Master's Degree in Rural Development, because I am passionate about social work in rural and poor communities.
This year, I was selected as the VAW Dental Coordinator in Perú. I am very happy to be a member of the VAW family because it gives me the opportunity to meet people from all over the world, from different cultures and with different ways of seeing life, as well as creating positive social change and providing dental care to the people who need it most. In my free time, I like to read and watch classic movies.
Iván Pinto-Sherlock is from Santiago, Chile. He first officially became involved with Volunteers Around the World in 2014, when he helped set up the site in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Iván works with VAW to develop teams on campus and prepare them for their Outreach trips, helps found new Outreach sites and in clinics as a translator and rotating Site Manager.
Iván studied Biology with an emphasis in Natural Resources at the Pontificia Universidad Católica in Santiago, Chile. Additionally, Iván is interested in Public Health. In his free time, Iván enjoys running, watching fútbol, and traveling.
Having grown up in Chile and seeing how important access (or lack thereof) to health care is, Iván is very excited to be part of Volunteers Around the World's mission to bring medical care, dental care and education to underserved communities around the world.
Job Titles:
- Global Marketing Advisor
- SVP of Global Marketing
Katie Dreiling graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BA in Political Science and a Minor in Spanish. She has over 15 years of experience in business development, fundraising, and growth strategies. Prior to her involvement with VAW, she served as the campaign finance director for a United States Senator and United States Governor leading their fundraising efforts.
For the past 11 years, she has been with Colonial Life, a voluntary benefits company, serving as a sales leader, and currently serves as Head of Large Employer Acquisition.
Katie serves as the SVP of Global Marketing for VAW Global Health Alliances and continues to be a consultant on fundraising and marketing initiatives
Laura Cox was the founding Team Leader for the VAW chapter at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) and served as chapter president from 2015-2017. She was integral in laying the foundation for VAW at UNK, where the program continues to flourish. During her time as chapter president she organized medical mission trips for around 75 students, serving as team leader on trips to Panama and Peru and coordinating a third trip to Guatemala.
She graduated from the UNK in December of 2017 with a degree in Psychobiology. Laura is currently a second year Master of Physician Assistant student at Butler University in Indianapolis, IN. She will graduate in May 2020. Laura is excited to soon begin her career as a PA and has strong interests in neonatal and pediatric medicine. She is a student member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.
VAW played a vital role in Laura's career path as PA. She is passionate about the work VAW carries out and has seen the impact of the organization first-hand. She is eager to continue her involvement in VAW and hopes to encourage future students to take advantage of this amazing opportunity.
Madi Purdy-Hein left her home in Philadelphia to begin her educational career in Utah. Madi attended Brigham Young University where she studied microbiology. In Utah, Madi met her husband, Conner. Madi now lives in Oklahoma with plans to attend Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Conner introduced Madi to VAW Global when he volunteered to go on a Dental Outreach trip. As VAW Global did not have a pre-veterinary program Madi became involved with VAW Global's Operations Team, planning for VAW Global's first ever pre-vet trip began the summer of 2017. The trip to Cusco, Peru launched August of 2018 and was able to service around 200 animals! Madi was amazed by the wonderful work VAW Global does around the world and is excited to be able to continue to contribute!
Job Titles:
- Site Outreach Coordinator / Peru
My name is Marina Ascue and I was born and raised in Cusco, although I also spent part of my childhood in Arequipa. I finished my high school studies at San Borja High School, the first high school in the city of Cusco. I earned my degree in tourism from the University of San Antonio Abad of Cusco. I enjoy meeting people from all over the world and teaching them about my culture and beautiful home region.
In my free time, I enjoy traveling and exploring new places. When I'm not working, I will often travel with my family to the Cusqueñan countryside to enjoy the peace and natural beauty. I enjoy working with Volunteers Around the World because not only do I get to meet the VAW volunteers and show them Cusco, but we also get to give back to the people of Cusco.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Founder
- CEO and Director of Volunteers Around
Mark Stanley began his career in volunteer work in the mid-1990s, where he volunteered in Northern Virginia. During his time in Virginia, he worked with a primarily Hispanic population, and there learned to speak Spanish. As he learned more about the stories of different immigrants, he became inspired to travel to Latin America and explore the different cultures for himself.
He attended university at the University of Louisville, where he graduated with a degree in Anthropology in 2004. He later continued his volunteering experience in Cusco, Peru. While in Peru he worked with farmers and small business owners to develop markets for selling their goods; he was also involved with building some school houses. It was in Peru that he met his wife, Becky. After their volunteer program, Mark and Becky backpacked together through South and Central America. When they returned to the United States, they founded Volunteers Around the World in 2006.
Mark is the CEO and Director of Volunteers Around the World. He enjoys working with the team leaders, doctors and in-country staff to bring much needed services to different communities around the world. In 2006, Mark began working for Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Company. In 2012, he founded Elite Administration, a company that deals with administering Colonial Insurance products for sales managers all around the Northeast United States. He is also on the Board of Directors for VAW. In his free time, Mark enjoys spending time with his family and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Site Outreach Coordinator
My name is Miguel Yojcom Gonzalez, I was born in the city of Guatemala, department of Sololá, municipality of San Pedro La Laguna on December 3, 2115, my primary school was held at the Humberto Corzo Guzmán Mixed Urban Official School, my secondary school held at the Bethel School From a very young age, vehicles have caught my attention to this day. From the age of 12 I started with my little passion for vehicles and traveled almost all of Guatemala for the service of people, whether it be light, heavy or cargo transport, currently I have a small business for the service of people.
I consider myself a restless and active person, I like to speak clearly and I try to apply transparency in any type of work, I like to do new things and try different challenges, I think and analyze a problem several times so that everything goes well, I intend to do things well for the benefit of all.
Job Titles:
- Site Outreach Coordinator
Hello! My name is Nathalie Rodriguez. I was born in Jarabacoa, the most beautiful town of the Dominican Republic! I finished high school when I was 16 years old and studied two years of marketing at UNPHU University. I studied English as a second language in YD Language Center where I started working as a secretary and then I became an administrator and teacher.
I am a nature lover so in my free time, I love doing outdoor activities and going out to contemplate the beautiful mountains that surround my beautiful town of Jarabacoa. When we love to serve people in need we often give ourselves deeper purpose and meaning and that nearly always leads to greater happiness, so this is what I enjoy most about working for VAW and the amazing experience this job gives me to connect with the people in my community.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Operations
- VP Operations ( Consultant )
Nicole Arguedas is our Vice President of Operations. She works as an Independent Consultant from Perú. She has been involved with VAW since 2014, collaborating with the development of our site in Peru from its very beginning and supporting VAW's operations and new projects throughout the years. She graduated with a degree in Social Communications from the Universidad de Lima in Peru and a MS in Public & Social Policies in IDEC-Pompeu Fabra in Catalunya. She also works as a Consultant in company communication, strategic planning and corporate social responsibility.
What she loves most about VAW is the dynamic work alongside different countries and cultures. Being able to learn from, collaborate with and work side by side with amazing, talented and caring people, partners, collaborators, community leaders and students from all over the world. It feels like a huge family caring about making this world a better place!
Rani Patel went to Georgia State University and majored in Biology. During her undergraduate studies she first became involved with VAW in 2013 and traveled to Panama on a medical mission trip. She enjoyed it so much that she went on her second trip in 2015 to Dominican Republic and served as a Team Leader. She also served as the alumni advisor for the GSU VAW chapter once she graduated. She is now a Physician Assistant (PA), and completed her Masters of Medical Science at Lincoln Memorial University. She currently works in Family Medicine at a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center. She is the Lead Advanced Practice Provider for the organization, and attends monthly board meetings to help better facilitate APPs in clinical settings. She is also involved with the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants and serves as a Regional Contact Liaison. She enjoys mentoring students, and has had several students shadow her throughout the year who are aspiring Physician Assistants. Volunteers Around the World was a life changing experience and helped her grow both personally and professionally. She hopes to continue her involvement with the organization to help other students have the same experience she did.
To say I am a child of the South is an understatement. I was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama; lived in East Tennessee for 23 years, where we raised our son; and, moved to South Carolina in 2015 with a new opportunity for my husband.
I went to Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama with a major in Music Education. I did not graduate, however, had some wonderful experiences, including studying under Bob Burrows, who, at that time, was a writer/publisher of Christian Church music.
I have worked in the accounting/administrative field for most of my career. I worked for the Alabama Department of Revenue for eight years as a Department Secretary under the Director of all the Revenue Field Offices in Alabama; and then, the Alabama Department of Agriculture as a Procurement Officer for eight years. I left the Alabama Department of Agriculture to move our family to East Tennessee.
I worked for Cherokee Textiles as the Secretary for all Administrative Staff except for the President of the company; worked in the University of Tennessee Financial Aid Office, Co-owned a business with my husband, and worked as the Office Manager/Business Manager for KJ Development for eleven years. After I left KJ Development, I worked as the Accounting Assistant for the CFO of BrakeQuip, LLC based in Alcoa, Tennessee. I left BrakeQuip to follow my husband with his job opportunities. I went to work for Genesis Healthcare as a Regional ROC (Rehab Office Coordinator) which included creating/maintaining spreadsheets, weekly auditing of reports and other duties for 93 facilities within our Region. During this time, I spent nine weeks in Clemson, South Carolina as an Interim Director of Rehab while the Director was on maternity leave. I traveled a good bit during my career with Genesis Healthcare but was laid off in January 2016 when Genesis had company-wide layoffs.
I was blessed to be hired by VAW in February 2016 as the Office Manager and was asked to take on the HR duties in March. My policy has always been that my door is always open and I will do whatever I can to help our people out. If I don't know an answer, I will make sure I get the answer for them.
Job Titles:
- Site Outreach Coordinator / Panama
I was born and raised in the province of Bocas del Toro in Panama. I had the opportunity to go to high school in the US in 2004 where I also began a hotel management & culinary arts course after graduation. In 2008, I returned to Bocas del Toro where I currently live with my three kids. I was given the opportunity to be part of VAW Global in 2014 as an Outreach Assistant, working hand in hand with the interns to provide aid to vulnerable communities. Through this experience I've been able to grow personally and also within the company.
When I am not working for VAW I work managing my hostel & restaurant on Bastimentos Island. In my free time I enjoy being with my kids, fishing and relaxing on the beach with friends. My goal is to continue to grow in knowledge and to one day be able to provide sustainability within the communities where we currently work.