I am pleased to introduce you to the newest member of the Health Volunteers Overseas staff, Michael Radmann, who will join our staff as the Director of Programs. Michael will succeed Kate Fincham, who is retiring after nearly 25 years of service to HVO.

Michael brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in international development and volunteer service. He spent over ten years with the United States Peace Corps. First as a Peace Corps volunteer in Swaziland in the late 1980s, working as a geologist for a rural groundwater project, and then several years later as Peace Corps staff in Skopje, Macedonia, where he served as Director of Programming & Training and designated Acting Country Director. He was also appointed as a foreign service officer; he held a number of positions with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) serving in El Salvador and Albania. He has been Program Director for IE3 Global Internships administered by the Oregon University System. This volunteer-based internship program for university students primarily placed interns with local organizations in developing countries around the world.  

Most recently, Michael volunteered with two local organizations involved in supporting the immigrant and refugee communities in Athens, Greece, where he contributed to promoting volunteerism, capacity building, marketing, and fundraising. He holds a Master of Business Administration in International Management from Thunderbird, the School of Global Management and a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Texas A&M University at College Station, Texas. He has traveled extensively and has volunteered for a number of international organizations. He is married to Virginia Grigoris and his daughter, Barbarita, is in high school. 

As Director of Programs, Michael will lead HVO's program team, providing guidance, support, mentorship and supervision to staff members. He will ensure HVO projects meet the needs of our overseas partners and are consistent with the overall mission of the organization. He will engage and work with on-site coordinators, oversee the development of new projects, explore distance-learning opportunities for HVO, and explore new business opportunities.

As Michael transitions into his role as Director of Programs, Kate Fincham will continue with HVO through the early summer developing our organizational partnerships. She has been a tireless advocate for HVO and our mission to improve global health. In honor of her incredible contribution to the organization and our mission, we invite you to contribute to the Fincham Fund - a fund to support the creation of new partnerships and projects to improve global health.

We hope you will join us in welcoming Michael and thanking Kate for her many years of service.