| Give Hope, Fight Poverty |
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GHFP Directors:
Annie Elble, PhD MPH GHFP Co-founder and Executive Director
Annie has a Master of Public Health (MPH), PhD in Foods & Nutrition and BS in Biomedical Engineering, all from Purdue University. She has been working with orphaned & vulnerable children of Southern Africa & designing service-learning programs for US college students & young professionals since 2007. Later, she lived in Swaziland, Africa & worked for Baylor College of Medicine's Pediatric HIV Clinic in Mbabane as a Visiting Scholar. During this time, she facilitated the development of a national protocol on infant feeding pertaining to reducing the transmission of HIV/AIDS, volunteered at an HIV orphanage, & worked closely with the University of Swaziland's Nursing & Community Health department to assist with a nationwide community health needs assessment.
Since returning to the states, Annie consulted with domestic and African nonprofit organizations to increase global opportunities for US college students while simultaneously implementing sustainable programs that improved the lives for orphans living in child-headed homes. Her passion is to create a more globally competent generation that can act as positive change-agents for a brighter future. Contact: anniefightspoverty@gmail.com
Since returning to the states, Annie consulted with domestic and African nonprofit organizations to increase global opportunities for US college students while simultaneously implementing sustainable programs that improved the lives for orphans living in child-headed homes. Her passion is to create a more globally competent generation that can act as positive change-agents for a brighter future. Contact: anniefightspoverty@gmail.com
Kait Mariutto GHFP Co-founder and Creative Director
Kait received her Bachelor of Science in Art Education from Indiana University. After graduation she headed west and taught a multicultural visual arts curriculum at an elementary school in southern Nevada for 6 years. Wanting new challenges and a change of scenery, she moved back to her hometown of Indianapolis in 2007 and began working within the nonprofit sector. Kait believes art can be related to all aspects of learning and is an excellent tool for understanding other cultures and customs.
These beliefs led Kait to Swaziland, Africa as the Art Director on a service-learning trip with Annie in the fall of 2010. While in Swaziland, she witnessed firsthand the many opportunities to use art & design as a bridge to reduce cultural barriers. Her passion is to provide a creative outlet for children that have dealt with great loss during their short lives and offer them hope for a brighter future. Contact: kaitfightspoverty@gmail.com
These beliefs led Kait to Swaziland, Africa as the Art Director on a service-learning trip with Annie in the fall of 2010. While in Swaziland, she witnessed firsthand the many opportunities to use art & design as a bridge to reduce cultural barriers. Her passion is to provide a creative outlet for children that have dealt with great loss during their short lives and offer them hope for a brighter future. Contact: kaitfightspoverty@gmail.com
GHFP Key Volunteers:
Katy Schueller, GHFP Service-Learning Team Leader
Having had the opportunity to travel to Swaziland (three times since 2011 with GHFP) truly changed my life. Being an Elementary Education major, I was naturally drawn to the thought of being able to work with children, especially in such a unique culture. What shocked me more than the unimaginable struggles these orphans and vulnerable children have faced was their unwavering perseverance and lust for life. The children I was lucky enough to encounter taught me more about life than any teacher or textbook ever could. I now have an even greater appreciation for the life I am lucky enough to lead as well as a growing desire to do all I can for these children. I am forever grateful for this experience and everything it has done for me and now I am excited to share that passion with future GHFP Service-Learning participants as their Team Leader! Contact: katyfightspoverty@gmail.com
Board Members!
PRESIDENT:
Chandre Sanchez Reyes has over ten years of education experience in classrooms with students acquiring the English language, very culturally diverse students, and students of low socioeconomic status. She is also an innovator in developing programs to address new teacher training. Her expertise in program development and teacher training will be a valuable asset to GHFP as many of the programs abroad are be created as "train the trainer" programs and will be assisting local African organizations in education and program development. Since a major part of GHFP's vision is to address the educational disparities among Southern African children in rural villages, Chandre's experience will be very valuable and make her a key liaison between the African educators and GHFP.
PLEASE PASS ALONG: A VIDEO MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT TO RAISE AWARENESS!!!:
VICE PRESIDENT:
Joseph Elble completed his PhD in Industrial Engineering at the University of Illinois. Previously, he has served in various software & product engineering roles and assisted in the development of a product at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, which was later commercialized by a spin-off company. He has participated in several new venture competitions & workshops, including the Cozad New Venture Competition (Finalist), Illinois Launch, & NCIIA's Advanced Invention to Venture Workshop. He has pitched to angel investors and venture capitalists, & has forged relationships with business leaders & entrepreneurs. He helped a fledgling two person venture develop a new product by attaining a major grant for the company. Recently, Joseph accepted an offer in a highly entrepreneurial group, where he hopes to continue to forge new relationships with business leaders and investment professionals.
TREASURER:
Vince Failla is experienced in not for profit executive leadership with over thirty years experience in the not for profit arena. He has served as a member and chair of not for profit board, task forces and advisory councils on the neighborhood, local, regional and state levels. His expertise lies in program development, all aspects of budgeting, leadership development, adolescence, addictions and positive youth development. One of his greatest accomplishments is starting a adolescent substance abuse prevention project with a $25,000 grant and growing it into a million dollar agency offering comprehensive substance abuse services to young people and their families. He brings years of experience at the executive and board level to GHFP.
MEMBER:
Fikeveni Dlamini was born and raised in the Kingdom of Swaziland. After completing a degree at the University of Swaziland in Agriculture, he continued his studies at Vincennes University and Purdue University in Environmental science. He now works and resides in Lafayette, IN. He has been helping with GHFP programs long before it's official conception and has delivered crucial advice in the past 4 years suggesting ways to implement difficult programs and networking with local Swazi people who have been able to facilitate the organization's mission. His knowledge of the social aspects of his people has helped GHFP interact in ways that are culturally acceptable. Fiks is able to build on ideas due to his knowledge of what is feasible on the ground in Swaziland. His time, knowledge and passion to help the orphaned and vulnerable children in his Kingdom are greatly appreciated.
Chandre Sanchez Reyes has over ten years of education experience in classrooms with students acquiring the English language, very culturally diverse students, and students of low socioeconomic status. She is also an innovator in developing programs to address new teacher training. Her expertise in program development and teacher training will be a valuable asset to GHFP as many of the programs abroad are be created as "train the trainer" programs and will be assisting local African organizations in education and program development. Since a major part of GHFP's vision is to address the educational disparities among Southern African children in rural villages, Chandre's experience will be very valuable and make her a key liaison between the African educators and GHFP.
PLEASE PASS ALONG: A VIDEO MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT TO RAISE AWARENESS!!!:
VICE PRESIDENT:
Joseph Elble completed his PhD in Industrial Engineering at the University of Illinois. Previously, he has served in various software & product engineering roles and assisted in the development of a product at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, which was later commercialized by a spin-off company. He has participated in several new venture competitions & workshops, including the Cozad New Venture Competition (Finalist), Illinois Launch, & NCIIA's Advanced Invention to Venture Workshop. He has pitched to angel investors and venture capitalists, & has forged relationships with business leaders & entrepreneurs. He helped a fledgling two person venture develop a new product by attaining a major grant for the company. Recently, Joseph accepted an offer in a highly entrepreneurial group, where he hopes to continue to forge new relationships with business leaders and investment professionals.
TREASURER:
Vince Failla is experienced in not for profit executive leadership with over thirty years experience in the not for profit arena. He has served as a member and chair of not for profit board, task forces and advisory councils on the neighborhood, local, regional and state levels. His expertise lies in program development, all aspects of budgeting, leadership development, adolescence, addictions and positive youth development. One of his greatest accomplishments is starting a adolescent substance abuse prevention project with a $25,000 grant and growing it into a million dollar agency offering comprehensive substance abuse services to young people and their families. He brings years of experience at the executive and board level to GHFP.
MEMBER:
Fikeveni Dlamini was born and raised in the Kingdom of Swaziland. After completing a degree at the University of Swaziland in Agriculture, he continued his studies at Vincennes University and Purdue University in Environmental science. He now works and resides in Lafayette, IN. He has been helping with GHFP programs long before it's official conception and has delivered crucial advice in the past 4 years suggesting ways to implement difficult programs and networking with local Swazi people who have been able to facilitate the organization's mission. His knowledge of the social aspects of his people has helped GHFP interact in ways that are culturally acceptable. Fiks is able to build on ideas due to his knowledge of what is feasible on the ground in Swaziland. His time, knowledge and passion to help the orphaned and vulnerable children in his Kingdom are greatly appreciated.
