Mukono, Uganda

Angelyn Otteson Fairchild

Angie is a senior at Brigham Young University, studying Economics and International Development.  She is from Oregon where she learned to enjoy skiing, running, climbing, and reading.  Angie is an undergraduate, finishing her Honors thesis.  She is working as a teaching assistant, and is serving on the Student Advisory Council.  In 2008, she did an internship in Cambodia with the Reproductive and Child Health Alliance.  She served as a two time member of BYU's National Champion Model United Nations team, representing D. R. Congo and Ethiopia.  Through this experience Angie got firsthand experience navigating the political and developmental issues in Central Africa.

Ryan Fairchild

Ryan Fairchild is a senior at Brigham Young University.  Ryan is originally from California.  He is majoring in Economics and Spanish Translation.  He was the President of Students for Africa at BYU.  He lived in Peru two years serving an LDS mission.  Currently, he is studying for the LSAT, and running clubs for the College of Humanities.  He works as an editor for Translate TV.  In the past he has been a research assistant, legal intern, garage band rock star, and comic book store clerk.  He enjoys reading, writing prose, and politics.

Lugazi, Uganda

Lauren Bluth

Born and raised in sunny Arizona, Lauren Bluth grew up loving anything that involved the outdoors, sunshine and water.  At Brigham Young University, where she studied Public Relations and Business, Lauren served as Vice President of the Student Alumni Association.  She later interned for a PR firm in Washington D.C., the National Institute of Health.  A love for nonprofit work led to a job with Utah Valley University's Foundation as Coordinator of Donor Relations.  She also serves on the board for Start Something Beautiful.  In August 2009, Lauren traveled to Guatemala with Choice Humanitarian.  While there she participated in community development projects including building water systems, and a school, as well as training local teachers and running a medical and dental clinic.  She is passionate about people of all cultures, and she is elated to continue the mission of HELP in Uganda this summer.

Nicole Luscher

Nicole is from a small town in British Columbia, Canada.  She is finishing her Bachelors of Public Health with a minor in International Development.  She loves to travel and has been to or worked in 11 different countries.  In 2008, Nicole completed an internship with HELP International in Guatemala.  She served an LDS mission in Temple Square.  Her work experience includes firefighting, policing, search and rescue, culinary arts and operating heavy equipment.  She plays competitive softball and hockey.  She is excited for a summer of hard work and new adventures.

Thailand

Pim Opetagon

Pim is currently studying in the Master of Public Administration Program at Brigham Young University.  Her emphasis is Nonprofit Management and International Development.  Pim received her undergraduate degree in International Relations from Brigham Young University Hawaii.  Pim worked as a research assistant for the University of Leeds post B.A.  Prior to the MPA program, Pim worked with two other BYU-Hawaii alumni to start up the EduSaquare Language Center, an English tutoring program in Bangkok.  Pim is a native of Bangkok, and has visited Chiang Rai multiple times for work and travel.  Her favorite activities are cooking and kayaking.

David Hansen

David is a junior attending Brigham Young University- Idaho who is majoring in International Studies with an emphasis in Political Science and a minor in Thai. Growing up in Washington, he learned to enjoy reading, hiking, snowboarding, and boating. He is currently involved with Pre-Law Society and is preparing for the LSAT. Receiving a dual-degree with an MA in Diplomacy and a Juris Doctorate is one of his educational goals. After having lived in Thailand for two years serving an LDS mission, David is really excited for the opportunity to return to Thailand and help the community of Chiang Rai.

Fiji

Kristy Rowberry

Kristy Rowberry is from Henderson, NV.  She is a senior at Brigham Young University graduating in Chinese and Asian Studies.  She is planning on pursuing a Master's degree in Public Health.  Last August she returned home from serving an LDS church mission in Taiwan.  While in Taiwan she learned Mandarin Chinese and served many people.  Kristy loves anything involving music, singing, dancing, and playing the guitar, piano and flute.  She has been a part of the BYU folk dance team, a representative for BYUSA, and a music teacher.  Kristy is currently teaching English to the Chinese speaking Missionaries at the Missionary Training Center.  She loves people and is excited to be the country director in Fiji.

James Brown

James Brown was raised in Houston, Texas. James is in his junior year at Brigham Young University, studying International Relations, with a minor in International Development. After returning home from missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Tempe, Arizona, James participated with HELP International as a volunteer in Uganda. While in Uganda, James took part in various projects including working with people with disabilities, public health projects dealing primarily with HIV/AIDS awareness, and construction of adobe stoves and school classrooms. Following this experience abroad, James returned to school and got involved with a non governmental organization in Provo, UT called The Big Reach, specializing in promoting malaria awareness and prevention in Uganda and other Sub-Saharan African countries. James enjoys experiencing new cultures and foods, traveling domestically and abroad, and continuing to learn about international development.

El Salvador

Tyler Nelson

Tyler was born and raised in Portland, OR and loves the Northwest.  He worked for over a year at a free clinic in the Portland area where he gained an interest in Public Health and Development work.  There he worked as an interpreter, receptionist, bookkeeper, executive assistant, event coordinator among many other positions.  He is a senior at Brigham Young University working on a degree in Public Health and International Development.  He has a working knowledge of French and is fluent in Spanish.  He is recently married and couldn't be happier.  He has spent time in Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and served a two year LDS mission in Peru.  He has been involved in BYU's annual Hunger Banquet for two years.  Tyler loves traveling, immersing himself in other environments and seeing the world through different eyes.

Juliann Kellar

Juliann is in love with the Spanish language and Latin culture. She grew up in Texas and started studying Spanish early on. After her junior year at BYU, she decided to serve an LDS mission in the California Arcadia mission. Since she has been back she has been working as a Spanish teacher at the Missionary Training Center and worked with over 100 young people, preparing them for their own missionary service in and outside the country. Her last year at school she did an international internship in Trujillo, Peru working at an Employment Center teaching workshops about interviewing and job searching skills. She will graduate in April with a degree in English Literature and a minor in Spanish. She loves a good adventure whether in Latin America or in the pages of her favorite books.

Belize

Calvin Skinner

Calvin Skinner grew up in Northern Virginia close to the Washington D.C area. Calvin has had the chance to volunteer with several organizations. Calvin volunteered with HOPE in D.C. He also participated in mentoring, and coaching basketball in the Special Olympics. He lived in Mexico for two years where he worked to aid families in the area. Calvin currently performs research for local non profit organizations, coaches a Latino youth soccer league and helps to raise funds for cancer research. Calvin enjoys snowboarding, laughing, reading, basketball, soccer, and is currently learning the guitar. He is very excited about the opportunity to serve in Belize this summer and is dedicated to making this journey an amazing experience for HELP’s volunteers and the community members which the HELP program serves.

Raymon Burton

Raymon Burton hails from Charleston, Utah (population 350). He will graduate with his MPA at Brigham Young University in April. He completed his undergraduate degree at BYU as well, in English. Raymon has studied international development and nonprofit management during his graduate studies. He also completed nonprofit consulting projects for the LDS Church and Empower Playgrounds in Ghana. His desire to serve internationally began in the year 2005, when he visited Ethiopia on a medical humanitarian expedition. With the Ethiopian people, Raymon first experienced the depth and desperation of extreme poverty. He has since visited Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Ghana, and England. In each of these countries, he has developed a love for the cultures and the people. Besides traveling, Raymon is completely addicted to tennis. He is also an avid reader.

India

Kristen Daniels

Kristen has spent 15 years of her life overseas, most in Tokyo Japan where she grew up. She served an 18 month LDS mission in Taipei, Taiwan. She graduated from BYU in 2008 and started her master's degree in Public Administration with an International Development emphasis at George Washington University. She went with HELP as a volunteer in Guatemala in 2005. Last year she went to Uganda as a Country Director and will be a Country Director in India this summer. She has also volunteered internationally in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Honduras. She is currently starting a nonprofit with some friends selling handmade jewelry from impoverished mothers in Uganda. She loves to travel, eat, snowboard, practice yoga, play volleyball, read, and bake.

Taylor McKay

Taylor will graduate from BYU this April in Accounting. He is passionate about social entrepreneurship and international development.   Taylor fell in love with development as he served with HELP in our Uganda program.  Since returning from Uganda he has taken courses in international development, microfinance, and has served as an intern with VisionSpring and Unitus, two social entrepreneurial companies.  Taylor is excited about market solutions to social problems. His plans are to continue his education in the social space.  He wants to gain a few years of overseas work experience in the microfinance and BoP industry and return the States for an MBA/MID.  Taylor enjoys playing guitar, taking photographs, reading good books, and spending time with his wife Mandy.  When he is not at work or at school, you can usually find Taylor up in the mountains rock climbing.  He is really excited for the upcoming summer working in India.