Community News

Benin, Bolivia, Chad, Niger, Fiji, Lesotho, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Iran, Nepal, Togo

By JoAnna Haugen on Monday, August 13th, 2007

BENIN

Jennifer Poidatz is no stranger to the suffering of people around the world. Last year she became the head of Catholic Relief Services’ program in India, but she has been a relief worker in Ghana, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola and Sri Lanka. In her new position with CRS, Poidatz oversees 13 local offices that work with nearly 3,000 other organizations to carry out a variety of projects. CRS focuses on promoting social justice, providing equal access to resources for everyone and empowering marginalized groups. Poidatz’s office also works on eradicating child labor and strengthening community-based care and support systems for those affected with HIV/AIDS.

BOLIVIA

With an accomplished career in journalism and broadcast media, Bill Buzenberg (68-70) became the executive director of the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington, D.C.,-based investigative news organization, in December 2006. For more than 35 years Buzenberg has played an instrumental role as a journalist and news executive at newspapers and in public radio. He most recently served as senior vice president of news at American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio. Buzenberg began Public Insight Journalism, a use of technology that draws knowledge from the audience. For eleven of the years while at National Public Radio, Buzenberg was an on-air correspondent covering international affairs. In that time, he served a three-year stint as NPR’s London Bureau Chief. As vice president of news and information at NPR from 1990 to 1997, he was responsible for the launching of Talk of the Nation and expanding All Things Considered. Buzenberg has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Edward R. Murrow Award, public radio’s highest honor.

CHAD / NIGER

Kevin Mullally (Chad 71-73, Niger 73-74) was sworn in by the U.S. Agency for International Development as the new mission director for Senegal. He has been with USAID since 1982 when he was hired as a natural resources officer and project manager of a forestry development project in Burkina Faso. Mullally also worked on projects for USAID in Niger, Haiti, Bangladesh, Mali, Ethiopia and Rwanda. He has managed programs in agriculture, education, health and democracy and governance. In his new post, Mullally will work to improve access to education and health care for the citizens of Senegal and help to create jobs and strengthen democracy within the country.

FIJI / LESOTHO / SRI LANKA / THAILAND

John “Raleigh” Ellison (Fiji) and Margaret Pratley (Lesotho 86-88, Sri Lanka 90-91, Thailand 05-07) were recently honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award for their work in the Peace Corps and community service in the Oakland area. Ellison was a high school teacher before retiring in 1995. He now volunteers as a storyteller for the Books for Wider Horizon program at Head Start centers in Oakland. Ellison is also on the board of the Northern California Peace Corps Association. Pratley’s community outreach includes service with environmental and hospice organizations, the animal shelter, the Berkeley symphony and the YWCA. She will be appearing in a Peace Corps recruitment video for older volunteers.

IRAN

The National Music Teacher’s Association recently awarded Arlene Gray (70-72) renewal of National Certification. She earned her first certification in 1997. Gray has been affiliated with the Association for more than 25 years. She teaches applied piano and piano classes at Bismarck State College, serves as an accompanist at BSC, is employed as the organist for Bismarck’s First Presbyterian Church and maintains a private studio for piano and organ students. In addition to teaching, Gray has been actively involved in a number of music groups over the years including the local Bismarck-Mandan MTA; the Federated Thursday Music Club; the Junior Federated Club, The Playing Keys; and the National Piano Guild Auditions.

NEPAL

Sara Keinath (01-03) was recently hired as the 4H Youth Educator of Wexford County, Mich. Among her many challenges in this position is finding a way to blend time-honored 4H traditions while planning programs for the future that expand the focus of the organization. She will be coordinating adult volunteers, writing grants, developing programs and raising funds for 4H. Keinath also plans on focusing more effort toward at-risk young and children who haven’t typically been involved with 4H. Keinath earned her master’s degree at Michigan Tech. Before accepting this job, she worked with the U.S. Forest Service in California.

TOGO

Caroline Poole was recently hired as the first associate director of the Foundation for a Sustainable Community, a non-profit partner of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce. This group was created in 2004 to invest the resources of the business community. In her new position, Poole will focus on resource development, communications and key program management and delivery for the foundation.

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