THE STAFF & Board

Meet the team of Healing Hands International.

Leadership Team

  • Chris Gingles

    Sr. Vice President/CFO

  • Jana Owen

    Vice President

  • Joseph Smith

    Vice President

  • Dr. Ebenezer Udofia

    Director of African Agriculture & Operations

  • Alisa Van Dyke

    Vice President

  • Art Woods

    President

International Staff

  • David Aiko

    Kenya Trainer

  • Jannette Akoth

    Kenya Women's Coordinator

  • Lillian Asianzu

    Uganda Women's Coordinator

  • Richard Ayala

    Central America Trainer

  • Mbwenu Chirwa

    Malawi Country Director

  • Ngonidzashe Dhedheya

    Zimbabwe Women's Coordinator

  • Rosemarline Dormeval

    Haiti Women's Coordinator

  • John Dube

    Zimbabwe Country Director

  • Joseph Edema

    Uganda Trainer

  • Caroline Isaambe

    Kenya Women's Coordinator

  • Edwin Kashumba

    Tanzania Trainer

  • Augustus Kimanzi

    Kenya Trainer

  • Vijaya Kumar

    India Coordinator

  • James Legend

    Ghana Trainer

  • Leonard Maposa

    Zimbabwe Trainer

  • Paulina Martin

    Tanzania Women's Coordinator

  • Isaiah Mlenje

    Malawi Coordinator

  • Judith Mollel

    Tanzania Loans Manager

  • Brighton Mucherera

    Zimbabwe Coordinator

  • Loveness Nkhata

    Malawi Women's Coordinator

  • Victor Nyong

    Nigeria Trainer

  • Joseph Ole Saoli

    Kenya Trainer

  • Jude Oralus

    Haiti Trainer

  • Anusha Rao

    India Assistant Women's Coordinator

  • Prasanthi Rao

    India Women's Coordinator

  • Rose Sabano

    Uganda Women's Coordinator

  • Thomas Simubali

    Zambia Trainer

  • Elizabeth Yakubu

    Ghana Women's Coordinator

  • Glory Okon

    Nigeria Women's Coordinator

  • Nesbert Zvinzveku

    Zimbabwe Trainer

U.S. Staff

  • Angela Bell

    Administrative Assistant, Donor Services

  • Grace Boucher

    Women of Hope Donor and Community Coordinator

  • Ashley Bramlett

    Copywriter

  • Linda Brock

    Administrative Assistant

  • Taylor Cockrell

    Regional Coordinator

  • Katelyn Fokos

    Women of Hope Program Coordinator

  • Chris Gannon

    Warehouse & Shipping Director

  • Katia Hanger

    Data Analyst

  • Cristen Harper

    Senior Marketing Manager

  • Mark Hatfield

    Regional Coordinator

  • Mark Jent

    MAGI Director

  • Sean Judge

    Donor & Community Engagement

  • Gillian Kelley

    Walk4Water Director

  • Leighton Kennedy

    Marketing Coordinator

  • Nancy Markwood

    Volunteer Coordinator

  • James Rucker

    Disaster Response & Assistant Water Coordinator

  • Scott Saunders

    Donor Impact Director

  • Colton Scott

    Donor & Community Engagement

  • Clint Smith

    Hunger to Harvest Program Director

Board

Bill Merry - Chairman
Bill serves as our Chairman of the Board and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2000. He is a graduate of Tennessee Tech University with a Bachelors degree in Marketing. He and his wife, Julia, have two children, Kensley and Connor. An active member of Crieve Hall Church of Christ, he is currently serving as a deacon and is on the missions committee. Bill has traveled to Cuba, Mexico, and the Ivory Coast on mission and relief trips.
Eric Bearly
Eric and Carrie Bearly have been faithful HHI supporters for many years. Their children are also heavily involved in fundraising for building wells through their neighborhood lemonade stand along with a family campaign on their website. Since graduating from Pepperdine University in 2000, Eric has worked for Bobit Business Media where he currently serves as Chief Digital Officer. He was involved in marketing, event management and sales for the past 18 years before moving into his current role aimed at advancing digital growth company-wide. Eric and Carrie both grew up in southern California and now live in Colorado. Eric serves as Deacon of the Connections ministry at his church, facilitating deeper relationships and involvement in members of the church family.
Bruce Beck
Bruce A Beck is a Shareholder in the LBMC tax practice. He has over thirty years of diversified experience including individual/tax planning, manufacturing, construction, healthcare, printing and publishing. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a Personal Financial Specialist. Bruce's previous experience includes practicing with the Nashville office of a National accounting firm from 1984-1995. He is a graduate of Lipscomb University. He is active in his community and continues to support many professional and civic organizations. He previously served on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross-Nashville Chapter. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Bruce resides in Brentwood and his wife and two children and are members at Brentwood Hills Church of Christ.
Rita Cochrane
Rita Cato Cochrane was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. Her father was a minister of the gospel who worked and traveled with Marshall Keeble. Her mother was a sought-after ladies Bible class teacher and speaker. She received her degree in Education from Lipscomb University and taught middle school for 25 years. Afterwards, she was employed at HHI before taking the role as Director of Women’s Ministry at the Church of Christ in Green Hills. Rita is married to Michael Cochrane, an elder in the church, and is mother to three adult children, grandmother to six rambunctious boys, and has served as “American Mom” to four international students. In addition to Rita’s duties as Director of Women’s Ministry, Rita speaks and teaches for conferences, Bible classes, lectureships, and Ladies’ Days in the US and abroad. She writes a weekly email devotional called “Monday Meditation.” She has published a book entitled, Lace Up Those Sneakers, Let’s Take a Walk with God, especially designed for women’s studies. Her hobbies include walking, cooking, and traveling the world.
Kay McDowell
Kay received her B.S. in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations from Freed Hardeman University and has established herself as an accomplished PR professional and consultant. Kay has worked has a Foundation Relations Manager for Ducks Unlimited, Inc served as Public Relations Manager for the WONDERS: The Memphis International Cultural Series, and was an independent public relations consultant for twelve year. Since 2011 Kay has worked on the leadership team of Mitchell Communications Group both as a Senior Strategist and she currently leads the Community and Consumer Packaged Goods teams. Kay is married to Scott McDowell and they have three adult sons. Scott is the president of Lubbock Christian University. Kay loves the work of HHI and understands the relationship between our work and the local church having lived in Nashville for more than 20 years before moving to Texas in 2019.
Fortune Mhlanga
Fortune Mhlanga currently serves as Senior Vice President of Enterprise Data and Analytics as well as Founding Dean of the School of Applied Computational Sciences at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. He and his wife, Florah, attend Otter Creek Church of Christ in Brentwood, TN.
Burt Nowers
Burt has been involved with Healing Hands International since 2005 when he began serving on our Board of Directors, serving as both Board Treasurer and Chairman of the Audit Committee. He served as the President from 2012-2016. A graduate of Lipscomb University, Burt is a CPA and one of the founders of AIM Healthcare Services in Franklin where he spent 14 years as Chief Financial Officer. He and his wife Lisa have been married for more than 30 years and they have three grown children. Burt serves as an elder of the church and is also on the Board of Directors for the Central European Christian Education Foundation.
Barry Pickering
Barry retired as Senior Engineer from Colgate Palmolive in 2011. Since then, he has supported churches and agencies using his craftsman skills. He became involved with HHI through his wife, Camille, who has packed boxes for the MAGI Project since its inception. Barry serves the unhoused in Nashville with the Green Street church. He enjoys his family, especially the grandchildren.
Dr. Lon Raby
Dr. Lon and Rebecca Raby have been loyal donors and supporters of Healing Hands International for more than 15 years. As an active volunteer, Lon makes medical mission trips annually and more frequently when possible. In addition to work in Belize, he has worked closely with Mission Lazarus since 2007 and made trips to Baja Missions since 2015. Lon is a Nashville native and a graduate of Lipscomb University and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (M.D.). He has been a practicing dermatologist for 22 years and is a partner at Dermatology Associates in Huntsville, Alabama. Lon and his wife Rebecca, who is also a physician, attend the Mayfair Church of Christ where they have also been active as children and youth teachers over the years. Lon has also served as Deacon for the youth and missions. The Rabys have three adult children, Caitlin, Samantha and Franklin.
Dr. Randy Steger - Founder
Randy is a retired professor of business administration at Lipscomb University where he was a member of the faculty since 1983. He has more than 30 years of experience in the business world. He is the Founder of Healing Hands International and served as its President for more than 20 years. He currently serves on our Board and is on the Board of Directors for several other organizations. His family includes his wife Chris who is a Medical Doctor, his three children: Brandy (foster daughter), Daniel and Lydia, and one grandchild.
Jeff Whitehorn
A graduate of Lipscomb University in 1980, Jeff went on to receive his CPA and worked for two years before heading to the University of Alabama to earn his MBA in 1988 with an emphasis in strategic planning. After graduation Jeff embarked on a 29-year career in healthcare administration, 25 of those years serving as a hospital CEO with Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). After serving as a hospital Chief Executive Officer for 25 years, Jeff took early retirement in 2017. Jeff coaches executives, directors, managers, and early/mid-careerists. Jeff has served on various board in the healthcare community and other not-for-profits around Nashville. Jeff and his wife Jennifer have had a longstanding passion for the work of HHI. They are active members at Brentwood Hills Church of Christ where Jeff served as an elder. They have two adult daughters, Ashleigh and Emily.