Former Board

The following lists Heifer International Board of Directors from 2000 to present. Brief bios were compiled using information gathered during the individuals' term(s) of service.

David Andrews
Brother Dave Andrews served on Heifer's Board of Directors as the covenant agency representative for the National Catholic Rural Life Conference.

Professionally, he served as the Executive Director of the 82-year-old National Catholic Rural Life Conference (NCRLC) based in Des Moines, Iowa, until early 2007. The NCRLC is an organization that is a lead voice for the Catholic Church on food, farm, farm worker, and environmental concerns in the United States. The NCRLC ministers through outreach, advocacy, spirituality and education and has close and historic ties to Heifer Project International.

Brother Dave serves or has served in a number of leadership positions, and he has assisted as a consultant with the Domestic Policy Committee of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops; as a member of the governor of Iowa's Food Policy Council; and as a member and as the Director of the Office of Peace and Justice for the Congregation of Holy Cross, an international religious order of men that serves in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and North America. Brother Dave has been an accredited NGO representative at the Seattle and the Cancun WTO meetings, the World Food Summit in Rome, and the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development. He has served on Boards ranging from the Organization for Competitive Markets, the Community Food Security Coalition, and the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture to the Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working Group and the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

In honor of his 25-plus years as an active advocate for a just food and farm system, Brother Dave received the "Excellence in Practice and Application Award" from the Rural Sociological Society. Presented in August 2005, this was the first award of its kind.

Brother Dave received a law degree from Loyola University in New Orleans.

Kodwo E. Ankrah
Kodwo Ankrah served Heifer's board as the Corporation Project Area Representative. During the years Kodwo served, he was the only international representative; thus, his voice was incredibly important in setting the strategic direction of Heifer International.

Although he is a member of the Methodist Church, The (Anglican) Church of Uganda made him a Canon, an honorary award normally reserved for Anglican pastors and clergy. He has spent much of his life serving the church in Africa - Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and other East African countries. Kodwo's term expired in October 2004.

Suzanne Awalt
Suzanne Awalt was an active Heifer volunteer for 10 years before joining Heifer's board in September 1998 as an at-large director representing the Northwest region.

Her volunteer duties have included work at the Ceres Learning Center, assisting with tours and youth events, participating in the local Heifer speaker's bureau as speaker and trainer, frequently staffing Heifer informational exhibits in public forums, and chairing the annual "Fill the Ark" campaign at her church for over ten years, where Heifer is the largest (and most popular) outreach ministry. She has participated in Heifer study tours (as well as led them), Heifer University, Women's Lambing Weekend and served a short, but very satisfying stint as a Ranch volunteer.

A retired United States Air Force officer, Suzanne is a clinical social worker by training. She holds a B.A. in Sociology, Masters of Social Work and Doctorate of Social Welfare degrees.

She and her late husband Roy were very active in their local Disciples of Christ congregation in California and enjoyed singing in the choir and traveling in their RV.

Suzanne's board term expired in October 2004.

Florence Awasom
Florence Awasom served on Heifer International's Board of Directors from September 2004 to September 2008 as an At-Large director representing the Africa region.

During this time, Florence worked professionally as a judge, having heard cases involving criminal matters, divorce matters, labor litigations, and matters pertaining to land disputes. As an employee of the Cameroon government, Florence served as a resource person in the formulation and implementation of laws relating to gender, land tenure, rights of the child, and other topical issues like HIV/AIDS.

Florence holds a bachelor's degree and a postgraduate diploma in Private English Law from The University of Yaounde, Cameroon, in addition to a postgraduate diploma in Magistracy from the School of Magistracy and Administration, Yaounde. She participated in The United States State Department exchange training program on Women and The Law, and the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges conference in London, as well as many national conferences on various legal issues concerning the rights of women and children, land law, and legislation on HIV/AIDS.

Florence's non-profit experience includes eight years of service to Heifer Cameroon, where she served as the resource person for a Workshop on the Rights of the Cameroonian Woman, worked as a legal advisor, participated in area and international meetings on topics such as the Heifer Alliance and served as a member of Heifer Cameroon's Board of Directors.

She has served as a member of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women, the International Federation of Female Lawyers, the Cameroonian Association of University Women, the Common Wealth Judges and Magistrates Association, and the human rights group Huddled Center.

Vicki Bailyn
Vicki Bailyn served as an at-large director representing the Midwest region, having spent several years as a volunteer and member of the Steering Committee in the Chicago Heifer office.

Vicki brought experience in marketing and banking, having retired as First Vice President with The First National Bank of Chicago, the nation's eighth largest bank, in 2001. Vicki holds a MS in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin, and an MS in Computer Science from Northwestern.

During her tenure with the Heifer Board, Vicki was instrumental in assisting the Board in defining the long-term strategic direction of the organization. Vicki's board term expired in October 2004.

Andrew Kang Bartlett
Andrew is a covenant agency director representing the Presbyterian Church (USA) Presbyterian Hunger Program.

Bartlett earned a Master of Arts from San Francisco State University and studied progressive approaches to community-based rural development, largely based on work with small farmers and communities in Latin America. He currently serves as an Associate for National Hunger Concerns for the Presbyterian (USA) Hunger Program in Louisville, Kentucky, coordinating national grants and developing training materials for the national network of Hunger Action Enablers.

Beginning with three years of mission service with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Korean Christian Church of Japan, he has dedicated himself to social justice and human rights. This calling has led him from community development and civil rights work with the Korean minority in Osaka, to four years of solidarity with the people of El Salvador, to various efforts in support of small farmers, the poor, indigenous peoples, and the environment.

Over the past 17 years, he has developed experience in sustainable agriculture, community and rural development, advocacy and national campaigns, grants management, program coor-dination, resource development and educational outreach.

Prabha Basnet

Prabha Basnet served on Heifer International's Board of Directors as an At-Large director representing the Asia/South Pacific region.

Professionally, she is a former Secretary of His Majesty's Government of Nepal. She has served in several capacities in various Ministries such as Agriculture, Education, National Planning Commission, Labor and Women, Children and Social Welfare.

Prabha has significant experience serving on various Boards, and has attended and facilitated many national and regional conferences that focus on women and agriculture Development issues. She has represented Nepal to the 39th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and as a Member of the Nepalese Delegation at the 36th, 40th and 41st UN General Assemblies in New York. She has also served as principal of girls' Degree College in Nepal.

She has received many awards, and has published more than twenty reports on issues as varied as children, women, education, health forest, agriculture and community/rural development. Her concern for rural women's issues and her expertise in women's development led her across the globe to at least 15 countries on several continents. She holds bachelors and masters degrees in home science from institutions in India, and a Doctorate of Philosophy from Southern Illinois University.

Prabha is very familiar with Heifer's projects in Nepal and served on the Board of Directors until her term expired in September 2006.

Adell Brown
Adell Brown served as an at-large director to the Heifer board. At this time, he was Acting/Assistant Administrator of the Cooperative Extension Program of Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and had served in other positions ranging from researcher to small farm coordinator.

He brought to Heifer's board this knowledge plus formal training in agricultural economics (Ph.D.), business (MBA), statistics, management and production economics. He has also published a number of professional papers.

Adell's term expired in September 2003.

Carol Necole Brown
Carol Necole Brown is a professor of law at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A graduate of Duke University (A.B. cum laude, 1991) and Duke University School of Law (J.D. and LL.M., 1995), Carol joined the UNC-Chapel Hill law faculty in 2007. Her scholarship examines the role of private property rights protections in stabilizing the position of economically vulnerable property owners and of those who do not own property. Carol is an accomplished author with several law review articles on the subjects of property law and land use planning to her credit. She is also co-author of "Basic Mortgage Law: Cases and Materials" (with David S. Hill, Second Edition, 2007). Carol currently teaches property, land use planning, and real estate transactions.

Over her academic career, Carol has remained active in various capacities with several legal education organizations. She is the 2010 chair-elect of the Real Estate Transactions Section of the Association of American Law Schools. In 2009, Carol held two leadership positions within AALS, as chair of the Property Section and as secretary of the Real Estate Transactions Section. In her role as chair of the AALS Property Section, Carol developed and implemented new initiatives that show leadership and creativity. She also has served on the executive committee of the Section on Minority Groups of the Association of American Law Schools.

Carol shares her strong commitment to legal education with a personal dedication to humanitarian causes. She served on the Heifer International Foundation (HIF) Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2011. As Chair of the HIF Trustees, she served as a member of the Heifer International Board of Directors.

Thomas A. Bruce
Dr. Thomas A. Bruce served Heifer International's board of directors as both an at-large director and an international director representing the North America Program. He has dedicated his life to making, and now keeping, people well. In 2001, he left retirement for the second time, returning to his alma mater to become the inaugural dean for a new school of public health. In 2004, Tom became a Professor and the Associate Dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

Tom's work from 1985-1997 as a program director at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation frequently carried him into Latin American and Southern Africa.

Before joining the Foundation staff in 1985, Tom served for 11 years as dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Through the University's international efforts he had broad experience in the education of Vietnamese and Chinese physicians.

He came into the deanship after an active career as a professor of medicine and a clinical research cardiologist. At various times during his academic career he was at institutions such as Duke University, Cornell University, the University of Texas, and the University of London (England). He has also completed the Executive Management Program at the Harvard Business School.

A lifetime interest has been to improve the link between the professional world of medicine and the 'real world' of living in complex and challenged communities. Two books that Tom has co-authored are of note: "Improving Rural Health: Initiatives of an Academic Medical Center" (1984), and "Community-Based Public Health: A Partnership Model" (2000).

Tom's board term expired in September 2006.

Roxanne Burgess
Roxanne Burgess served on Heifer's board as a representative of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). She brought experience as chairperson of the Presbyterian Hunger Program Advisory Committee and as a Vice Moderator and Moderator of the Synod of California & Hawaii and Chair of Synod Council. She was also involved with the Synod Native American Council, the Cross-Caucus and the Racial Ethnic Pastoral Leadership Task Force of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). During her term she was also employed by the State of California as an Analyst for the Division of Science, Technology & Innovation in the Trade and Commerce Agency.

Roxanne's appointment to the Heifer board ended in September 2000.

Alejandra Caballero, Tlaxco, Mexico
Alejandra served on Heifer International's Board of Directors as an At-Large director representing the North America region. She is an architect by trade and founder of the San Isidro project, where she has worked to coordinate international courses of natural construction, perm culture, soil regeneration and reconstruction, environmental education for children, and alternative sustainable life styles. She has also administered resources to maintain the Instituto de Educacion Integral Magdalena Cervantes A.C., which offers alternative education at the first level for low-income children. She is a co-founder of "Cosecha Sana," a group of producers that promotes the production and commercialization of organic products.

In 1990, she began working as a consultant of Perm cultural designs and a coordinator and instructor of international Perm cultural courses, natural construction and sustainable agriculture. She received a scholarship from the McArthur Foundation from 1994 to 1997, with the "Madre Tierra, Madre Casa" project (Women, Environment, and Self-Construction Housing). She has co-authored the book Sustainable Agriculture: An approach to the perm culture, and has written a manual on self-construction.

She has been a member of several organizations in her field, and was a founding member of Alternatives of Vital Habitats and Educative, and of Educative Services of Social Investigation. Within the architectural arena, she is a specialist in the construction and design environmentally friendly housing.

Alejandra graduated from the Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla with a degree in Architecture, and won a national prize for her work in 1986.

Fu Changxiu
Fu Changxiu served on Heifer’s Board as an At-Large Representative residing in the Asia/South Pacific region.

At time of publication, she serves as Deputy Director of Sichuan Provincial General Station of Breeding and Improvement for Livestock and Poultry (SBIS), and has a lengthy history of work and service in the field of animal science. The majority of her career has centered in Sichuan Province, the area of China in which she lives, and her positions have ranged from Assistant Animal Specialist to Senior Animal Specialist and Office Director. She has also served as Extensional Researcher and Deputy Director in the Sichuan General Station of Breeding and Improvement for Livestock & Poultry. In addition, she is a Deputy Magistrate for the Rongxian County Government.

Changxiu brought to Heifer's Board experience serving as a board member of several local organizations such as the China Society of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicines and the China Association of Animal Husbandry, to name a few. She also chaired the Sichuan Provincial Association of Animal Husbandry's branch of Goat & Sheep Raising.

Changxiu spent years serving as a tour guide and interpreter for HPI China, as well as an important link to local government organizations. In January 1982, she received a Bachelors Degree from the Department of Animal Science at Sichuan Agriculture University, and received a Heifer WiLD Award in 2002.

Miller Davis
Miller Davis served as Chair of the Heifer International Foundation in 2007 and 2008 and as such, was one of two HIF representatives to the Heifer International Board.

He represented the Church of the Brethren on the HPI Board of Directors from 1988 to 2001. He served as the chair of the Heifer Project International board for two years, one of which was during the 50th anniversary.

Miller grew up in Rockingham County in Virginia, near Harrisonburg, on a small farm where he worked with family members for a number of years. He was raised in the Church of the Brethren and first heard Heifer stories as a child in Sunday school. Dan West was a member of his church and Miller had the opportunity to work with him while serving in the Brethren Volunteer Service from 1965-1967. He also had the privilege of knowing the West family. His love for raising animals has continued since childhood.

Miller graduated in 1965 from Bridgewater College in Virginia. After Brethren Volunteer Service he worked for a construction company for four years before becoming an employee of the Church of the Brethren General Board. He retired in 1998 as Manager of the Emergency Response/Service Ministers Unit of the COB, which combines Disaster Response, Refugee Resettlement and the Material Resource Programs into one unit. Miller now enjoys completing projects around the home and is active in his local church.

Miller and his wife Connie have four children.

Willie Jones Dell
Willie Jones Dell served Heifer's board as a covenant agency director representing the Presbyterian Church (USA) Hunger Program.

Her formal training and experience as a social worker, professor, and consultant to various organizations made her a vital asset to Heifer's board of directors. She also had served on several national boards and was a member of the Joint Educational Development Project, a black Christian education study and planning team that conducts leadership-training conferences across denominational lines in the U.S. Willie and her team also visited developing countries focusing on Christian educational materials from a black perspective, and developed an intergenerational education packet along with a study guide.

Willie's appointment ended in October 2004.

Belletech Deressa
Belletech Deressa served as a covenant agency representative to the Heifer Board for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) from 1988 to 2000.

At the time of this publication, Belletech is serving as the Director for International Development and Disaster Response, Division for Global Mission, for the ELCA.

Cliff Dienberg
Cliff Dienberg gave over ten years to Heifer's board, serving as a covenant agency director representing the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. His appointment to the Heifer Board ended in October 2004.

Cliff was ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church in 1979 in the Archdiocese of Chicago, and had years of experience serving parishes and hospitals in Illinois. He was appointed Catholic Rural Life Director for the Archdiocese of Chicago 1988, and is the retired owner of C.E. Dienberg Printing Company located in Oak Park, Illinois, established in 1959.

Cliff passed away in June 2007.

Paul Dirdak
Reverend Paul Dirdak served as a covenant agency director on Heifer's Board, representing the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). In 1998, Paul became the Deputy General Secretary of UMCOR. His responsibilities as deputy general secretary also include Health and Welfare and Mission Volunteers.

UMCOR is a global humanitarian relief and development agency of The United Methodist Church. UMCOR's ministries are helping to heal the hurts of humanity in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to alleviate human suffering - whether caused by war, conflict, or natural disaster.

Paul is a long-time pastor in the United Methodist Church, serving many parishes in rural and urban California. He is a former Director of the General Board of Global Ministries, President of the National Division for missional projects and Chair of the Interagency Task Force on AIDS for the General Conference. He has served on both the Council on Ministries and the Council on Finance and Administration. Paul is also the former Executive Director of the AIDS/HIV Life Center of San Francisco.

Paul's appointment to the Heifer board ended in 2001.

Roger Ellis
Roger Ellis served on Heifer's Board as an at-large director representing the Northeast region. As a long-time Heifer volunteer, one could find him doing a variety of things including numerous working trips to Central America, as well as Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, South Africa, and Uganda working with Heifer International, Peace Corps, ACID-VOCA and Bread for the World; countless presentations and lectures to groups interested in the problems of world hunger and poverty; and leading Heifer study tours to places such as Cambodia, Thailand and India. He received the Special Service Award from Heifer International Great Lakes Region in 1990, as well as numerous other awards for his service and leadership.

Roger brought vital experience to the Heifer Board during his service as the board's only veterinarian and a Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician. He graduated from New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell in 1977, and has been a partner in a large animal practice before becoming a Field Veterinarian for the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets. He is very active in his church and community. Roger's term expired in September 2005.

Susan Eyre
Susan Eyre served on Heifer's board as a Heifer International Foundation Trustee representative.

A native of Cleveland, Susan had years of teaching experience in Ohio and New Mexico before joining Heifer's board. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology education from Denison University and a master's degree in school administration from the University of New Mexico. She and husband Richard, own Rich's Foxwillow Pines Nursery. Susan's term expired in March 2001.

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Martin Garate
Martin Garate served Heifer's Board of Directors as a covenant agency director representing the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). Coupled with his many years of international development, training and pastoral experience (particularly in Chile), he was a great asset to Heifer's board.

During his tenure with Heifer's board he directed AFSC's international division. Martin's appointment to the Board ended in September 2002.

Gary Gunderson
Gary Gunderson represented the American Baptist Church on Heifer's Board until his appointment ended in 2002.

Gary founded and served as executive director of SEEDS Magazine, an interreligious agency providing communication, education and training related to hunger and poverty in the U.S. and in developing countries. Under his leadership, the magazine twice won the International World Hunger Media Awards.

Gary has also served as President of USAfrica, an investment development and trading company linking African and U.S. entrepreneurs, and personally developed projects in nine African countries. He brought to the board extensive consulting experience, having aided the State of Georgia and other organizations in developing Africa trade and investment policies. During his board service, he worked as Director of Operations of the Interfaith Health Program at The Carter Center in Atlanta, GA.

Gary received a bachelor of arts in history from Wake Forest University and a Masters of Divinity (Magna Cum Laude, Honors) from Emory University's Candler School of Theology.

Ladislav Hetényi

Ladislav served the Heifer International Board of Directors as an at-Large director representing the Central Eastern Europe region from September 2007 to October 2010.

At the time of this service, Ladislav was the Deputy Director of the Research Institute for Animal Production in Slovakia, Ladislav was responsible for research involving animal genetics, reproduction, nutrition, biotechnology, technology, farming and quality of products. His expertise includes animal breeding, animal genetics and bioethics. Previous to his post as Deputy Director, Ladislav served the Institute as Managing Director for 13 years, as head of the Genetic Department, as Deputy of Pig Breeding Department and as research worker.

Ladislav has served as a Board member of the Slovak Agricultural and Food Chamber, a Board member of the Regional Agricultural and Food Chamber, and a member of the Central Selection Commission of Slovak Republic. He has also held the position of Head of the Slovak Grant Commission for Animal Production and advisor of the Minister of Education for education in agricultural and forestry.

His international activities include posts as the Slovak National Coordinator of the European Association of Animal Production, and Representative of the Slovak Republic in the task force European Roundtable of Animal Production East-West Europe. He adds to his experience the position of Vice President of the Scientific European Association of Animal Production, Rome, Italy; Slovakia representative of the international humanitarian organization VISAGE; national coordinator of animal genetic resources to FAO – Rome; and national coordinator of Common Research Programme to OECD – Paris.

Born in Nitra, Slovakia, Ladislav earned bachelor and master's degrees from the University of Agriculture Nitra and went on to earn a Doctorate in Animal Production. He has been a lecturer and supervisor of undergraduate students at the University of Agriculture Nitra, in addition to being a supervisor of postgraduate doctoral study in animal production at the same university. He has worked as both a professor and associate professor. He resides in Nitra with his wife and daughter.

Carole Hillard
Carole was a Heifer International Foundation representative to the Heifer International Board. She is a former Lieutenant Governor of the State of South Dakota, and first learned of Heifer International from Arkansas' former Lieutenant Governor, the late Winthrop Rockefeller. Carole served as Chair of the Heifer International Foundation and has attended work study tours to Bolivia, Peru, Uganda and Poland.

Carole has served many years in Foreign Service, her first assignment being church relief in Mexico in 1989. She has since served in locations such as Panama, Czech Republic, San Salvador, Bosnia, and Africa.

Her formal training includes a Bachelors and Masters of Arts in Education, as well as a Masters of Arts in Political Science. She holds a Women in Leadership certificate from Harvard University as well as a private pilot's license. Carole has served on many national, state, and community boards. Her Heifer board term expired in March 2004.

Ron McLean

Ron is the former Chair of the Heifer International Foundation and also and also served two three-year terms, a part of which, he also served as Chair of the HPI Board.

Ron is the current Senior Pastor of the Christian Church Uniting, a federated church of the United Church of Christ and the Church of the Brethren, located in Virginia Beach, VA. Additionally, he is Chaplain at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. Ordained in 1990, he served the Massachusetts Conference United Church of Christ as an Associate Conference Minister for a little less than a decade before accepting a call to local church ministry. He has held the position of pastor at churches in Massachusetts, North Carolina and Virginia, and he is a former President and Executive Director of the Black Ecumenical Commission of Massachusetts.

Ron graduated from Andover Newton Theological School and holds a master's degree in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was a Contract Officer for special target populations with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.

A former volunteer with the American Peace Corps, Ron served as staff to a Health and Sanitation project that evolved from his work as a volunteer, which brought 55 new volunteers to India. He has traveled extensively throughout Haiti, Nicaragua and the Middle East. He is a graduate of the National Coalition Building Institute and the Harvard Negotiation Project, and he has directed a community mediation center.

Most recently, Ron has completed the federal and state licensing requirements to become a registered representative within the financial services industry. He is appointed with World Financial Group, World Group Securities, based in Duluth, Georgia, a subsidiary of AEGON International with offices in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Ron has three children: Sonya, an accountant for a union pension fund in Washington D.C.; Derrick, who manages a retail transportation firm; and Oronde, who manages existing and start-up restaurants.

James Howell
Jim served on the Heifer International Board of Directors while serving as the Vice Chair of Heifer's sister entity, the Heifer International Foundation.

He served from 1959-1969 in the US Army as a supply and service officer. His service took him to Europe, mainland U.S., Hawaii, Thailand and Viet Nam. His positions included Unit command and unit and army level staff position.

After his military service, Jim joined the sales team of IBM Corporation. His role was customer service and assisting with major military, commercial and government customers. In addition, he coordinated installation of hardware and software for customers in Hawaii, Guam, and the Far East. Jim retired from IBM in 1992.

Following retirement, he worked in various positions with the State of Hawaii Judiciary System where he was responsible for the maintenance of accounts for a $27 million dollar budget. Jim retired as Court Officer with the State of Hawaii Judiciary System in December 2004.

Jim is a graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Education. He is also a graduate of Dale Carnegie's Public Speaking and Human Relations Course and H & R Block's Income Tax Preparation.

Jim is a member of Church of the Crossroads where he served as Moderator, Treasurer, and Stewardship Chairperson. He has served as Vice Chair of the Board for Hawaii's Meals on Wheels and served as President of the Harambee Connection Investment Club.

Jim's term expired in August 2010.

Henryk A. Jasiorowski
Dr. Henryk Jasiorowski served on Heifer International's Board of Directors as an At-Large director representing the Central Eastern Europe region.

Professionally, he has a detailed record of experience, serving five years as President of the National Board of Dairy Cooperatives in Poland, participating in the strategy and policy of dairy development; serving 12 years in the FAO as Director of Animal Production and Health, implementing animal production, veterinary, dairy and meat industry development projects worldwide; serving as President of Poland's National Beef Cattle Breeders Association; and co-owning a 300-hectare farm with Hereford herd animals.

Henryk has served in many professional bodies, having significant leadership roles in organizations such as the National Union of Dairy Cooperatives in Poland, the Polish Zootechnical Society and Scientific Board of the Zootechnical Institute in Poland, the Scientific Board of the Animal and Genetic Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the International Dairy Federation, and the European Association of Animal Production. Henryk also once served as a member of the advisory group to the President of Poland on agricultural and rural development issues.

He is an internationally known specialist in animal science (dairy cattle) and has written approximately 150 scientific publications as well as six books and over 100 popular articles. He has many Polish and foreign decorations that acclaim his service and expertise in agriculture and animal science. He is fluent in Polish and English and has strong speaking, reading and writing skills in Russian, German and Italian. He is a graduate of the Warsaw Agricultural University (B.S., M.S. and Ph.D.), and has received many honorary doctorates.

Henryk opened projects in Poland and Romania, and has continued to assist the Central Eastern Europe program in various capacities. He lives in Poland and is married with two children.

Harold Jones
Harold Jones served as an at-large director representing the Southwest region during his tenure on Heifer's board.

Harold attended USC, graduating with a B.S. in Naval Science and Tactics. After a stint in the Navy, he returned to USC and obtained a B.S. in business. He has many years of experience as a merchandise manager for a Long Beach department store and traveled the world purchasing test orders for many departments in the store.

Before retirement, Harold and wife Joan operated an import shop from Bolivia on Balboa Island, California for 30 years. He has served on various boards in his community, and he and Joan continue to be active Heifer volunteers as well as giving their time to the California - Pacific United Methodist Conference and local church.

Always ready to serve, Harold and Joan participate in over 30 living gift markets during the year, donating the profits from merchandise sales to Heifer.

Harold's term expired in September 2006.

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June Kim
June Kim is a current covenant agency committee member of the Heifer board, representing the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).

June holds the position of Executive Secretary of World Hunger and Poverty and Sustainable Agriculture and Development Program for UMCOR, and is responsible for programs that address root causes of hunger and poverty worldwide, with emphasis on how these are inter-related with health and environmental issues. She is sought as an expert in her field, featured in ABC's 2004 television documentary "Hunger No More: Faces Behind the Facts" and invited to be part of hunger-related events worldwide. The Sustainable Agriculture and Development programs she oversees in Africa increase the ability of subsistence farmers to not only provide better for their own families, but also to increase their income, introduce new and more nutritious produce to the market, and equip the farmers to go and teach others what they learn.

June was educated at the State University of New York at Binghamton. Her initial Heifer board term expired in October 2004. As UMCOR's current appointee to Heifer's board covenant agency committee, she will join Heifer's board on a rotational basis.

Chuck Krouse
Chuck Krouse served Heifer's board as an at-large director representing the Northeast Region. He began volunteering regularly for Heifer after participating in a study tour to Ecuador in 1991.

Chuck has long-term involvement with the Wesley United Methodist Church in Vienna, VA, and has spent many years volunteering with Heifer International, including speaking engagements, staffing exhibits in the Washington and Northern Virginia area, assisting with Heifer International representation on International Service Agencies committees, and hosting Heifer International visitors in the Washington, D.C. area.

Chuck brought to Heifer's board 14 years experience managing congressional investigations and hearings, and had assisted five House Committees on Public Works and Transportation chairmen. Chuck was an executive in two Washington trade associations and is a former newsman and government intelligence officer.

Chuck's term expired in September 2003.

Mark Lancaster
Mark served for more than a decade on the Board of Directors for Heifer International, first as a regional area representative and then as an at-large representative. He also served as Board Chair.

Mark is an ordained United Methodist clergyperson, has pastored congregations and been a chaplain at The American University and Western Maryland College. Mark has also served on the faculty at Western Maryland (in Religion, Sociology and Communications) and worked with North American Christians to create safe places for them to explore the intersection of money and faith.

During his time on Heifer's board, he served as the Middle Atlantic Regional Director for the American Friends Service Committee in Baltimore. His career spans from part-time fundraiser for CROP/Church World Service to a seminary professor in Nigeria to consulting work for Habitat for Humanity in Eastern Europe and in gender issues. He brought this experience along with formal degrees in sociology and divinity to his service on Heifer's board.

Mark's term expired in September 2003.

Bayard Livingston
Bayard Livingston served Heifer's board as an at-large director from the Northeast Region until September 2003. He brought experience in economics, real estate and management.

Bayard was named President of John Hancock Real Estate Finance, Inc. in 1995. His responsibilities included management of a nationwide network of field offices. In addition, he served as the Corporate Relationship Officer with the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.

Bayard learned of Heifer through his involvement with the United Church of Christ, where he is an active member and leader within the denomination.

Lorenzo Martinez
Lorenzo Martinez served as a covenant agency representative for Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD). Professionally, he has served as Vice President for External Affairs at Episcopal Relief and Development since his appointment in the fall of 2006.
In this role, Lorenzo has responsibility for ERD's fundraising through direct mail and major gifts initiatives. He supervises communications efforts, church relations activities, volunteer programs and the network of ERD representatives.

Prior to joining ERD, Lorenzo was Vice President of Development and External Affairs for International Trachoma Initiative (ITI), an organization dedicated to the elimination of blinding trachoma, the world's leading cause of preventable blindness. His strategies led to funding appropriations from Congress, an increase in foundation giving, including support from the Gates Foundation and extensive international media coverage of the work of ITI. Martinez has also served as Director of Development and External Affairs for International Planned Parenthood Federation where he raised federal, foundation and individual funding in support of health programs.

Martinez has participated as a panelist and presenter at many international conferences. He holds an Ed.D. in music from Columbia University in New York and is a published composer of children's music. He is also fluent in both English and Spanish and is a parishioner of St. Andrew and Holy Communion Episcopal Church in South Orange, New Jersey.

Ron McLean
Ron served on the Heifer International Board of Directors for many years. His latest term of service came while serving as Chair of the Heifer International Foundation – Heifer's sister entity.

Ron has served as a Senior Pastor of the Christian Church, a federated church of the United Church of Christ and the Church of the Brethren, located in Virginia Beach, VA. Additionally, he has served as the Chaplain at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. Ordained in 1990, he served the Massachusetts Conference United Church of Christ as an Associate Conference Minister for a little less than a decade before accepting a call to local church ministry. He has held the position of pastor at churches in Massachusetts, North Carolina and Virginia, and he is a former President and Executive Director of the Black Ecumenical Commission of Massachusetts.

Ron completed the federal and state licensing requirements to become a registered representative within the financial services industry. He is appointed with World Financial Group, World Group Securities, based in Duluth, Georgia, a subsidiary of AEGON International with offices in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Stephen A. Mondora

Stephen A. Mondora (Steve) served as an at-large director, residing in the Southeast region. Steve was also the Immediate Past Chair of the Board, and as such, he also served as a member of the Board Executive Committee.

Prior to Steve's retirement from the private business sector, he was a General Manager for UNISYS Corporation, where he directed several districts that sold, installed, and maintained computer & communications hardware and software products. He remains active in the business community on a part time basis and is currently under contract as an Executive Consultant/Coach to a major computer software company.

He and his wife, Carolyn, have served as volunteers with Heifer for many years. For four years they served as full-time Co-directors of Heifer's National Distribution Center, and then located to the Heifer Ranch near Little Rock, AR. In that position, they were responsible for procurement, warehousing and distribution of all program materials, literature, and promotional products sold or donated to individuals, churches and organization throughout the world.

Over the years, Steve worked on many construction projects being done to accommodate Heifer's phenomenal growth both at the Ranch and at the World Headquarters in Little Rock. While at The Ranch and at the request of Heifer executives, he also served as an "on call" management consultant, assisting them whenever he could with various business issues.

He and Carolyn are residents of Fort Myers, Florida. Steve is an accomplished trumpet player and is a member of the Gulf Coast Symphony and the Sanibel Community Band.

Steve's board term expired in October 2011.

Gordon Nethercut
Gordon Nethercut served as a covenant agency director representing the United Church of Christ.

During his service to the Heifer board, he was active in the UCC at four levels - his local church (First Congregational UCC of Alpena), the United Northern Association, and the Michigan Conference, and had served on two national church boards.

Gordon is a Korean War Veteran, having served in the U.S. Army as a combat infantryman with the Third Infantry Division and as a staff chaplain assistant at Eighth Army Headquarters.

He holds a degree in business and is a Certified Public Accountant. He is retired from an Alpena, Michigan CPA firm. He is a member of a number of professional accounting societies and various community organizations such as the Lions Club, Cub and Boy Scouts, church choir, community chorus and Elderhostels.

Gordon's appointment ended in October 2004.

Caroline W. Njuki
Caroline Njuki joined Heifer's board of directors in 2000, serving as a covenant agency representative from the United Methodist Church.

During her time on Heifer's board, she served the United Methodist Committee on Relief as the Executive Secretary for World Hunger/Poverty. She was responsible for programs that address the root causes of hunger and poverty worldwide, with emphasis on how these are inter-related with health and environmental issues. From her experience of coming to the US as a Ugandan refugee fleeing the reign of Idi Amin, Dr. Njuki brought passion to the job of advocating for women, children and those living in poverty.

She has a wide variety of accomplishments, and received a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College in Atlanta, a Masters in Planning and a Doctorate in Development. She has published numerous research articles, reports and papers in her field.

Caroline's appointment to the Heifer Board ended in March 2001.

Barrie O'Bannon
Dr. Barrie O'Bannon served Heifer's board as a Heifer International Foundation Trustee representative. Barrie is a long-time friend of Heifer, having provided the lead gift when Heifer purchased its first headquarters building in Little Rock.

Barrie received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from John Brown University, a Master of Science in Dairy Science from the University of Missouri, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Missouri. He developed the Jacksonville, Arkansas Animal Hospital as well as the Russellville Pet Clinic.

Barrie's Heifer board term expired in 2001.

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Aaron Parker
Aaron Parker served the Heifer board as an at-large director from the Northeast Region until September 2003. Aaron began volunteering for Heifer International in 1990 when he was appointed by the Church of the Brethren as a representative on the regional Heifer International Committee.

During his tenure on the board, he was an active volunteer, speaking to church and civic groups, staffing Heifer International displays and participating in the regional Heifer International Committee. In the community, he has also been a spokesperson and fundraiser for the United Way of Central Maryland.

Aaron was employed by the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company for over 25 years.. He is an active volunteer in a local Church of the Brethren congregation and with the United Way.

David Pryor
David Pryor served Heifer's Board of Directors as an at-large director. He holds a law degree and has a long, distinguished career of public service.

David served three terms in the Arkansas State House of Representatives and three full terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. David is a former Governor of Arkansas, a position he held for four years. In 1979, David was elected to the United States Senate, where he served until his retirement in 1996.

During his tenure David served on and chaired several committees including the Senate Committee on Agriculture, the Agriculture Subcommittee on Agricultural Production and Stabilization of Prices, the Senate Special Committee on Aging, the 1995 White House Conference on Aging, Senate Finance Committee, Government Affairs Committee and Chairman of its Subcommittee on Federal Services, and Civil Service and Post Office.

David has volunteered with the International Rescue Committee and assisted in refugee camps in Albania.

He has received many awards and honorary doctorates, and has spent time as a visiting lecturer at various schools, as well as serving as Director at the Institute of Politics at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Since his retirement, he has also served on many boards of directors and was most recently Dean of the Clinton School of Public Service during its inaugural year.

David's Heifer board term expired in September 2005.

Dr. E. Richard Shoup
The late Dr. Shoup was elected to Heifer's board in September 1998 as an at-large director representing the Midwest region.

He brought experience in education, having spent over 40 years as a music teacher at the secondary and collegiate levels. Dr. Shoup received several awards in music education. He and his wife Sharlene, also a retired music teacher, were active members of Peace Lutheran Church in Gahanna, Ohio, where he co-chaired the Heifer Project Committee.

Dr. Shoup board term expired in March 2001.

Fred Stallcop
Fred Stallcop served as a Heifer International Foundation Trustee representative to the Heifer International Board.

Fred was born in the small farming community town of Pomeroy, Washington, where he raised Herefords on the family wheat farm until college. He graduated from Washington State University with a degree in agriculture.

Fred spent many years as a USDA processed foods inspector as well as an insurance agent and financial advisor. He spent 30 years with John Hancock Insurance Company and was a Life and Qualifying Member of the Presidents Cabinet, President's Honor Club and one of 14 inducted into the John Hancock Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, he was actively involved in his community and was the National President of John Hancock CLU Association, the National Chairman of Agents Advisory Committee and the local CLU President.

He and wife Cecelia are active members of St. Mark's United Methodist Church, and have traveled to several Heifer projects around the world. Fred's board term expired in March 2003.

Ken Steiner
Ken Steiner gave several years of service to Heifer International's board. His term expired in 2001.

At the time of his service, Ken was a Plant Engineer for a steel stamping plant and a licensed minister for pulpit supply for the United Church of Christ. He has been involved in many voluntary services, including the International Voluntary Services, working in agricultural extension, community development, and refugee relief operations. He is a former board member of the United Church for World Ministries and the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Ken is a graduate of Manchester College and the Merom School of Lay Ministry. His graduate work was done at Ball State University.

Sandra Swan
Sandra Swan served on Heifer's board as a representative of the Episcopal Church, where she worked as executive director of the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief and Development.

She brought to her board position experience in marketing and development, having directed large fund-raising programs in previous positions from Barnard College to the International Executive Services Corps, among others. Directing the Bishop's Fund involved extensive work with its emergency grant program following disasters like Hurricane Mitch and El Niño. She also had a long history of involvement with her Episcopalian parish.

Sandra's appointment to the Heifer Board ended in 2001.

Gary Tabasinske
Gary's was drawn to Heifer International in 1996 when he and his late wife Cyndie McLachlan went on a study tour to Ecuador. There, he met long-time Heifer staff member Rosalee Sinn and her husband Paul. He instantly fell in love with the respectful and inclusive way in which Heifer helps people to create a sustainable life for themselves, their families, and their communities. No amount of reading or talking about Heifer could have more clearly explained what Heifer is about. Since that time, Gary has returned to Ecuador, has visited projects in El Salvador and Cameroon, and has most recently witnessed Heifer's work in Uganda and Rwanda.

Gary, a native of central Washington State, received a Bachelor of Architecture from Washington State University. He headed a Seattle-based architectural practice for approximately 20 years with projects ranging from houses, restaurants, offices, an Episcopal church, space planning, and interior design. He is very active in the Lopez community, having served as Chair of the Board for the Lopez Community Land Trust since early 2003. This organization provides permanent affordable housing for low income families as well as other projects involving sustainable agricultural and rural development. Prior to joining this Board, Gary designed its last project of eight affordable houses.

Gary is one of the founders and an officer of LOHO, (Lopez Housing Options), a group currently working on innovative housing for seniors based on an Aging in Place concept. He serves on the Board of Friends of Open House, the U.S. branch of a group based in Israel and working toward Jewish, Arab, and Christian reconciliation through programs for children and young adults.

Gary says, "The more I have seen, the more I believe in the way in which Heifer helps people help themselves. It is respectful of the culture, inclusive of the people, and incredibly empowering to those assisted. Seeing Heifer on the ground is, for me, a truly profound experience."

David Tracey
David Tracey served on Heifer’s Board as an At-Large Representative residing in the North America region

He is a journalist and environmental designer living in Vancouver, British Columbia. He owns and operates EcoUrbanist, an environmental design and media company specializing in ecological landscape design, environmental reporting and project management. He is also the Executive Director of Tree City, an ecological engagement group encouraging volunteers to plant and tend the urban forest. Since 2007 he has served as coordinator of the Vancouver Community Agriculture Network which supports low-income-area community gardening. David is also a global correspondent whose reports and images covering politics, the environment and culture have appeared in media outlets worldwide including the International Herald Tribune, the Economist, the Globe & Mail, ABC TV and CBC Radio. He lectures and leads workshops on topics such as urban agriculture, ecological design, food politics and media awareness. He is the author of Guerrilla Gardening: A Manualfesto.

David has served on the Vancouver Food Policy Council since 2007 and is a Metro Vancouver Agricultural Advisory Committee member representing the City of Vancouver.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a master's degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of British Columbia. He is a tree-care expert certified by the International Society of Arboriculture.

Dr. Julia Hall Wilson

Julia served on Heifer's Board as an At-Large Director, representing the Midwest Region.

Professionally, she has a comprehensive record of experience, having spent 27 years as a licensed veterinarian and many years as a university instructor and administrator. She has made over 100 professional presentations, 54 of those given internationally.

Julia is a member of several national organizations, including USA Equestrian, the Audubon Society and Sierra Club, and maintains five professional memberships, two of which are the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She is intimately involved with the work of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and serves as a member of the Advisory Committee to the AAEP Foundation, an organization supporting equine health research, scholarships, welfare and disaster relief efforts. Julia has also served as a Board member for the Central States Dressage & Combined Training Association and the International Society of Veterinary Perinatology, as well as a member of almost 30 hospital- or internationally-based committees. She is well-published in her field, having written 41 refereed and 70 non-refereed papers along with nine book chapters.

Julia received a B.A. in Biology with distinction from Cornell University and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) from Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine. She interned and received a post graduate diploma from Ontario Veterinary College, and completed a residency in large animal medicine at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine. She also spent three years studying toward a Ph.D. in epidemiology at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

Julia spends a tremendous amount of time and energy volunteering for several local organizations in her area, and has mentored many pre-veterinary students in the past 10 years. Along with the United States, Julia grew up in France, Spain, Thailand and the Philippines, and speaks Spanish fluently. She lives in historic Stillwater, Minnesota, with her husband Tracy, also a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, and their two teenage children, Tarren and Tristan.

Julia's board term expired in October 2011.

Johnny Wray
Johnny Wray represented Week of Compassion, the relief and development fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), on Heifer's board, and served as Week of Compassion's administrative director during his term.

He was no stranger to humanitarian efforts, having spent time as a Tennessee pastor organizing local food banks, an illiteracy-elimination program and a utility-assistance project for handicapped, elderly and low-income families. He had also been involved with Habitat for Humanity, and had spent a month-long sabbatical working with Heifer International.

Johnny brought experience serving in a variety of leadership positions within the regional and general church, including a position on the Christian Church in Tennessee board of directors. He graduated from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, and received a Masters of Divinity in social ethics from the Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky.

Johnny's appointment to the Heifer Board ended in 2001.

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