Columbus Global Village Team leads Habitat for Humanity Mission Trips: Bolivia 2008: Team Members

Team Members

Dave Bezaire, 55, has been the house leader on seven Habitat builds in Columbus, three of which were blitz builds during the Ohio State Fair, and he has participated in Global Village missions trips to Ghana, Mexico, Guatemala, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Boliva, Ecuador, and Botswana. He has just finished his second term on the HFH-GC Board and he also helps out on the construction committee. Since retiring 6 years ago, Dave finds Habitat a great way to live his faith while playing with great toys... err...umm... tools.
Heather Burns, 34, has worked in the affordable housing industry for the last 10 years and is currently a Housing Developer/Project Manager for Beacon Development Group, a consulting firm working with nonprofits to produce housing throughout Washington State. Heather was born and raised in Seattle, WA and has lived in Newark, NJ and Washington, D.C. She has traveled in Mexico and Central America before but this will be her first visit to South America. After coordinating the financing and development of housing for years she is looking forward to finally getting her hands dirty while constructing new homes in Bolivia. Heather has a large extended and tight-knit family in the Seattle area. She loves to travel, cook, read and enjoy the great outdoors in the Pacific Northwest.
Kerry Cheesman, 53, is Professor of Biological Sciences at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys backpacking, kayaking, biking—and of course learning about the ecosystems in each new place. He has traveled extensively, often with students, throughout Central and South America, as well as Thailand and the United Kingdom. He was a founding member of the board of Habitat in Ft Wayne, IN and was involved in many builds there before moving to Columbus. Kerry is involved in many projects related to social justice, and looks forward to helping build better lives for people in Bolivia. He also looks forward to spending time with dedicated people of like mind.
Regina Goetz, 45, is a loyal Columbus Global Village Team member, with previous trips to Ghana, Guatemala, and Thailand already in her portfolio. She says that she is very excited to work in the mountains, and this trip will keep her busy and productive just the way she likes. She is an 19 year veteran at the Ohio State University, where she currently works at the OSU Hospital. She enjoys traveling, hiking, camping and taking care of her animals. Regina tells us that she wants to go on Habitat for Humanity vacations because she enjoys helping people and because she is always looking for safe, adventurous trips.
Susi Havens-Bezaire, 56, began volunteering for HFH-GC in 1989 to help plan the 15th Anniversary celebration of HFHI, held in Columbus. Following that wonderful event where she met President Jimmy Carter and Milliard Fuller, she directed her volunteer efforts to fund raising for the local affiliate. She has served two terms as a Board member (7 years), filled in as Interim Executive Director for 8 months, and continued to focus on resource development. In 2004, at the request of the Executive Director of HFH-GC, she organized the first Global Village trip from Columbus, Ohio. Having seen the deplorable living conditions in developing countries and experienced the wonderful impact that Habitat has on people's lives, she continues and so far has led trips to Ghana, Mexico, Guatemala, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Boliva, Ecuador, and Botswana.
Selene Gatzonis, 25, is from Little Mack, New York…
$Photo of team member$ Rosemary Math, 42, resides in San Francisco and is currently taking time away from work to enjoy travel, friends family and philanthropy. Earlier this year she participated in a volunteer project with Cross-Cultural Solutions in Peru and enjoyed it so much she decided to embark on another South American opportunity, this time with HFH. Rosemary says, "Living in the U.S. makes it easy to forget how few resources are available to others around the world. I look forward to meeting/working with all of you in Tarija and I'm excited to learn more about the Bolivian culture, countryside and people."
Robert McAndrews, 48, a dual citizen fluent in both Spanish and English, was born and raised in Panama City, Panama and now lives in San Francisco, California. His father was a Panama Canal Pilot and his mother was a newspaper writer, author, poet and artist. He has traveled extensively throughout Central and South America and currently has a home in Dominical, Costa Rica where he operates a not for profit community radio station. He graduated in 1984 in Industrial Design from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, and his professional career includes architecture, interior, and furniture design and build projects for retail and residential clients including major museums, retail spaces and exhibitions.
Molly Purnell, 25, is a self-employed textile designer who lives in New York City…
Randel Sink, 60, is currently enjoying life after leaving the corporate rat race 6 years ago. He now spends time working on Habitat projects and building musical instruments while keeping a hand in the engineering profession on a part time basis. He has traveled throughout the world, raised a family and now brings his skills and experience to bear helping with Habitat's Global Village Projects, state side Habitat blitz builds, and other mission building projects. Randel enjoys most all types of outdoor activities, woodworking, meeting and helping other people and playing the fiddle.
Mike Wychara, 54, is a property manager in Toronto, Canada. This is his first trip with Habitat for Humanity and to South America. Mike spent a month on an archaeological dig in northern Israel (Hatzor) five years ago, working in place of the donkey, who needed a rest. While biblical archaeology remains a strong interest, helping people with such a basic need is a more meaningful expression of why we are here, and Mike looks forward to working with like minded people.