Maryanne Ward
President and Founder

Maryanne manages the relationships between Ghana Together and Ghanaian partner organizations.

She is an Honorary Member of the Lower Axim, Ghana Traditional Council and has developed extensive knowledge about the Axim community and Axim-based NGO Western Heritage Home (WHH).  She is currently an Advisory Member of the Western Heritage Home Board and has done extensive work to establish accountability systems for WHH.

Earlier, she was co-director of the initial Global Citizen Journey Ghana project and has 18 years management experience.

Tom Castor
Vice President

Tom participated in the initial Global Citizen Journey Ghana project and more recently served on a committee for Manye Academy’s school science project in September 2007.

He has 20 years of business leadership and management experience, is expert in technical communication, and is a skilled writer and photographer.

He currently is active in Puget Sound area community service organizations.

Leif Pederson
Vice President, Planning and Technology

Leif is responsible for strategic planning, and searches out potential new projects and ensures effective and environmentally responsible use of technologies.  He has been active in a number of other humanitarian projects in Cambodia and Nigeria.

He has a MS degree in electrical engineering and has 25 years in the computer industry including extensive engineering management experience.  He is Ghana Together's computer technology expert.  In his spare time Leif enjoys world music, African drumming, cooking and digital photography.

Rich Ward
Secretary

Rich led the project to bring science materials to Manye Academy, a public school in Axim.  He has extensive knowledge of operations of Western Heritage Home, our NGO partner in Ghana.

Rich is a retired Director of Probation and Compliance Services for Skagit County, in Washington state and has extensive administrative experience.

Ravyn Whitewolf
Treasurer

Ravyn worked with Nzema District water system engineers to plan a potential extension of the piped water system to a very poor neighborhood in Axim, Ghana.

She leads projects which need engineering expertise, especially involving water or sanitation and assists the Ghana Together Board in project management.

She currently works as a Civil Engineer for the City of Bellingham.

Jeanie Birchall

Jeanie is a registered nurse specializing in Operating Room Nursing and will lead projects involving health and sanitation.

She is a valuable resource on good health/sanitation practices on all projects and has worked with Ghanaian public health officers to incorporate hand-sanitation and infection control awareness and veronica bucket hand sanitation facilities.

She also served on a committee for Manye Academy’s school science project in September 2007.

Jerome Chandler

Jerome's educational background is in physics and he leads projects involving science education.

Early in his career, he spent 10 years living and working in Sekondi, Ghana as headmaster of St. John's School.  He returned in December 2007 to review progress on the Western Heritage Home orphanage building project, and helped move orphans into the facility.

He supports Ghana Together with extensive knowledge of culture, language and all aspects of Ghanaian life.

Jerome is currently a retired community college science instructor.

Barbara Gilday

Barbara served as 2006 Global Citizen Journey Ghana Project Co-Director.  She's currently, leading a project to supply textbooks to a library at Konongo-Odumase Secondary School and will continue to coordinate current and new potential projects in this area.

She has extensive knowledge of Ghana, and network of personal contacts in Ghana thanks to serving in Ghana in CUSO (Canadian University Services Overseas) in 1970.

One of Barbara's speacialties is to lead projects involving personal or group development using Appreciate Inquiry or other facilitation processes.

Barbara holds a Masters degree in Divinity and is an ordained minister serving the community in Northwest Washington State.

Suz Hirst

Suz handles Ghana Together finances.  She is an HIV/AIDS trainer to first responders for the area Red Cross and leads in planning HIV-AIDs awareness, health, and science projects in Ghana.  She served on the committee for Manye Academy’s school science project in September 2007.

Suz is a retired high school science teacher and counselor and is active in community service clubs.

Louise Wilkinson

As a professional teacher and facilitater of intercultural workshops, Louise also develops intercultural awareness among the Board and project participants whether North American or Ghanaian.

She facilitates leadership development, and is skilled in curriculum design and facilitation of diversity and intercultural awareness and competence.

She is also skilled as a video writer, producer, director and editor of documentaries, dramatic films, information and training video, and sales, marketing and PR films.

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