NPCA announces Nine New Directors elected to Board of Directors
NPCA Board 2005 Elected Representatives
Follow the links below to read the biographies for your newly-elected board representatives:
Geographic Groups
Northeast (1 year term): Judith H. Whitney
MidAtlantic/Nationwide (1 year term): Ken Hill
Southern Tier (3 year term): Bruce Anderson
Upper Midwest (2 year term): Deb Most
West (3 year term): Bob Findlay
Country of Service Groups
The Americas (2 year term): Patricia Wand
Asia and Pacific (3 year term): Frances Holliday Alford
Europe/North and East Africa (1 year term): Helene Dudley
West, Central, Southern Africa (2 year term): Sandra Lauffer
Northeast (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Vermont)
Judith H. Whitney (Orleans, MA)
Nominated by: Boston Area RPCVs
Peace Corps Service: Honduras 87-88
Current Employment: Retired
Experience on Boards: Boston Area RPCVs-Treasurer, Cape Cod group leader; Slawson Foundation; Nanset Fellowship; NPCA Fundraising Committee
Statement of Interest: Since being elected in 2004, I have kept in touch regularly with Groups in New England by visits, e-mails, and reports after board meeting. I explain what NPCA does and encourage all to participate actively. This year I would serve a larger area, the Northeast, but believe I could successfully keep in touch with all Groups. I am active on the Fund Raising Committee and the Director's Circle. I understand our challenges. I support the strategy of our Chairman and President. I am eager to help make NPCA larger, stronger, and more effective.
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MidAtlantic/Nationwide (Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, and nationwide groups: American Jewish World Service RPCV Action Group; Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual RPCVS; Minority Peace Corps Association; RPCVs for Environment and Development)
Ken Hill (Alexandria, VA)
Nominated by: RPCVs of Washington D.C.
Peace Corps Service: Turkey 65-67 Volunteer, PC/W 68-69 Staff, Russia 94-98 Country Director (Russian Far East), Bulgaria 96-99 Country Director, PC/W 99-00 Chief of Operations, EMA Region, PC/W 01 Chief of Staff
Current Employment: Independent Consultant in International Development; Retired from federal service (Peace Corps)
Experience on Boards:
1. Board of Directors, NPCA. 2002-2005. Chair of the Board, Development Chair, Member of the Executive Committee.
2. Board of Friends of Turkey. Served as President when group affiliated with NPCA.
3. Board of the Northridge Citizen’s Civic Association, Alexandria, VA.
4. Board of Property Owner’s Association of Chesapeake Ranch Estates, Lusby, Maryland. Board set policy and provided oversight for a community of 3000 homes.
Statement of Interest: For the third time in three years, I am a candidate for Director on the Board of the NPCA. The past three years have witnessed a major refocusing of the NPCA. Changing an organization is not easy but we have made significant progress. I’m proud to have been a leader in this effort.
Last year as a candidate for Chair of the Board I told my fellow Directors:
“I have strong views about the NPCA: what it is, what it can be, and what we need to do to move forward.” The entire foundation of NPCA is being rebuilt for the future. As long as I’m on the Board I will continue to press strongly for significant improvements:
# To simplify and rationalize our entire membership system.
# Create greater value for our individual members and affiliated groups.
# Continue to focus sharply on the NPCA of the future.
I welcome the support of those of you who agree with this agenda.
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Southern Tier (Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia)
Bruce Anderson (Charlotte, NC)
Nominated by: Charlotte Area Peace Corps Association
Peace Corps Service: Peru 1971-1973 Volunteer
Current Employment: TIAA-CREF Vice President – IT Architecture & Standards; UNCC (University of North Carolina Charlotte) Adjunct Faculty, Bilk School of Business
Experience on Boards: NPCA 2003-Present, Various United Way Organizations, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce-Information Technology Committee.
Statement of Interest: After twenty-five years, NPCA is in a transformation period. Membership organizations have redefined their Mission, Objectives and Services to generate value to the community they serve. The mature NPCA programs (global education, publications and awards) and newer programs (advocacy, micro-enterprises, etc.) each need leadership and innovation to succeed. I would apply my business, technology and community service experience to assist the NPCA staff and group leaders apply best practices and technology. I will work to ensure that we are good stewards of the funding that members and donors have entrusted us to deliver quality programs. Likewise, I will work to ensure that we secure the personal information that our membership expects us to protect.
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Upper Midwest (Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, Wyoming)
Deb Most (St. Paul, MN)
Nominated by: Minnesota RPCV Group
Peace Corps Service: Latvia 94-96
Current Employment: Minnesota Social Service Association, Director of Member Services
Experience on Boards:National Peace Corps Association-Heartland Representative, served as Groups Co-Chair and Secretary of the Board. Minnesota Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, served as President, Secretary and At-Large member. Friends of the Baltics-served as Latvian Representative to the Board.
Statement of Interest: My service on the NPCA Board has been very rewarding and challenging experience. It has given me the opportunity to meet with just a few of the dedicated, passionate and interesting people in the RPCV community who are trying to make the world a better place one project at a time. The NPCA is the place where all these people can come together under one umbrella organization to find and share information, strengthen their individual voices in advocacy and simply find inspiration and ideas from each other. If I am elected for another term, I would like work toward finding more ways to bring the RPCV community together.
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West (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and U.S. Territories)
Bob Findlay (Olympia, WA)
Nominated by: Idaho Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, Inland NW Peace Corps Association, Washington State Peace Corps Association, Columbia River Peace Corps Association.
Peace Corps Service: Colombia 1963-1965 Volunteer, Peru 1970 Volunteer, Cook Islands 1998 Crisis Corps Volunteer, El Salvador 1999 Crisis Corps Volunteer
Current Employment: Professor Emeritus of Architecture, Iowa State University
Experience on Boards: Iowa Architectural Foundation, ISU Center for Teaching Excellence, Dunn Gardens Foundation (Seattle), Design Review Board (Olympia), Master Gardeners Foundation (Thurston County, WA), NPCA
Statement of Interest: NPCA is the leading voice of the Peace Corps community. During the two years that I have represented the Northwest region on the NPCA board, it has undertaken a critical reassessment and is now positioned to carry out its responsibilities. I have served on Global Education, the GLF steering committee, and to assess NPCA conferences and meetings. Based on my experience with the mutually supportive groups in the Northwest, my interest is in NPCA service to its affiliated groups. I bring extensive board experience in professional, educational, and service organizations. The Peace Corps experience served me early on in shaping my worldview, and many years later to reinvigorate me as I neared retirement from the university. Board service is my payback.
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The Americas (Antigua-Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada & Carriacou, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent-Grenadines, Suriname, Turks-Caicos, Uruguay, Venezuela)
Patricia Wand (Bethesda, MD)
Nominated by: Friends of Colombia
Peace Corps Service: Colombia 63-65 Volunteer, Eastern Caribbean ’69 Staff
Current Employment: American University, University Librarian; management positions at University of Oregon Library, Columbia University Libraries, Staten Island Community College Library; teaching positions at secondary schools in Washington, DC and Michigan.
Experience on Boards: American Library Association Council, Association of College and Research Libraries, Member and Chair CAPCON Board, Vice President Friends of Colombia Board, West Cascade RPCVs.
Statement of Interest: I seek a position on the National Peace Corps Association Board because I hope to provide leadership in an international effort that is very important to me. I am committed to bringing the talents of many members to bear on projects that directly or indirectly disseminate information about the peoples of the world and promote understanding across cultures.
NPCA provides venues through which returned Peace Corps Volunteers continue to serve their host countries and the U.S. and to work toward the third goal of Peace Corps. Through my 16 years serving as Vice President of Friends of Colombia and my membership on the NPCA Publications Committee, I am familiar with the issues and opportunities facing NPCA. As a member of the NPCA Board I will promote membership in the organization, analyze and expand programs offered, prioritize the budget based on strategic planning and raise funds to support projects and services.
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Asia and the Pacific (Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Cook Islands, East Timor, Fiji, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Niue, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Yemen)
Frances Holliday Alford (Houston, TX)
Nominated by: Friends of Korea
Peace Corps Service: Korea 1978-1980 Volunteer
Current Employment: Retired after 25 years as a public school Special Education teacher
Experience on Boards: Board Member, National Peace Corps Association, three years ; Board of Trustees, The Congregational Church of Austin, three years
Statement of Interest:
Thank you for the opportunity to run as a board member representing the Asia and the Pacific Region. As a former Korea RPCV, I am still very interested in Asian issues and Asian affairs. As your representative to the board, I would like to make personal contact with representatives of every group and find out how best each group can be served.
Because I have had the experience of sitting on the board for the past three years, it has become apparent to me that regional representatives can impact goals and activities for these groups. Travel, cross cultural events, awareness of volunteer opportunities are all within the realm of my vision for this position.
Thank you for your consideration.
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Europe, North and East Africa (Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Hungary, Kenya, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Slovak Republic, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine)
Helene Ballmann Dudley (Miami, FL)
Nominated by: Friends of Kenya, Friends of the Baltics
Peace Corps Service: Colombia 1968-1970 Volunteer; Albania 1997 Trainee; Slovakia 1997-1999 Volunteer
Current Employment: Grants Administrator, Port of Miami
Experience on Boards: President and long term board member of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Florida, Inc.; Mentor for Presov Community Foundation Board in Slovakia from 1997-1999; Chairman of The Colombia Project from 2000 to present; member of NPCA Board from August 2003 to present
Statement of Interest: I believe the NPCA is the most effective avenue for promoting Peace Corps values in the US. The NPCA helps returned volunteers keep the spirit, stay connected and make their collective voices heard. Individually and collectively, we inspire the next round of PCVs. That is why I want to invest my time and energy in strengthening the NPCA. Three areas on which I would concentrate my involvement are developing ways NPCA can better support affiliate groups, increase membership and strengthen the Micro-Enterprise Program, which provides the opportunity to invest in sustainable development around the world.
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West, Central, Southern Africa(Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao Tome e Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe)
Sandra Lauffer (Washington, DC)
Nominated by: Friends of Malawi
Peace Corps Service: Malawi Volunteer 1966-1967
Current Employment: Academy for Educational Development, Senior Vice President, Leadership & Institutional Development
Experience on Boards: Member of the Board, Friends of Malawi; Current member of NPCA board; Member of the Board, National Council for International Visitors (1998-2001); Member of Executive Committee, Alliance for International Educational & Cultural Exchange (1999-2002); As member of AED Senior Management Group, interact with AED’s Board of Directors; Member of Steering Committee, Peace Corps 40th Anniversary Conference
Statement of Interest: NPCA has the potential to play a significant role in bringing the experience of more than 170,000 RPCVs to bear on people and events in the United States and abroad. It is the Board’s responsibility to guide that effort, in areas ranging from advocacy to education to supporting the efforts of its affiliate groups. As a Board member, I will work with the Board and the NPCA staff to build NPCA’s membership and funding base, strengthen its education efforts, and support advocacy for the Peace Corps with the U.S. Congress and for a foreign policy based on international understanding and mutual respect.
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