Our Board of Directors
DAVID NEWMAN - PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER
David Newman is the founder of The Rafiki Village Project. He is a family nurse practitioner and owner of Health Plus. He is married to board member Laura Orgel. They have three adult children, Jennifer, Seth and Tamah. David is passionate about social and economic justice, Human rights, universal health care, literacy promotion, and environmental protection. He has traveled extensively in the developing world. |
LAURA ORGEL - SECRETARY
Laura Orgel, Ph.D., has worked with children her whole life. First as an educator and later as a psychologist, her work with disadvantaged children and families has helped her understand the impact of generational poverty on learning and development. In addition to being a Rafiki Village Project board member, Laura is a local Clinical Director for A Home Within, which connects foster youth to therapists who can see them long-term at no charge. |
TOM ACHOR - TREASURER
Tom is a consultant with more than 25 years experience in the accounting and information systems fields. As President of Revolution Accounting and Advisory, Tom directs implementation and outsourcing of accounting processes and technologies for not-for-profit organizations and privately-held companies. In addition to being an officer of the Rafiki Village Project, Tom is founder and past President of Sync or Swim dragon boat team. |
ZOE FISCHER
Zoe Fischer is a graduate of Portland’s Lewis & Clark College where she received a major in Economics, and is currently the Portland Promotions Manager for Brown-Forman. Zoe is passionate about human rights, animal rights, and sustainable development. Zoe is a California native and enjoys spending time with her three legged rescue cat, German Shepard Lab mix, and exploring Oregon with her friends and family. |
GABRIEL WALDER
Gabriel is passionate about international relief work throughout the developing world. With experience in Senegal, Mali, Togo, Haiti, Colombia, Ethiopia and beyond he is particularly interested in bridging the gap between wealth and poverty within the context of globalization. He holds a Bachelors in Global Studies and Masters in Global Politics and Culture. He currently works for All God's Children International as their Director of Advancement, focused on sustainable sources of funding. |
MICHELLE PIRPINIAS
Michelle Pirpinias has worked as a hospital clinical pharmacist in Melbourne, Australia, and in policy development at the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). She has gained a Masters of Public Health at the University of Melbourne, and has a strong interest in international health and development. Michelle has done volunteer work in the Solomon Islands and more recently in the Philippines with the World Health Organization. She is currently living in Portland with her husband and toddler. |
ANNE TRAINOR