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Our Staff |
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Our program would not be possible without the contributions of thousands of community leaders world-wide |
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| BOARD OF DIRECTORS (volunteer) | |
Dr. John R. Moore, Chairman |
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| ADVISORY COUNCIL (volunteer) | |
Dr. Mizani Kristos, West African Development |
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| Headquarters (Silver Spring) | |
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Dave
and Grace Deppner, Founders For more than 30 years, Dave Deppner and his wife, Grace, have worked to develop a program that empowers local communities to restore tree cover and life to lands degraded by deforestation. In 1988, they started TREES FOR THE FUTURE to reach more communities in need. Since that time, TREES has helped more than 6,500 villages in Asia, Africa, and the Americas to develop environmentally beneficial projects. Dave Deppner passed away on September 10, 2011, and will be remembered fondly by all those he has helped over the years. |
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David Tye, Interim Executive Director From 2001-2003, David served in the Peace Corps as an Environment Volunteer in Tanzania, where he focused on agriculture, agroforestry, and natural resources management. Following his time in Peace Corps, David worked for an international development organization in Washington DC and then received his Masters in International Development from American University. After working as the East Africa Regional Coordinator for Trees for the Future David is excited to work with Trees for the Future because of their commitment to working with local communities to improve the lives of rural farmers in countries throughout the world. |
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Gorav Seth, Director of Finance and Operations Gorav developed a keen interest in agroecology, agroforestry, and permaculture while studying Plant Biology at UC Berkeley. He took this interest out into the world, working on projects in the USA, Honduras, India, Costa Rica, and the Bahamas. In 2004, he completed his MBA in International Business under the Millenium Fellowship from the George Washington University. He has been with Trees for the Future since 2006, working on programs, operations, and information technology. |
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Catherine Bukowski, Head of International Programs Catherine first started working with Trees for the Future in January of 2010 after serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras from 2006-2009. In Honduras she worked with coffee farmers, agroforestry extension, watershed management and the Lancetilla Botanical Garden and Investigation Center. Before entering the Peace Corps, she received her Master’s degree in Forest and Natural Resource Management from the SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Her research focused on assessing the return of ecological function in secondary forests established on degraded pasturelands. She has a B.S. in Environmental Studies from UNC-Asheville. |
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Croix Thompson, West Africa and Caribbean Regional Manager From 2005-2007, Croix served in the Peace Corps as a natural resource management volunteer in Niger, where he focused on agriculture, reforestation, natural resource management, youth leadership development, as well as women and girl's empowerment. He also helped to establish the Niger National Rugby Union. Following his time in Peace Corps, he pursued a rugby career that ended in New Zealand. When he was too old to pursue a professional rugby career, he obtained his masters degree in international relations with a development studies concentration from Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. Upon reentry into the United States, he landed an internship in the US House of Representatives which lead to a position as a program associate for an international development organization in Washington DC. After gaining enough experience in Washington DC, he spent a year working for another international development organization in Central Africa. Croix is excited to work with Trees for the Future because of their commitment to working with local communities to improve the lives of rural farmers and neglected individuals in countries throughout the world. |
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Ryan McCullough, Member Services Coordinator |
| International Field Staff and Volunteers | |
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Joshua Bogart, Central America Regional Coordinator, Honduras |
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Andrew Zacharias, Tanzania Program Coordinator Originally from Columbus, Ohio, in 2008 Andrew graduated from Miami University of Ohio with a bachelors in Political Science and Comparative religion, and a minor in Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies. He joined the Peace Corps and left for Tanzania one month after graduation and spent the next two years living in a village on a dirt road north of Same, Kilimanjaro, where his work was geared to- wards environmental education. There, he met and worked on agroforestry projects with TREES East Africa Coordinator, David Tye. Having extended his Peace Corps tour by one year, he is remaining in the area, working for TREES and continuing to strengthen the relationships we have with vil- lage groups, local governments, and the international organi- zations we partner with. |
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Gabriel Buttram, Ethiopia Coordinator, Ethiopia Gabe received a Master's degree in International Relations from American University, and a Masters in Natural Resource Management/Sustainable Development from the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. Prior to that, he spent two years in Lesotho, Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer working primarily with agro-forestry and livelihood development. |
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Danilo Zabala, The Philippines Danny has been into development work for the past 18 years and has gained invaluable experiences in this matter. He is currently working with people’s organizations (POs) in developing sustainable farming systems on the uplands. Danny has a degree in Agriculture at the Gregorio Araneta University Foundation. He also has a background in mass communications. He accepts commissioned work, and is an occasional journalist. |
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Stephanie Vidad, The Philippines Stephanie operates a home-based computer services business. Her clients include students, business persons and groups. Steph is a graduate of Computer Systems Design and Programming at the AMA Computer Learning Center. Being a nature lover and having a profound concern in the environment is the reason why she joined the group. |
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Omar Ndao , Senegal Omar has been a farmer and tree planter in Senegal for 20 years. Inspired by his father who taught him the value of a tree, Omar followed his father's footsteps and continues to help people throughout Kaffrine, Senegal to reforest degraded lands and implement agroforestry technologies in crop fields. Since beginning with Trees for the Future, Omar has helped plant nearly a half million trees. |
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Abdou Diane , Senegal Abdou is now helping Omar further develop our Agroforestry training site, and will be an active part of our Senegal program for many years to come. |
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Sagapala Gangisetty, India Mr Gangisetty is a schoolteacher, and is also the founder and director of The Green Tree Foundation. He has been working with farmers and villagers in the drought-stricken state of Andhra Pradesh for over eight years, trying to promote a "Green Tree Rich Society" in this state that is experiencing catastrophic droughts and an epidemic of farmer suicides. |
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Mohamed Traore, Mali Representative A graduate from the University of Bamako, Mohamed now works for the Malian Association for the Conservation of Fauna and the Environment. As an agroecolgist, Mohamed coordinated Trees for the Future's seed distribution and agroforestry trainings in Mali, and he delivers integrated pest management and market gardening training to rural communities. |
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Timote Georges , Haiti |
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Fernanda Peixoto, Brazil Representative After spending 7 years in the United States, Fernanda decided in 2008 to go back to her home in Brazil. She craved the beautiful weather but also wanted to do something to help the farmers in her area. Her family has a history of Farming in Sao Paulo and Mato Grosso. Her connections and expertise have been crucial in developing our Brazil program. |
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Gerardo Santos Matta, Honduras Gerardo is a resident of the Village of El Socorro, Siguatepeque, Honduras and is the TREES technician working in the area of Cerro Azul Meambar National park. He works in collaboration with the local NGO Aldea Global. As a trainer in the Centro de Enseñanza Aprendizaje de Agricultura Sostenible (CEASO) Gerardo trained a variety of groups in ferro cement structures, rammed earth building, rain water harvest, organic agriculture, integrated pest management, promulgation of forest, fruit and ornamental trees, animal husbandry, production of animal feeds, organic fertilizer production, and pisciculture. With over 10 years of experience, Gerardo brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our projects around Cerro Azul Meambar National Park. |
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Jose Hilario, Honduras Over the past 15 years Jose Hilaro has proven his dedication to developing sustainable agriculture in Honduras. He was chosen in 1996 to receive training at the National School of forestry where he learned about the management of watersheds and piped water systems and about rural trail and road management. In 1998 he was chosen by other community members to receive training from the IHCAFE (Instituto Hondureño del Café) where he was recognized as an innovator of soil conservation measures. He was awarded a extensionist diploma from IHCAFE and further expanded his knowledge of sustainable agriculture and agroforestry with the organization Semilla del Progresso. He has since worked with Semilla del Progresso in the Intibuca and La Paz departments of Honduras. He now brings his dedication and hard work to TREES where he will work to establish nurseries and promote agroforestry. |
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Merkabu Garedew, Ethiopia Merkebu has been working with TREES and their local partner Greener Ethiopia since 2003. He has a diploma in Business Salesmanship and Marketing, and a certificate in Natural Resource Management. Before becoming involved with TREES, he spent 30 years working on soil conservation, forestry and agroforestry with the Ministry of Agriculture. |
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Derese Kochala Gedene, Ethiopia For ten years, Derese taught P.E., Environmental Science, English and Social Studies in his home town of Konso. Three years ago he became Head of the Tourism Office and Coordinator of the Konso Community Tourism Project. In 2009, he began working with TREES and Greener Ethiopia as our Konso Technician and Coordinator. He is also a great community leader and organizer, well respected for his involvement and leadership in local clubs, events and sports. |
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Louis Nkembi, Cameroon Country Director Louis Nkembi, holds an undergraduate degree in Biology (University of Yaounde, Cameroon), MSc in agro-economics (University Center of Dschang, Cameroon), Post-Graduate Certificates in Participatory Forest Management Economics (Ghana Forestry Institute), Protected Area Management (University of Montana, USA), Forestry Administration and Management (Northern Arizona University, School of Forestry, USA), Community-based wildlife management (Wildlife Conservation Network, California, USA). Furthermore, Louis Nkembi spent about 8 years at the Wildlife Conservation Society/Banyang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary (as a Social Scientist) leading the development and implementation of the Banyang-Mbo Sanctuary community management model (the first of its kind for a protected area in Cameroon). Before joining Wildlife Conservation Society in 1998, he was the Coordinator of a rural development program for the Ministry of Agriculture from 1993 to 1997. For the last 17 years he has acquired extensive experiences working at the interface of rural development and conservation. Louis Nkembi founded the Cameroonian non-profit organization 'the Environment and Rural Development Foundation/ERuDeF' in 1999 and since 2005 he became the President/CEO of ERuDeF. |
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Paulino Damiano Mugendi, Kenya Country Coordinator Paulino Damiano Mugendi is the Kenya Country Coordinator and has helped establish the Kenya program by travelling throughout the country. Paulino studied Mechanical engineering at Muranga College, which he completed in 1999. He has worked with many international and national companies in Mechanical Engineering. However in 2005, he enrolled in the United Nations Institute for Research: Programme of Correspondence Instruction in Peace Keeping Mission (UNITARPOCI), which earned him two certificates, one in Logistics, and another in Humanitarian Relief Management. In 2007, he earned a diploma in International Environmental Law from UN Institute for Training. Paulino became interested in environmental issues at an early age, after witnessing extensive deforestation on the slopes of Mount Kenya from illegal harvesting activities for firewood, charcoal, and timber. In 2007, he earned the Agroforestry Certificate from Trees for the Future. Paulino is currently the leader of a small group of youths committed to replanting trees on the slopes of Mount Kenya. |
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Alexis Nitunga, Burundi Country Coordinator Alexis has been working with Hope for Burundi for 2 years and was a close colleague of the late John Bosco, who founded Hope for Burundi. Under John Bosco's leadership, Alexis learned of the importance of tree planting and working with local communities to better manage their environment. Alexis also learned of the importance of teaching conflict resolution with tree planting and agroforestry to encourage the farmers to live and work together peacefully. Alexis is expanding the Burundi Program to new areas of the country, including Kirundo and Makamba. He is committed to carrying on John Bosco's vision of environmental and reconciliation projects, and educating his fellow Burundians about the important of both. |
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Lukwago Mathius, Uganda Country Coordinator Mathius is from the Village of Gombe in Mityana District, Uganda. Mathius has always had a strong interest in tree planting starting from his days growing in the village. He attended Mengo Technical Institute and studied Building and Construction for 3 years. During, which he also worked with Kyosiga Community Development as a program officer. Following the technical institue, he earned a diploma at Uganda Christian University in Mukono. Mathius trained with Population Service International (PSI) and worked for five years as a community mobilizer in Kampala, where he gained valuable skills in working with local community members in addressing many of their basic problems. He also trained with the Uganda Red Cross Society in First Aid and Disaster Management. He attained a certificate in agroforestry from Trees for the Future in 2007, and helped established programs with the Uganda Scouts and many primary schools to promote tree planting. He handles the Environment Program with the Uganda Scout Association promoting environmental issues with scouts throughout Uganda. Mathius has always had a strong interest in tree planting starting from his days growing in the village. |
| Trees for the Future | P.O. Box 7027, Silver Spring, MD 20907 | 800.643.0001 or 301.565.0630 | Skype: treesftf | ||