Our Board

Andrew is a professor of psychology and sociology at the University of Portland in Oregon. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer at the Malawi Institute of Education in Domasi, inspiring ongoing interests in cross-cultural human development along with research in sub-Saharan African countries including Malawi, Angola, and Tanzania. Andrew has also done research and writing on education and youth development through sports and other activities in the US and internationally. He holds a Ph.D. and MA in human development from the University of Chicago, a MS in sport studies from Miami University of Ohio, and a BA in psychology from Kenyon College.

Bright E.Tate Vandervoet
Friends of Malawi, Board Member since 2020
RPCV Malawi 2008-2010

Bright currently works as a nurse for the Hawke’s Bay District Hospital Emergency Department. She is a doctoral candidate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing for a Doctorate of Nursing Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner. She values service and strengthening local health care systems from within, through capacity-building extension work and education. She enjoys providing patient care and aims to work to improve quality and access to health care in under-resourced communities.

Bright loves Malawi and visits her friends in Ntchisi. She met her phenomenal husband Tim in Malawi (RPCV 2006-2009) and they have two amazing children.

Catherine Pargeter
Friends of Malawi, Treasurer 
RPCV Malawi 2006-2008
Volunteer Leader 2008-2009

Catherine received her BSE in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan and a MESM (Masters in Environmental Science and Management) from the Donald Bren School at the University of California, Santa Barbara.  She was a Natural Resources Management volunteer in Chikwawa, Malawi from 2006-2008, and a Volunteer Leader from 2008-2009, as well as the Treasurer of the Volunteer Action Committee.  She is currently the Director of Data for The Muse.

Catherine met her husband while in Malawi and they now live in New York City with their two daughters.

Eugene Caruso
Friends of Malawi, Secretary since 2014
RPCV Malawi 1990-1992

Eugene currently works for Tishman Construction as a Project Manager. Eugene served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi and a Technical Delegate for four District Councils. After Peace Corps, Eugene worked with the United Nations Peace Keeping Mission (UNOMIL) in Liberia and as a Technical Delegate for the American Red Cross in Armenia. He holds a Master Degree in Intercultural Relations from Lesley College, and a Bachelor of Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Maurina McClean
Friends of Malawi, Grants Chair since August, 2017
Daughter of Janice Makwakwa RPCV Malawi 1965 – 1967

Maurina currently works for Steinberg Dickey Collaborative, LLP an Architect Firm for 8 years. Prior to working for S.D.C., As a Tech Savy, My Partner & I, own an IT Technical support business called, Lynex Services, LLC has been serving the Houston area since 2004, providing IT Support such as technical help desk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

It’s always been our goal to provide enterprise-level IT practices and solutions to the small business sector, with small business prices. Our experience has allowed us to build and develop the infrastructure needed to keep our clients up and running. Attended College in California.

I have also served on Malawians in Texas Organization at the Chairwoman for 3 years since 2013 to 2016. Collaborated Malawi at 50 with Malawi Washington Association (MWA) and the Malawi Embassy in Washington, DC. I also volunteer to work with Rice University 360, to help assist with all interns that come yearly in the summer to participate in their engineering program.

I am in the process of opening up a Technical School in Malawi. The Mission of Tikumana Inc. is to empower both educators and students to develop their knowledge and skill with computer technology as a tool. Create a unique environment in which people of all ages, can experience and use their computer and technology to perform research, learn what the world wide net can offer and put their abilities to a new height.

Fides is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Springfield College in Massachusetts. She lives in Massachusetts and was born in Mzimba, Malawi. She still has family in Malawi. She was first connected with Friends of Malawi through some of her teachers at Lilongwe Girls Secondary School, who were Peace Corps Volunteers. She later reconnected with one who happened to be a FOM board member. Dr. Beth Evans and Fides reconnected when she came to Springfield College. They have done several projects together in Malawi.

Apart from Fides’s home villege, her favorite place to go is Lake Malawi.

Sarah Swenson
Friends of Malawi, Board Member since 2020
RPCV Malawi 2008-2011 & 2019-2020

Sarah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Outdoor Recreation Management and a Master’s Degree in Nursing. She is a Critical Care Registered Nurse currently working for Valley Medical Center in Renton, WA. She was evacuated from her Peace Corps Response assignment in March 2020 where she was serving at a local HIV/AIDS clinic in Lilongwe, Malawi called Lighthouse. She worked as a Technical Advisor for the nursing department focusing on capacity building and continuing education for the clinic staff.

Prior to deciding to serve in Malawi for a second time, Sarah worked for the University of Washington Medical Center as a RN and served on the Seattle Area Peace Corps Association (SEAPAX) board as secretary and Vice President 2016-2019. She also volunteered for a Kenyan Organization based in Seattle called ne Vibe Africa.

Although, Sarah’s first Peace Corps service was as an environment volunteer in Liwonde National Park where she focused on small business development with local women’s groups, trained community groups in global health focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention and organized sensitization events. Beyond this, Sarah spent a great deal of time focusing on her own community integration and language skills that continue to serve her love for Malawi and the relationship with her Malawian family in Liwonde.

Board Member since 2023

RPCV Malawi 2011-2013

Shawn lives with his wife Kim in Houston, Texas, and works for Rice University as a fundraiser. He is passionate about education and has spent his entire career ensuring educational success for students in higher education. Before Rice University, he worked for the Posse Foundation for five years, supporting students at Carleton College, Colby College, and the University of Virginia. Shawn continues to assist a Malawi student currently attending Trinity College of Nursing and Midwifery.

Vishakha holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physical therapy. She was evacuated from Malawi, as a Peace Corps Volunteer in March 2020 where she was serving as a Community Health Advisor in Village of Kabudula, Lilongwe district, Malawi. Her work focused on educating the community on Health-related issues, HIV and Malaria prevention, Water and Sanitation issues, Maternal and children’s Nutrition, and System Strengthening in the local hospital.

Prior to serving in Malawi Vishakha worked as a Physical therapist in her community in USA for 29 years and was an entrepreneur managing a Therapy business. She volunteered in projects in her community that encompassed various health issues. She volunteered at her local hospital, library, food banks and various other organizations.

While serving in Malawi she focused on training and educating locals on water and sanitation, building hand washing stations, organized a large-scale HIV testing event on World HIV day, Pad making projects to empower girls and worked with youth in HIV prevention activities. She spent a lot of time integrating in the community utilizing her language skills and being part of local church choir team” Praise team” and sang in Chichewa in her Church choir every Sunday.

Upon return she continues to connect on various fronts with her counterparts in Malawi and support them in their projects by guiding them in grant writing, discussing innovative ideas to engage their community in various activities and empowering the girl child.

Patrick Lee; Friends of Malawi, Board Member since 2024; RPCV Malawi 1997-1999

Patrick holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Washington. He taught maths and physical science as an education volunteer at St. Charles Lwanga DEC in Balaka, Malawi. He also coached basketball, played a lot of bawo, and was routinely schooled by eight-year-olds on the football pitch.

Patrick has worked in software development for over twenty years in the public and private sectors. He lives in Boise, Idaho, with his wife and two sons.