Meet Our Board Of Directors:
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Roxane Richter - President
 Roxane received a Bachelor's degree in Media & Mass Communications and a Master's degree in Cross-Cultural Studies, and she is currently completing her Doctorate in gender, healthcare and disaster issues. She has worked as a journalist, communications specialist, and editor for over 15 years. She is a National Registry Emergency Medical Technician. Roxane has also worked as a program director of a medical nonprofit, sending supplies and equipment, at no cost to recipients in developing nations, to over 62 countries.
Roxane has traveled to 52 countries and remains active in humanitarian aid projects, organizations and work in the U.S. and abroad. Due to her advocacy in human rights and gender equity in disasters, she has been interviewed as a disaster aid expert on Amnesty International's "Human Rights Show," and lectured at the United Nations Association, the World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Natural Hazards Center, Partners in Emergency Preparedness, and the Society for Applied Anthropology, and on local and national televised newscasts. In 1999, she helped build a community centre in Jamaica, and in 2000, an elementary school in Belize. In 2001, she worked on community facilities on a Navajo reservation in Arizona. In 2001 and 2002, she served on disaster-relief teams to Nicaragua, building houses for people who lost their homes in Hurricane Mitch. In 2005, she served in Red Cross Disaster Health Services & UTMB in Emergency Medical Services EMS/triage for Hurricane Katrina evacuees. In 2003 and 2006, she traveled to Ghana, West Africa, to serve on a medical mission team and coordinate the humanitarian efforts of several U.S. nonprofits sending supplies and aid into the country. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, she led medical teams to South Africa, New Orleans, Galveston (Texas) and Ghana, West Africa. She also continues to serve on local and regional Hurricane Rita & Katrina & Ike recovery efforts and with other nonprofit organizations.
Dr. Thomas Flowers - Vice President & Medical Director
Dr. Tom Flowers is a board-certified physician by the American Board of Emergency Medicine and has over 25 years of experience in Emergency Medicine. He trained as a US military medical officer and began his active military medical service in July of 1983 and was honorably discharged in June of 1993. During his US medical service, he was stationed in Texas, Arizona, and Bentwaters Air Force Base, U.K. Dr. Flowers specializes in the utilization and training of ER programs in: Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Advanced Trauma Life Support, and Advanced Pediatric Life Support. He is also trained in Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care treatment, and Advanced Wound Care Treatment.
Dr. Flowers has served on the board of the Bay Area Turning Point (a nonprofit serving victims of domestic violence) and has also served on several national and international medical and humanitarian aid missions, including: Ghana, West Africa (2006-2009), Galveston, Texas - Hurricane Ike Recovery (2008-2009), New Orleans - Hurricane Katrina Recovery (2007-2009), and South Africa (2007-2009).
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Elaine McElhinney - Treasurer
Elaine graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.S. in Business Administration. She is a C.P.A. and has practiced public accounting in both Florida and Texas. She is currently retired.
Elaine has been and is currently very active in short-term mission work. In 1997, 1999 and 2007 she served on mission teams which worked on the construction of two churches and a parsonage in Costa Rica. In 1999 she also served on a team whose mission was building an addition to a church in Jamaica. In 2000, 2001 and 2002 she participated in aid work in Nicaragua, building houses for people who lost their homes in Hurricane Mitch. In 2008 she served on a mission team to repair a home damaged by Hurricane Rita and in 2008 she served on a mission team which traveled to Red Bird Mission in Southeastern Kentucky to repair the home of a disabled coal miner. Since 2001, she has volunteered with NOMADS, a United Methodist program for missioners traveling in recreational vehicles and has served in Tennessee, Texas, Arkansas and Kentucky. Since 2005 she has been active in the Habitat for Humanity RV Care-a-Vanner program, helping to build houses across the United States, including areas in Louisiana devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
Dr. Suresh Rajendran - Board Member
Dr. Suresh K. Rajendran is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, with a subspecialty in gastroenterology. Throughout his career, he has served as a clinical Instructor at Baylor College of Medicine, was honored as “Physician of the Year” at Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital, and is a Fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology, the American College of Physicians, the American Gastroenterological Association, and the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Dr. Raj’s mission service includes medical missions to Clara Swain Hospital, Bareilly, India in 2006, where he 70 endoscopy cases, trained the nursing staff, and established a gastrointestinal endoscopy unit with 6 endoscopes, monitor, light source and video processor. In 2008, he 30 procedures and also trained he local staff and established a gastrointestinal endoscopy unit at Philadelphia Hospital, Salur, India. Dr. Raj also helped establish and actively supports Harvest Home orphanage in Hyderabad, India. He currently practices Gastroenterology and Hepatology with Gastroenterology Consultants, in Houston, Texas.
Wendy Allen - Board Member
Wendy is a native Houstonian. She received her B.A. in Media & Mass Communications from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and has worked as a communications specialist and in the public relations realm for over 20 years. Wendy is currently the Community Education Specialist for the Southeast Texas Poison Center / UTMB at Galveston, Texas.
Wendy has been an active member and participant in several non-profits since childhood: Her mother created the first chapter of TransAtlantic Brides and Parents Association (TBPA) in Springfield, Mass. in 1946. TBPA originated as women’s support group for WWII war brides that relocated to the United States from Great Britain during WWII and now has numerous chapters in all 52 states. Wendy as a small child participated in various fundraisers and has been an active member since 1996. She also served many years as the Public Relations Coordinator-American Cancer-Silver Dollar Ball and Training Coordinator-Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo-Media & Speakers Committees. Over the years she has been and is currently active in short-term mission work to rebuild homes that have been devastated by hurricanes that have hit the Texas Coastline. Also, in 2005 was successful in recruiting and aiding Katrina and Rita refugees in re-establishing their employment, benefits, child care and housing needs through the Gulf Coast WorkSource of Texas.
W.T. Cutts - Board Member
W.T. has a Bachelor's degree in economics from the University of South Alabama. W.T. is Director and shareholder of American Tank & Vessel for over 20 years, a company that performs engineering, fabrication and construction for liquid storage facilities. W.T. has worked in projects in the Middle East, the far East, Australia, North America, South America, Europe, and Africa.
For 15 years, W.T. has been involved in international missions, participating in and leading mission teams in construction, education, computer education, drug rehab, and infrastructure (such as water, shelter, and cottage industry research) efforts. His participation in international mission efforts has expanded with a standing personal commitment to be engaged in missions to all markets served by his business enterprise. Over the last few years, mission efforts to Brazil and West Africa have been a focus.
He is a member The National Fire Protection Association, The National Association of Corrosion Engineers, and The American Welding Society. He has been married for 21 years and has a 15-year-old daughter at Houston Christian High School and a 10-year-old son at Grace Presbyterian School. His family members are active at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church and Grace Presbyterian Church, with his wife participating in the National Charity League as well as several other organizations.
Dr. Elias Bongmba - Board Member
Elias has a PhD in Theology and is currently an African Religious Studies professor at Rice University (The Harry and Hazel Chavanne Chair in Christian Theology and Professor of Religious Studies) in Houston, Texas. A native of Cameroon, Africa, Dr. Bongmba is active in Rice's campus and student organizations that are involved in humanitarian efforts throughout the world.
Dr. Bongmba is the managing editor of Religious Studies Reviews and the Bulletin of Council for Societies for the Study of Religion. His areas of teaching include African and African Diaspora Religions; African Christianity/Theology Hermeneutics and Theology; Contemporary Theology and Ethics and (Secondary): 19th Century Theology and Philosophy of Religion, African Studies; Philosophy/Ethics.
Dr. Bongmba combines his teaching of African religions and his research in theology and philosophy of religion working with African philosophical ideas and Continental philosophy. His first book explored intersubjective relations by probing the ethics of witchcraft using the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas. He has published other articles on ethical dimension of witchcraft in the context of the Christian church in Africa. His books include:The Dialectics of Transformation in Africa (which won The 2007 Franz Fanon Prize for outstanding work in Caribbean Thought) and Facing a Pandemic: The African Church and the Crisis of AIDS. Professor Bongmba is also guest editor with Professor Jim Cochrane of the University of Cape Town, of a forthcoming special edition of the journal, Religion and Theology, that focuses on Health, HIV/AIDS and Public Policy. He is married and has 2 children.
Dr. Jose Peraza - Board Member
Dr. Jose Peraza is a retired ER physician who has served in numerous medical missions all over the world including Guatemala, Honduras and Panama. He is originally from Cuba and has served in hospitals in the USA and overseas.
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