Echoes Foundation

Board of Directors

Chair of the Board and President, Nereida Gordon, is the driving force behind the genesis of ECHOES Around the World.  An educator and frequent visitor to Uganda, Nereida has a close personal and working relationship with the Reverend David Serunjogi and his wife Sarah.  She is in contact with the Serunjogis on a weekly basis and oversees the accountability aspects of money expenditures.  Nereida first visited Uganda in 1995 and has both led groups and returned on her own.  An inveterate fundraiser, her network provides invaluable resources to the Ugandan schools and critical information to the ECHOES foundation and Board of Directors.  A world traveler, Ms. Gordon hails from Sydney, Australia, and now resides in Devon, Pennsylvania.

Secretary, M.J. Ormsbee is a retired educator who has taught English, history and special curriculum for the gifted to middle school children until her retirement in 2006. She volunteered at her sons’ schools when they were growing up, serving in many capacities from president of the parent-teacher organization to member of a curriculum advisory board for a secondary school. M.J. graduated Phi Beta Kappa majoring in American Institutions from the University of Wisconsin. She is keenly interested in the work that has taken place in Uganda over the past 12 years and has answered the call to further our work by joining the board. M.J. lives in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

Treasurer, Sue Cheston founded SCA Financial Services, a daily money management organization serving clients in the greater Philadelphia area, in 1986. A graduate of The Madeira School and Wellesley College, Sue was employed as an Employee Benefits Administrator in the banking industry and in the Human Resources department of Wellesley College. She has served as Treasurer of Damien House in Berwyn, New Eagle Elementary PTO, and Valley Forge Middle School PTO. Current community involvement includes her active participation in the Devon Country Fair, as Executive Secretary and a longtime volunteer, as well as being a member of Wellesley-in-Philadelphia.  Sue lives in Strafford, Pennsylvania.  

Medical Advisor, Peter Motel, M.D., is a physician board certified in Internal Medicine and Dermatology, in a practice he started and has operated since 1993. He graduated with honors from Muhlenberg College and earned his medical degree from Hahnemann University. He served as a physician in the US Air Force for four years. He is a member of the local school board since 1999 and has served the school board as its President, Chair of the Facilities Committee and member of the Finance, Policy and Education Committees. As chair of the Facilities Committee he has overseen major renovations of five schools, the school district’s administration offices and information technology center.  He also has considerable experience as a youth leader with over 20 years as a Boy Scout leader. He and his wife live in Berwyn, Pennsylvania with their three children.

Event Coordinator, Anne Cunningham has chaired nine fundraising events at St. David’s Church in Radnor including the Annual St. David’s Fair, the Fair Auction and the St. David’s Art Show.  The events ranged in size from 250 to 3000 guests and raised approximately $300K.  She has been an active volunteer for the Main Line Associates for the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Women’s Resource Center and St. David’s Church since moving to the area over 14 years ago.  She graduated from Lake Forest College with a B.S. in Psychology and last worked as an advertising representative for The New York Times.  She lives in Villanova, Pennsylvania with her husband, Terry, and their three children.

Marketing, Caroline O'Halloran is a freelance writer and an editor at Main Line Media News, where she has held such positions as Education editor, Lifestyles editor and People editor.  She currently edits Flair, a monthly women’s style and health section published in Main Line Suburban Life, the Main Line Times and online.  Her articles have also appeared in collegiate publications, regional newspapers and national magazines. She has also worked in broadcast news as an anchor/reporter, assignment editor and producer and has coordinated publicity for area schools and restaurants.  Caroline chaired ECHOES’ 2010 auction fundraiser and served as communications coordinator for ECHOES’ 2009 luncheon. The founding Board President of Good Samaritan Episcopal Day School in Paoli, she has also served on various volunteer committees for the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District.  Caroline is a magna cum laude graduate of Brown University where she majored in Health and Society. Caroline lives in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

IT Advisor, H. William Knapp brings to our Board of Directors extensive experience in the field of Information Technology. A former teacher of computer programming and information systems and student at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Bill completed all classroom work and exams for a Ph. D. in Business and Applied Economics as well as an MBA. He is a successful entrepreneur and recently resigned as President and CEO of ITI, Inc. a software development firm which he co-founded in 1980. One of ITI’s products was spun out from ITI and eventually sold to Lotus Development Corporation in 1994. He sits on a number of Advisory Boards and Boards of Directors for technology companies. Bill has taught at Eastern College and Villanova University, while endeavoring to create yet a new firm delivering end-user database software and services to organizations over the web. Bill’s experience as a business leader, educator and IT specialist is invaluable to ECHOES now and in the future. Bill lives in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

Legal Advisor, Arthur Klein Esq. is an attorney and has been practicing law within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for over 35 years.  As a general practitioner, Mr. Klein has comprehensive experience with a wide range of issues involving the family, non-profit corporations, real estate, business and personal injury.  Mr. Klein has recently been appointed as Support Conciliator Officer for Montgomery County.  He is an active member of the Montgomery County Bar Association working through his professional association to study and promote best practice in the Law in order to better serve his clients’ needs. Mr. Klein is licensed to practice Law before the Supreme Court of the United States, the local Federal Courts as well as the Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania and Florida. Mr Klein also does pro bono work as an attorney and volunteers as a child advocate representing children who are abused. He lives in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

Director Emeritus, Martha L. (Mel) Bonder served as President of the Board since the inception of the organization in 2005 through 2009.   As a co-founding director, she has been instrumental in creating the framework for ECHOES.  In the fall of 2006, Mel completed the fundraising certification program at the University of Pennsylvania and has used that knowledge to advance not only the operation of the board, but also programs and fundraisers which have attracted both returning and new donors.   Mel has sustained and maintained her relationship with the Reverend David Serunjogi and his wife Sarah since her first visit to Uganda in 2000.  She returned to Uganda in 2004 and 2008.   Her work for ECHOES continues as a resource to the board and its current leadership. 

David T. Park is a mortgage banker, and has worked in the financial industry since 2006. Dave is part of the management team of State Financial Network, Inc. in Broomall, Pennsylvania. He is a candidate for a M.S. in Financial Services from Saint Joseph's University, and has his B.S. in Information Sciences & Technology from Penn State University.  Dave brings an understanding of the challenges facing children of Uganda through extensive interaction with La Plenitude School in Hinche, Haiti. Dave sits on the school's U.S. advisory board consisting of members from three Mennonite churches in Lancaster County.  Dave traveled to Haiti in 2008 to work on construction of the school building.  Dave also volunteers with the Kiwanis Club of the Upper Main Line in Berwyn and Boy Scout Troop 45 in Wayne.  He lives in Devon, Pennsylvania with his wife, Samantha.

Web Manager, Lois M. Redmond works in finance and program management in the field of information technology for a Fortune 100 company.  She holds a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.A. in French from the University of Rhode Island, and an M.B.A. in International Business from George Washington University.  She studied at the undergraduate level in France and Germany and began her career working in the field of international development/project finance with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).  Lois has traveled extensively and looks forward to helping communicate the good work ECHOES does in Uganda and the United States.  Lois lives in Rosemont, Pennsylvania. 

Advisory Board Members

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