About Us

Dean has had a varied career from the early days of being an Operating Room Nurse on Professor Christiaan Barnard’s first heart transplant team to running a Nursery School in Malawi. She, her husband Rhino and their three children emigrated to Canada from South Africa in 1991. Dean grew up in Zambia and after marrying Rhino lived in Malawi, Namibia and South Africa. Dean was born into a Rotary family and when Rhino joined Rotary in 1986 became an active Rotary Ann until she joined Rotary in 1989. On arriving in Vancouver both Dean and Rhino joined the Rotary Club of West Vancouver and at present are members of the Rotary Club of Langley Central in District 5050. Together with Rhino they now own and manage a company that is involved in soil stabilization during road construction. Some years ago Dean realized a lifelong ambition by receiving her qualifications in Game Guiding and Game Management. She is also an accomplished artist and professional ceramicist.

Since joining Rotary in 1992, Joan has served in many leadership roles at the club, district, and zone level. She is a past director of The Rotary Foundation Canada and Chair of the RFHA Board of Directors from 2012 to 2016. Joan is passionate about community health and polio eradication and participated in Rotary Family Health Days in Uganda in 2012. She has made four trips to Ethiopia to participate in National Immunization Days by immunizing children with the polio vaccine.

Brad is president of Howard Tours and managing director of Howard Properties. He has dedicated much of his time and talents to the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, as a board member, fundraiser, and trustee of the Berkeley Foundation. He is a past district governor of District 5170, and a past member of the Board of Directors of Rotary International’s and he served as Chairman of the Board’s Executive Committee. Currently, he is serving a three-year term as Chairman of Rotary’s Communication Committee and has been appointed as aide to Rotary President-Elect Jennifer Jones, who will be the first woman president of Rotary International. The eradication of polio has been a significant part of Brad’s Rotary experience. He served 10 years as the Zone 26 End Polio Now Coordinator, and has led 33 Rotarian groups, with a combined total of over 1,500 people, to participate in polio national immunization days in West Africa and India.

Olajide graduated from the University of Ibadan Medical School with a MBBS in 1979. He served as a medical officer and surgeon at various hospitals in Nigeria and in 1987, moved to the UK for advanced plastic surgery training. Olajide became a Fellow of the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical College in Surgery (FMCS) in 1988 and served as a registrar in plastic surgery, regional clinical fellow in plastic surgery, senior registrar, and clinical instructor in plastic surgery. He returned to Nigeria in 1990 and joined the Lagos State Government Health Service. In 1994 Olajide entered private practice, establishing the Inland Specialist Hospital group. He is a charter member and past president of the Rotary Club of Ogudu G.R.A, District 9110, and has served on many district, regional, and international committees.

Greg is a CPA (Certified Public Accountant Retired - AZ) and a PFS (Personal Financial Specialist) having operated his own practice from June 1979 to retirement in January 2000. He has written four professional continuing education courses and has been a keynote speaker at five national conferences. Greg was a regular guest professor at Arizona State University in the Master of Taxation program. He was also the President and owner of a very large metal fabrication firm for the telecommunication industry and a healthcare software development firm. Greg has been a Rotary Club member since 1982 and has served in a number of district, regional and international roles.

Greg has been involved in the Property Development market for the past 30 years, having originally trained and studied in the engineering field. He joined Rotary 25 years ago and was involved in chartering three Rotary clubs and a probus club. He has served as club president, assistant governor and on various zone and district committees. Greg was intimately involved in the merging of Districts 9270 and 9320 into the new District 9370 and served as the first District Governor of D9370 in 2013/14.

Safak Alpay is a physicist who until he retired in 2015, served as board member and shareholder of INTERPRO Holding. He also worked for, managed, and owned several companies. Safak has worked as a university lecturer and been a leader in the Turkish Boy Scout Association. He joined Rotary in 1974 and served as district governor (1990/91). His other positions within Rotary have included Rotary International Director, Chair of the Executive Committee of the Rotary Board, and the Rotary International President Special representative to establish Rotary in Iraq.

Bharat Pandya is a practicing general and laparoscopic surgeon. He and his wife, Madhavi, a gynecologist, own a private hospital in Mumbai. He is a fellow of the International College of Surgeons and has served on the board of the Jan Shikshan Sansthan vocational training institute, sponsored by the Indian government. Pandya joined Rotary in 1989 as a charter member of the Rotary Club of Borivali. During his year as governor of District 3140, his district contributed over $2 million to The Rotary Foundation, making it the top contributor worldwide for 2006/07. He has led numerous projects, including water and sanitation projects funded by Foundation grants that installed check dams so that villagers no longer needed to walk up to four miles per day to collect water.

Peter has worked for 30 years as a barrister and for the past 20 years was an senior immigration judge at the Upper Tribunal Judge for Immigration, Asylum and Human Rights. Recently retired from judicial appointment he has been accredited as a mediator with CEDR. He is currently undergoing training for certification as an International Peace Mediator with Oxford Process. Peter is a liveryman and court assistant of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators, a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Freeman of the City of London. He also served the army for five years as a lawyer and 25 years in the Territorial Army in transport and logistics, thereafter as a Deputy Judge Advocate involved in military trials. He was awarded the Territorial Decoration and Bar. He is a founder member of the Rotary Club of Kew Gardens, having joined in 1984.

Ginger A. Eads is a Certified Public Accountant in Flower Mound, Texas. She owns her accounting firm and enjoys taking care of her small business and individual clients through bookkeeping, consulting and tax services. She also manages the day-to-day financial operations of a non-profit organization and prepares non-profit tax returns for several entities. Ginger is married to Andy Eads, a Rotarian since 2001, and they have three children. Ginger joined Rotary in 2015 as one of six founding members of the Rotary Club of Cross Timbers, a club that quickly grew to 120 members that it maintains to this day. She was the Charter Treasurer of her club serving in that position for two years before proceeding to the offices of Vice-President, President-Elect and President of the Rotary Club of Cross Timbers in 2019-2020. Ginger also served as Treasurer of District 5790 in 2018-2019. She currently serves on the Rotary International Finance Committee and the Rotary International Investment Committee. She is a Paul Harris Fellow. Ginger has also served as Chairman of the Board for Medical City Lewisville for several years.

Victor Barnes recently retired from Rotary International, where he was the Director of Programs and Grants, In that capacity, he oversaw the management and implementation of the Rotary Foundation grant-making portfolio, including District Grants, Global Grants, Programs of Scale, Strategic Partnerships with USAID, The Global Partnership for Education, and the Institute for Economics and Peace, as well Rotary's Peace Centers and Disaster Response grants. He supervised the subject matter experts, Area of Focus Managers, in each of the foundation's causes, including Basic Education, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Peace and Conflict Prevention, the Environment, Community and Economic Development, Disease Prevention and Treatment, and Maternal and Child Health. He also managed two program teams, Service and Member Engagement, including Rotary Action Groups and Fellowships, Inter-Country Committees, Service and Project Partnerships, and a number of other activities and communication efforts supporting Rotary membership and Presidential Initiatives. The other program portfolio, Youth and Alumni Engagement, includes support for Rotary Youth programs and Rotary's program alumni relations/activities. Prior to joining Rotary, Victor began his career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development focused on education and public health including managing USAID's first global HIV/AIDS prevention programs. He served as the Deputy Director of the Office of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before retiring from the federal government to work with the Corporate Council on Africa on the implementation of a BMGF-funded program to invest in healthcare infrastructure in African countries with significant US private sector investment. Victor returned to domestic HIV/AIDS program activities with AIDS United, as Senior VP of this public sector foundation supporting access to HIV/AIDS prevention,care and treatment. He joined Rotary International in 2013.

Bobbe is an educator and consultant with many years of professional experience in IFRS, US GAAP, and certification training around the world. She worked nine years overseas specializing in emerging economies, where she led the team that developed the Certified International Professional Accounting certificate program, comprising training courses and examinations. Bobbe has worked in many countries including the USA, Africa, Central America, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Russia, Ukraine, Middle East, China, Indonesia, Mongolia, and South Korea. Previously, she was a faculty member at the University of Texas in Austin, and the University of Colorado. She started her career with Price Waterhouse in their Toronto office, where she was a prize winner on the Chartered Accountant’s examinations. Bobbe is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM). In addition, she was active in the Institute of Management Accountants, having served on the Global Board of Directors, the European Board of Directors, and as Associate Dean of the Leadership Academy. Bobbe has two sons, both married and living in the Denver area, and three grandchildren. Bobbe is serving her Rotary Club of Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas, and her original club was the Rotary Club of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. She is serving on the Rotary’s Joint Audit Committee from 2017 until 2023, as Chair from 2020-2023. She is a Major Donor, Level 2 and was the recipient of the Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service.

Sandra Thurman is a renowned global advocate for key and vulnerable populations. While she is known most for her focus on HIV prevention, care and treatment, and policy, Sandra has made important contributions to polio eradication, women’s health, children’s health, and cancer prevention and treatment. Currently, she serves as the Chief Strategy Officer in the United States Department of State’s Office of the US Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy. Throughout her career, Ms. Thurman has held important leadership positions, including leading the Office of National AIDS Policy under President Bill Clinton.

Laura Kann is a second-generation Rotarian. She joined the Rotary Club of Dunwoody, Georgia in 2004 and held many leadership positions in that Club including President in 2011-2012. During her Presidential year, the Rotary Club of Dunwoody participated in five Future Vision Global Grants totaling nearly $600,000, conducted more than 53 service projects, honored 58 new Paul Harris Fellows, had a membership retention rate of 90%, and inducted 19 new members. In addition, during Laura’s Presidential year, Rotary International and RI President Kalyan Banerjee recognized the Rotary Club of Dunwoody as one of the top three Rotary Clubs (in their membership category) in the world for achievements in Membership and the Rotary Foundation. In addition, District 6900 recognized the Rotary Club of Dunwoody as the Level 3 Best All-Around Club and the Best Overall for Public Relations, the Rotary Foundation, Technology, Family of Rotary, and Club Year Book. District 6900 also honored Laura with the Sheffield Leadership Award as the best Club President during the 2011-2012 Rotary year. At the District level, Laura served Rotary District 6900 as an Assistant Governor during the 2013-2014 Rotary year. She also was a trainer at Georgia PETS and District Training Assembly from 2012-2018 and conducted membership-focused webinars for Zone 34 during 2013 and 2014. In addition, she served on District 6900’s Global Grant Scholar Committee and the District Grant Committee. She also served during 2016-2018 as District 6900’s Peace Fellow Coordinator. In 2010, Laura participated in a 3-day Polio Eradication National Immunization Day campaign in Chandigarh, India as part of a Rotary International delegation. In 2013, she received the Rotary International Avenues of Service Citation for Individual Rotarians for outstanding efforts in each of the Avenues of Service. Laura and her husband, Wick Warren, are Paul Harris Fellows and Major Donors – Level III. Laura is now a very active member of the Princeton Rotary Club which she joined in 2018. She serves on the Board of Directors and was also chair of the annual Rotary Auction for the club’s centennial year in 2020. In addition, she serves on the 100th Anniversary Committee, the Community Service Committee, and the Foundation Committee. At the District level, Laura currently serves District 6420 as the District Governor Elect and will be District Governor during the 2022-2023 Rotary year. She is also the Global Grant and District Grant Subcommittee Chair. Laura was born and raised in Princeton and graduated from Princeton High School. She went on to receive a bachelors and master’s degree from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. from Indiana University. From 1987-2017, she worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia where she served as a global expert in school-based survey research focused on the health behaviors of adolescents, in general, and sexual minority youth, specifically. During her time at CDC, Laura collaborated with international organizations and governmental agencies in all 50 states plus more than 100 developing countries. She managed four large surveillance systems, a staff of 25 scientists, and an extramural research budget of about $12 million annually. In addition, Laura authored more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific publications and made more than 160 national and international peer-reviewed presentations. Laura returned to Princeton in 2014, is now retired from CDC, and lives in the historic “Purple House” on East Peru Street. She works two days a week as a World Health Organization (WHO) expert consultant. In addition to her service as a Rotarian, she is also a member of Friends in Council and serves on the Board of Directors for the Bureau County Historical Society and Freedom House. Laura spends much of her free time quilting and gardening. Her husband also worked at the CDC in international public health for his entire 36-year career and is now the Varsity Baseball Coach at Princeton High School.

Marion Bunch, a member of the Rotary Club of Dunwoody, Atlanta, Georgia, lost her son to AIDS in 1994. Motivated by her grief and determined to make a difference, Marion set out on a mission to fight HIV/AIDS and reduce the stigma around it. She asked her Rotary club to join her and so, the seed for the Rotary Action Group for Family Health and AIDS Prevention (RFHA) was sown. Successful HIV/AIDS programs were started at schools in Georgia and then in Africa. In 2004, the Rotary International Board of Directors approved an application from Marion for RFFA (Rotarians for Fighting AIDS) to become an independent non-profit Rotarian Action Group focusing on mobilizing Rotarians in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Elyjoy holds a Law degree and a Masters in Youth and Community development from the U.K. She has worked in various civil society institutes in the UK including Yorkshire and Humberside Youth Offending agency. She transitioned to working in the youth development sector with a focus on developing programs that address the youth unemployment rate in South Africa. She has developed and implemented programs for the NYDA, Harambee, Ever Africa, Ready to work (ABSA) as well as Vulindela eJozi with The Social Collective. Elyjoy has worked with Rotary Family Health Days since 2018 and has been instrumental in its monitoring and evaluation . This has grown into an area of focus and interest which has led her to work on frameworks that measure and showcase impact of social projects for both NGOs and Corporates.

Sneha is a journalist, communications professional with 11+ years of work experience across diverse industries of media and non-profit sector. Currently, she is a Content Manager at EIT Health Ireland-UK hub, She manages the content and digital activities, as well as providing support with communications and PR. Sneha formerly worked as a Senior Copy Editor with The Times of India newspaper and as a Reporter for several other publications. She is also a volunteer blog writer for an NGO FemLens. She holds an MA in Gender Studies from University College Dublin, and a post-grad diploma in Journalism from the Times school of Journalism in New Delhi.

Sam joined the Rotary Club of Msasa in Harare, Zimbabwe in December 2012. He has served as Rotary Club President in the year 2017 - 2018 Sam has also served in various Rotary District (9210) roles which include but not limited to: 2019- Present Malaria Partners Zimbabwe Chair 2020- 21 District Trainer 2021- 22 District Assistant Governor 2022- 22 District Conference Co-Chair 2022- 23 District Administrator 2022-23 RFHD Country Coordinator

PDG Bola Oyebade had been a member of RFHA since its inception in 2006 in Nigeria. As the Country Coordinator since 2021, he has successfully grown the team to organise and execute three successful RFHDs in Nigeria with a population of about 200 Million with Four Rotary Districts. Bola is a Management Consultant specialising in Accounting, Taxation and Financial Management. He joined Rotary from Rotaract in 1989.

Vincent is an engineer by profession and has served in various positions in the Malawian Government and outside of Malawi in the engineering and program management environment. Vincent has been a Rotarian since 2014 and served as club president in 2021/22. He also has +4 Paul Harris Fellow recognition for contributions to the Rotary Foundation. He is the current country coordinator for RFHD for Malawi.

President Gisela Bettencourt, a biotechnologist and PhD in Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, is currently a professor at the Instituto Superior Politécnico de Manica. Founder of Chimoio Interact Club in 2022, Gisela joined the Rotary family at the age of 12 with a natural Rotarian spirit. While representing Mozambique in District 9210, she spent a year in Brazil as part of the Rotary Youth Exchange in 2008. President Gisela serves as National Director of PolioPlus and National Coordinator of Rotary Family Health Day, Rotary Family Health Action Group (RFHA), for Mozambique. She also acted directly in the Vocational Team Training (VTT) project, of the India-Mozambique Medical Mission between Rotary International districts 3080 and 9200.

Raj Ramchunder is a retired member of the South African Police Services, having served in the provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal. He is the recipient of nine medals for distinguished service. In a career spanning forty years Raj served in many departments within the SAPS until he found his niche as a station commander, a position held for twenty years until his retirement. Raj holds qualifications from the Graduate School Of Business (University of Durban Westville) a Diploma in Police Administration (Unisa) and is trained in hostage negotiation and conflict resolution. He was introduced to the world of Rotary in 2004 and is a charter member of the RC of High Noon. His first exposure to Rotary leadership was the GSE to India in 2010 and he has since served in various leadership positions in his club a well as being club president. Raj is currently an assistant governor in District 9370 and DGN for 2024/2025. He also serves as the national coordinator for the RFHD programme. He live by the motto Love All Serve All

Stephen is a Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Mukono, and has been a Rotarian since 1991. He is currently serving as the Board Chairman, Uganda Rotary Cancer Program and Patron, Rotary Family Health Days – Uganda and Chairman of the District International Service Committee, 2020/2023. He has served in several other capacities, which include; Training Leader at the International Assembly in San Diego, District Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, District Trainer and has also been a District Representative to the Council on Legislation and Assistant Coordinator Zone 20A, Africa English speaking. He was the Chairman of the 1st Eastern Africa Project Fair. He has also served as a Rotary International President’s Personal Representative for D9141 – Nigeria- and D9320- South Africa. He was District Governor in 2010-11 for D9200 (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) and is most remembered for pioneering the fight against cancer. He set up the Uganda Rotary Cancer Program, which is accredited with successfully building the 36-bed Rotary Cancer Ward in Uganda. He is also the visionary behind the Rotary Cancer Run, the fundraising vehicle for the Rotary Cancer Program. He is the brain behind the Rotary Family Health Days, which he started as District Governor in 2011, and has now spread to 10 other African countries and India. Stephen is an accomplished businessman with diverse range of interests, spanning across Motor Vehicle Trading, Real Estate Development, Public Transport and Micro Finance. He is the co-founder and Managing Director of Bridge Credit Finance, a micro finance company; co-founder and Executive Chairman of Ashland Motors Africa Ltd, dealers in trucks and buses of Ashok Leyland Brand and VW, in Uganda, Southern Sudan and DRC; co-founder and Executive Chairman of Tondeka Metro Company Ltd, a company set up to manage public transport in Uganda. Prior to joining business, Stephen worked with the biggest bank in Uganda, Uganda Commercial and opted for early retired while at the level of Chief Manager, International Banking. Prior to that, he taught at Makerere University, Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics for 2 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Statistics (Hon) and Masters in Business Administration, both of Makerere University. He is married to Rotarian Dorothy and they are blessed with two sons, four daughters and one granddaughter. Together with Dorothy, they are Major Donors Level 2, Paul Harris Society member and a Benefactor and all their children are Paul Harris Fellows. Stephen is a recipient of several Rotary Awards that include the Rotary Service Above Self Award (2015).

Born and bred at Ha Hoohlo Maseru. A Pharmacist by profession, with over 40 years of Service in both the Public and Private sector in Lesotho, and co-founder of Tripharm group of companies, in operation since 1990. My Rotary journey started in February 2000 when I joined The Rotary Club of Maloti-Maseru in Lesotho, District 9370. I have in served various portfolios in my club and District, of Note being Club President, Assistant Governor, District Governor 2020/21, and being part of the Rotary District Council since my DG year to date. Been active in the Rotary Family health days in Lesotho since 2014, where for 6 (six) years we ran unsponsored activities for the communities served by the then 2 Clubs in Lesotho, Maloti and Maseru, with the kind support of the Rotary Club of Fickburg. When we qualified in 2018/19 to operate a sponsored activity, by RFHA Inc, I was appointed the Country Coordinator. We ran a very successful campaign and did not disappoint our sponsors and beneficiaries.

Economiste-gestionnaire d’entreprise, avec une quarantaine d’années d'expériences professionnelles dans divers domaines, notamment : - appui-conseil et promotion des petites et moyennes entreprises du secteur privé - audit et diagnostic d’entreprise, - évaluation de projets de création et de développement d’entreprises, - conseil en investissement et en financement de projet d’entreprise, - Formation en développement de l’esprit d’entreprise, - Système de management de qualité (ISO 9001-2015) - Management des Risque Parcours professionnel : Carrière professionnelle démarrée en 1980 dans le domaine de la gestion et du conseil aux entreprises et poursuivie à compter 1990 au Centre de Promotion et d’Encadrement des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises (CePEPE) d’entreprise où j’occupe depuis 2015 le poste de Directeur Général et de Secrétaire Permanent du Fonds National de Garantie et d’Assistance aux Petites et Moyennes Entreprises (FONAGA) du Bénin. Activités rotariennes Membre fondateur du Rotary Club d’Abomey Calavi en 2002. Au sein du club, il a servi successivement à plusieurs postes : Secrétaire de club, Président de club, Président Commission action internationale, Formateur de club, Président sous-commission jeunes générations. Postes assumés au cours des dernières années : - Coordonnateur 2020-23 « En Finir avec la Polio » Région 26 qui regroupe les Districts francophones de la Zone 22 du RI - District Traîner 2019-20 - RFHD 2018 Bénin HOC - WAPF 2018 Bénin HOC - Vice-Gouverneur 2021-22 District 9102 - Président de la Commission Nationale Polio Plus Bénin, - Président 2019-20 de la Commission Formation du District, - Assistant Coordonnateur Rotary 2018-20 District 9102 FR (Bénin, Niger Togo) - Gouverneur 2015-16 District 9102 (Bénin, Ghana, Niger & Togo) - Président 2016-19 Commission Fondation du District 9102 (Bénin, Ghana, Niger & Togo)

PDG Harish joined Rotary in 1998 and has served in various positions over the years. Mr Bhatt has been passionately involved in voluntary activities through Rotary International with a focus on community projects for clean water & sanitation and primary / secondary health care facilities in remote underprivileged areas. Harish currently serves as the country coordinator for RFHD in Tanzania

Djémis is a Pharmacist with a Pharmacy in Issia (Côte d'Ivoire) and Executive Director of the NGO VIF. He joined the Rotary family through the Rotaract Club Daloa Centre-Ouest in 2003 and became a Rotarian in 2005. Club President 2010/2011, he is a Past Asssistant Governor, 9101 District Membership Effective Chair (for 2022-2025), District Grants Manager (2022-2025) and 2023 West Africa Project Fair Club Engagement Sub-Committee Chair (Guinea). Under the leadership of PDG Marie Irène RICHMOND, Djémis organized the RFHD of Côte d'Ivoire in 2018; PHF +1 thanks to his contributions to the Rotary Foundation, he is currently the Rotary National Health Committee Chair and RFHA National Coordinator for Côte d'Ivoire.