Team Members

Getting to know, and sharing experiences, with the other members of the team turned out to be one of the best things about this trip. The diversity in religion, race, nationality, and age was great. I learned a lot from the different perspectives and was reminded of how important getting to know different kinds of people is. 

Below are photographs and a few sentences about each member in the group.

Wanda:  Our energetic and enthusiastic team leader. This Ghana trip was her 20th Habitat for Humanity International trip as leader and she was really well organized and prepared.  She is 67 years old but in way better shape than most people half her age, biking 150 miles a week, going whitewater rafting, and keeping and riding horses. 

Nikki: Nikki works in marketing for Mercedes Benz in New York City. She is 31 years old and is on the team with her mother, Carleen. She is here to really experience a different part of the world and learn more about her African heritage. 

Carleen: Carleen lives in Michigan and is enjoying her retirement. She is Nikki's mother and has had an interesting life, having taken pilot lessons and having worked as a show girl touring with people like Diana Ross. She is in her 60's and has been to Africa several times, feeling that it's important to know about, and be proud of, your heritage.

Jen: Jennifer is from Knoxville Tennessee, has a Masters in higher education administration and is 28. She has taken a year off of working to volunteer, travel, and experience the world. After Ghana she will continue on to Paris and around Europe. 

Barb and Dave: In their 40's, Dave (aka Papa Dave, on this trip) and Barb live in Windsor Canada, love traveling, and are very involved with volunteer work. They have been to all seven continents (including Antarctica) and have been on several other Habitat for Humanity trips. Barb has a degree in political science and has had several administrative positions. Dave has a PhD in Chemistry and runs a small pharmaceutical company.

Tanny: Thana grew up in New York state, has a strong Thai heritage and has worked as a retail consultant in the US, Japan, and England. He is 30, a Buddhist, and is currently doing a lot of work for a group called HOBY that helps teach leadership skills to young people. He knows Callyn from HOBY, and the two of them are traveling for a few weeks.

Callyn: Callyn is a college student in Florida and is quite involved with HOBY (Hugh Obrian Youth Leadership) from which she knows Tanny. She 19 and is pre-medical, wanting to spend time doing medicine in disadvantaged nations.

Georgi: Georgi usually lives in New York city assisting hotel investments. She is 40 years old and was in Ghana for several weeks before our team arrived, working with children in Accra, the capital of Ghana.

Fatima: Fatima, 19, is from Saudi Arabia and has been going to college in Boston. She plans to go into law, is Muslim, and despite only living this last school year in the US, has perfect American English.