Meet the Advisory Board

The Advisory Board is an international network of experts who advises the Village Volunteers on strategic decision-making processes. Members offer Village Volunteers meaningful help in areas including health, permaculture, organizational development, technology, policy, and outreach. The Advisory Board’s collective abilities, experience, and knowledge complement both the goals of Village Volunteers’ partnerships and initiatives, as well as the organization as a whole.

PERCY “BUTCH” SHADWELL 

Percy “Butch” Shadwell has had a successful consulting practice in applied physics and electronics, mostly in new product development including opto-electronics, embedded microprocessors, digital and analog designs, and custom software development where he has also provided management and strategic business planning services to several of his clients.  Mr. Shadwell is a lecturer at universities and technical societies around the US and abroad. His clients range from robotics, aerospace, medicine, industrial controls and sensors, automotive and consumer products. As a long term member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics (IEEE), Mr. Shadwell was elected the international chairman of the Humanitarian Technology Challenge – Reliable Electricity Committee at the National Academy of Sciences, an initiative from the Untied Nations Foundation and IEEE. He is also a member of MENSA.

Beyond his considerable experience with technology, electronics and computer programming, he has expertise in nuclear and optical physics as well as the bio-medical field.  Mr. Shadwell installed a solar energy system he designed in a Maasai school in Kenya and will be working on several appropriate technology projects that improve the lives of people around the world.

COLLINS ATEGO

Collins Atego is a graduate architect from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. Currently he is working with Peter Thomas Architects, a leading architectural firm in Nairobi. As an architect, Mr. Atego has worked on many different projects, such as housing, mixed use developments, community projects and in project management. His most recent project is in the design consultation process of building new surgical theatres for Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi. Mr. Atego has worked on several volunteer projects for United Nations Habitat under the Best Practices Program.

RENEE GASTINEAU, MBA

Renee Gastineau, MBA is owner and president of Gastineau Communications Inc., a Seattle-based public relations and communications consulting business that works with social enterprises. Ms. Gastineau has a diverse background in communications and public affairs, including news reporting, media relations, corporate communications and event planning. Ms. Gastineau is the author of business trend and marketing articles for professional journals and educational websites. She earned an MBA from Seattle University, a B.A. in Communication and English from James Madison University; a Certificate in Management from the University of Washington; and recently earned the distinction of Accredited Business Communicator (ABC), from the International Association of Business Communicators.

ZEPHANIAH AJODE

Zephaniah Ajode is a young conservationist in Kenya with great passion for building healthy ecosystems, community development and youth empowerment. He earned his Tourism and Wildlife Management Diploma from Moi University, Kenya. Mr. Ajode has worked for several non-profits and community-based organizations initiating sustainable projects such as organic farming, ecological sanitation, agroforestry; aquaculture, etc. He is an environmental educator, has non-profit management as well as environmental restoration experience.  Mr. Ajobe has just completed his Earthcorps Leadership and Restoration training for future Global Environmental Leaders course in the US, and was asked to be an Ecology Educator at the University of Arizona, Cooper Center for Environmental Learning. He was one of twelve to be chosen for the Earthwatch Europe Fellowship program in 2010.

BRIAN P. MAGNUM, PhD

Brian P. Mangum, PhD received his MS in Medical Anthropology from Idaho State University and became an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Anthropology, where he focused his teaching and research on international healthcare and sustainable development. During this time, Brian developed a post-baccalaureate certificate program in medical anthropology that includes a significant international healthcare experience in the Caribbean Basin. Brian currently resides there as the core international faculty while conducting fieldwork for his joint MPH/PhD in Public Health Epidemiology. He brings a varied background in medical anthropology, public health, and medicine, ethnography consultant to preserve and record cultures.

KATE KILLERLAIN MORRISON

Kate Killerlain Morrison is an Ocean Policy Analyst at the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management as a lead staff for the Massachusetts Ocean Management Initiative, working on implementation of the 2004 Ocean Management Task Force Recommendations, including assisting with proposed legislation. During that time, Kate has managed consultants working on ocean management projects, chairs the Massachusetts Interagency Ocean Planning Work Group, and represents MCZM on the Stellwagen National Marine Sanctuary Zoning Working Group and the Gulf of Maine Council Working Group. Kate was also Program Chair for The Coastal Society’s 20th International Conference in May 2006. Kate has a Master’s degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Washington where she studied international fisheries trade in West Africa, and has worked as a staffer in the Washington State Legislature prior to joining MCZM.

JENNIFER NYIRANEZA MPYISI

Jennifer Nyiraneza Mpyisi is a member of the Architectural Association since 1982 receiving the Royal Institute of British Architects I and II post Graduate research in appropriate design and technology followed by the Post Graduate Course at Harvard University Graduate School of Design and Tufts University This specialization was focused on creating Design Solutions for Health Care, Education and Institutional Design, with an emphasis on a holistic design approach, including landscaping. Her strengths in planning and evaluation, public relations and strategic management for non-for-profit projects have enabled her to integrate her training with her interest in working with community development.

ELIZABETH NYAWIRA MWANGI

Elizabeth Nyawira Mwangi has built a distinguished and successful career in Kenya in social development, specifically as a technical advisor in project planning, project management, and capacity building. Currently she has her Masters in International and Community Development from Deakin University, Australia. Over the past eight years, she has enhanced the capacities of organizations to effectively deliver poverty eradication strategies, lobby and advocate on human rights issues that affect local communities. Ms. Mwangi’s greatest strengths lie in project design, planning, monitoring, and evaluation of projects. In addition, she is skilled in data collection using Participatory Rural Appraisal/Rapid Rural Appraisal and analysis of data using software packages like SPSS and Epi-Info. Ms. Mwangi works with Catholic Relief Services/Kenya in the programming division and is a part-time consultant and a trainer of trainers.

RISHO EDWARD SAPANO

Risho Edward Sapano, a native of Sudan, Ms. Sapano has worked, both in her homeland as well as in the United States, in the area of disaster relief and community development. Ms. Sapano has worked as Program Field Officer for the Canadian Save the Children Fund in Sudan where she managed relief projects intended for internally displaced persons. These projects included supplementary feeding centers, primary healthcare clinics, education, income-generation activities, and water sanitation services. She also worked for the Sudanese National Committee for Eradication of Harmful Traditional Practices affecting women and girls. For ten years, she held leadership positions with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society and the Sudanese Girl Guides Association. She represented both organizations within Sudan and abroad in Austria, Egypt and Libya. Following her move to the United States, Ms. Sapano attended Clark University in Massachusetts, where she earned her master’s degree in International Development and Social Change. After graduation, she joined Oxfam America in Boston as the Program Assistant for Africa, providing programs and administrative support for the organization’s regional programs in Southern and West Africa. Ms. Sapano is also a member of the American Red Cross.

JONATHAN M. SCHERCH, PhD

Jonathan M. Scherch, PhD is a Core Faculty member of the Graduate Programs in Environment and Community at Antioch University, Seattle, WA. A certified permaculture designer and teacher, his background includes more than 25 years of sustainable community organizing and development initiatives, place-based appropriate technology design and applications, and teaching across five universities. Dr. Scherch is also a Returned United States Peace Corps Volunteer (Jamaica, 1991-93, Community Development Sector), and he teaches and consults on ecological design strategies emphasizing low impact solutions and local resource use.

RANDY RICE

Randy Rice completed his undergraduate work in Biology at the University of California, and graduate studies in Biological Oceanography at the University of Alaska where he had journal articles and his honors thesis published. He worked extensively with Alaska fish and shellfish species, and also conducted research in Antarctica. Before coming to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute as their Technical Program Director, Randy worked with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation developing expertise in water quality and contaminants. He also worked privately as an Environmental Consultant and fished commercially in Alaska for 19 years, He is fully conversant with fisheries management methods, statistics, approaches, and issues and has considerable experience in working with natural resource regulatory agencies.

IN MEMORY: RICHARD MICHAEL TUCKER, MD (1956 – 2007)

Richard Michael Tucker was a medical doctor specializing in infectious disease at the Wenatchee Valley Clinic where he was a Clinical Associate Professor for the School of Medicine at the University of Washington. Dr. Tucker was also a medical staff member at Central Washington Hospital. He received a Masters of Business Administration through the American College of Physician Executives at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Dr. Tucker was a member of the North Central Washington Rural Health Foundation, and in 2000 served as chairman of both the Continuing Medical Education Committee and the Board of Directors. In addition, Dr. Tucker worked on the development of a healthcare delivery system for HIV/AIDS in the rural clinics that work with Village Volunteers. As published in the Seattle Times from June 2 to June 3, 2007:

“Richard was a pillar to his community where he was the medical director for quality and education at the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center and an infectious disease specialist. He was also vice-chairman of the medical center’s board of directors. He started the medical center’s research department in the 1990s and for many years worked with people suffering from infectious diseases, and the underserved and underprivileged. He was committed to his patients, his community, his family and his friends. In addition to his many local commitments, he was working with an African relief organization to develop a vaccine program and health care delivery system for villages in Africa ravaged by AIDS and HIV.”