Who We Are

Margaret “Migs” Muldrow, MD

Physician, Denver Dermatology Center

“Migs” founded Village Health Partnership in 2010. She initially served as Chair of the Board of Directors and is now President, Chair of the Communications and Fundraising Committee, and Co-Chair of the Ethiopia Operations Committee. “Migs” grew up in Ethiopia where her parents worked to implement rural development programs in southwestern Ethiopia. She trained in Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and then in Internal Medicine and Dermatology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She now works in private practice in Dermatology.

Laury Bowman, JD

JD Vice President, Regulatory Adherence and Accreditation, United Enterprise Clinical Service

Laury joined our Board of Directors in 2010. She is Chair of the Board of Directors and she serves as Chair of the Governance Committee. Laury received her law degree from the Hastings College of Law at the University of California. She works as Vice President of Regulatory Adherence and Accreditation for United Enterprise Clinical Service.

Cindy Nichol, MA, MPP

Director of Airports, Sacramento County, California

Cindy joined our Board of Directors in 2012. She serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors and is Chair of the Finance Committee. Cindy grew up in Ethiopia where her father worked as a physician in the Dembi Dollo Hospital in western Ethiopia. Cindy attended Carleton College where she received a BA in History. She then received a Masters in African Studies from the University of London and a Masters in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She now oversees four airports in Sacramento County, California as the Director of Airports.

Ruth Harada, MD

Retired Physician

Ruth joined our Board of Directors in 2010. She is a founding member of the organization.  She serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors and is Co-Chair of the Ethiopian Operations Committee.  Ruth trained in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Colorado and then in Psychiatry at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland. She is now retired.

Peter VanArsdale, PhD

Retired Professor and former Director of African Initiatives, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver

Peter joined our Board of Directors in 2020. Peter serves as Director on the Board of Directors and he is a member of the Ethiopia Operations Committee. He attended the University of Colorado where he received a BA in Psychology and a PhD in Anthropology. Peter is an active Rotarian and retired Professor and former Director of African Initiatives for the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver.

William Kent, PhD

Principal with TK Associates

William “Bill” Kent joined our Board of Directors in 2010. He is a founding member of the organization. Bill served as Treasurer on the Board of Directors and Chair of the Finance Committee until his resignation.

Kaye Wattawa

Kaye is the Development Coordinator at Village Health Partnership. Prior to joining the organization, she worked as a 5th grade teacher in Littleton Public Schools. She also has experience in software project management, archaeological field work, and media production. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology & French from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Master’s degree in Teaching Elementary Education from Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Artsy Geek

We collaborate with Jennifer Heller and her team at Artsy Geek to tell our story.

Purpose Aligned

We collaborate with Susanna Eckelberger at Purpose Aligned Consulting to prospect for funders and to write grants.

Patty Kelly, RN

International Master Trainer for Helping Mothers Survive

Hollis Pence, PhD

William Lajoie, CPA

Haik Kocharian

Madeleine Gehrig

Susan Barnett

Ethiopian Government

We work with Ethiopian Government officials at all levels to support community-based programs for safer motherhood.

Afro Ethiopia Integrated Development

Shimeta Ezezew and his team at AEID is our implementing partner for the WASH and Maternal Health Initiative in southwestern Ethiopia.

SunTransfer Tech & Solar Energy Foundation

Yonas Workie, Engineer and Director of Suntransfer Tech, and Samson Tseggaye, Country Director of the Solar Energy Foundation, are working with us to implement solar power solutions for hospitals and pumps for wells in southwestern Ethiopia.

Mizan Tepi University Teaching Hospital (MTUTH)

Erkyehaun Shash, MD is the CED of the MTUTH.  The hospital is a regional referral center for all health facilities in southwestern Ethiopia.  Together we are working to ensure that all women have access to skilled assistance at the time of delivery and, if needed, to emergency obstetric care, i.e. caesarian section.

Teklemariam Ergat, PhD Fellow

PhD Fellow in Public Health and Reproductive Medicine at Jimma University, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the Mizan Tepi University (MTU) and former CED of the MTUTH.

Yared Deyas, BSC, MHP

Mizan Tepi University Teaching Hospital (MTUTH)

Yared Deyas, BSC, MHP heads our education and training programs for nurse midwives in southwestern Ethiopia.

Mizan Aman Health Sciences College

Mizan Aman Health Sciences College has a nurse midwife training program. We partner to provide village women with three-year scholarships to attend this program.

Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus Development & Social Service Committee 

Abaye Wakwoy is the Commissioner for the EECMY DASSC in Ethiopia.  The organization oversees development programs throughout Ethiopia including Aira Hospital, the Aira Hospital School of Nursing and the Screen, Transport and Treat Program in western Ethiopia.

Bir Bir Dila Synod Development and Social Service Committee

The BBD Synod branch office oversees Aira Hospital and the Aira Hospital School of Nursing.

Aira Hospital

Through the STT Program, Aira Hospital has become a center of excellence for women’s health in western Ethiopia. Women identified with gynecologic complications of childbirth, including obstetric fistula, undergo surgery here.

Tesgera Dinka, MD

Tesgerea Dinka, MD is the Medical Director of Aira Hospital.

Tariku Wakuma, MD

Tariku Wakuma, MD is a General Surgeon and the former Medical Director of Aira Hospital.  He operates on women with severe pelvic organ prolapse and obstetric fistula at Aira Hospital.

Warkineh Gemechu, MD

Warkineh Gemechu, MD is an Obstetrician/Gynecologist. He operates on women with severe pelvic organ prolapse and obstetric fistula at Aira Hospital.

Aira Hospital School of Nursing

Megersa Argaw is CED of the School of Nursing at Aira Hospital. We partner with the School of Nursing to provide village women with three-year scholarships to attend their nurse midwifery training program.

Western Wollega Bethel Synod Development & Social Service Committee

Gemuchu Senbeto is the Manager of the WWBS DASSC branch office that oversees the STT Program and the STT Rehabilitation Program in western Ethiopia.

Dugasa Beyene

Western Wollega Bethel Synod Development and Social Service Committee

Dugasa Beyene is the Project Manager of the STT Program under the WWBS DASSC branch office.

Bishatu Dinka

Western Wollega Bethel Synod Development and Social Service Committee

Bishatu Dinka is a Project Officer who works with the WWBS DASSC to facilitate the Screen, Transport and Treat Program. She has been key to connecting with disenfranchised women in the rural areas who suffer from gynecologic complications of childbirth.

Fistula Foundation

We collaborate with the Fistula Foundation to screen, transport and treat women with obstetric fistula in western Ethiopia.

Mennonite Central Committee

Paul and Rebecca Mosely are the Country Representatives for the MCC in Ethiopia. MCC is collaborating with us to bring clean, safe and effective healthcare to all residents of the West Omo Zone in southwestern Ethiopia.

Rotary International

Rotary Clubs of District 5450, Denver, Colorado And the Rotary Club of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

In the United States, Steve Werner, Peter Van Arsdale, PhD and Laury Bowman, JD lead the effort to engage Rotarians on our behalf.

Tropical Health Alliance Foundation

thaf.org

Water Engineers for the Americas and Africa (WEFTA)

At WEFTA, Tim Wellman, Executive Director, and engineers Scott McKitrick, Emily and Stephen Parker and Austin Quig-Hartman volunteer their time to support our WASH, solar power projects and circuit riding program in rural Ethiopia.

Dr. Isaak

Mizan Tepi University Teaching Hospital (MTUTH)

Dr. Isaak worked at the MTUTH for years as the only OB/GYN physician for 1.8 million people. He inspired us with his leadership, dedication, and commitment to his community. He passed away in 2019.