The 2020 Campaign in Peru included volunteer medical professionals from the United States and Peru.
Presenting the wonderful volunteers of the 2020 Surgical Team.
Administration
Dr. Tom Albert is a professor at Oregon Health Sciences University in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as well as Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Albert was involved in an extensive medical education effort concerning cleft care with Project Hope in China from 1983-1993 and has continued to be involved independently since then. His interest has been to develop ways to extend truly comprehensive cleft care beyond surgery alone to difficult to reach populations. He is President and Co-Founder of FACES Foundation. To date, he has led 13 medical mission trips to Peru.
Kelly Jensen is a business leader and management consultant with over 30 years’ experience introducing new technologies and management practices in the United States and Latin America. Specializing in healthcare, Mr. Jensen has worked with over 300 hospitals and health systems to improve their performance. In his role as Managing Director for FACES, he builds relationships in Peru with essential partners for the cleft campaigns including the medical community and the Lions Clubs. In addition to supporting FACES, Mr. Jensen provides leadership in faith-based organizations and alumni associations of Harvard University. He is fluent in English and Spanish, and conversant in German and Tzotzil Maya.
Delia Delgado Maldonado is an accomplished English teacher in Chiclayo, Peru and studied languages in university. She enjoys meeting new people and visiting new places and, when not working, her favorite free-time activity is walking. Delia loves her work with FACES because she is in direct contact with people, which she says is always a learning experience. She finds great satisfaction in seeing people’s health and lives improve.
Angela has served as the foundation’s director since August 2014. She manages patient health records, team travel logistics, and the social media and fundraising branches of FACES. Her experiences living abroad in Argentina, Switzerland and France have prepared her for a lifetime of international involvement. Angela is also a certified Spanish-English medical interpreter. This will be her 7th surgical campaign with FACES Foundation.
Surgeons
Dr. Smith is a Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon who is currently Director of the Kaiser Permanente Northwest Cleft Palate Clinic in Portland, OR. He is an Otolaryngologist at Kaiser and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology at OHSU. Dr. Smith has been to Peru several times for cleft surgery trips, cleft screening trips and international medical conferences. He has also traveled to Russia for a facial reconstructive surgery trip. Dr. Smith has been our lead surgeon for several years: he is a true asset to the FACES Foundation.
Dr. Morris is a Craniofacial Surgeon who went to OHSU for Ear, Nose and Throat residency and then did 2 years of fellowship training in New York and Salt Lake City. She is currently working with the Craniofacial Foundation of Utah in Salt Lake City as a craniofacial and facial plastic surgeon. This will be Dr. Morris’ 6th surgical trip to Peru with FACES and she is looking forward to working with such an energetic, caring and phenomenal group of people.
Dr. Wang’s practice is centered on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face. He is currently the director of the Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery department at OHSU. He is actively involved in teaching medical students and residents and is an excellent mentor to the surgeons on the team. His professionalism and standards of perfection are wonderful qualities that we value immensely.
Dr. Lighthall is an Assistant Professor in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and the Director of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA. Her practice spans both cosmetic and reconstructive facial surgery including treatment of congenital anomalies (e.g. cleft repair, microtia reconstruction), pediatric and adult facial trauma, care for patients with facial paralysis, cancer reconstruction, nose surgery, and cosmetic facial surgery. We are very grateful for Dr. Lighthall’s commitment to the campaigns.
Dr. Dobbie is a pediatric otolaryngologist who is joining the FACES team from Children’s Hospital Colorado. She began her medical schooling at Wayne State University in Michigan, pursued a residency at UC-Davis, and completed a fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina. This will be her second surgical campaign with the FACES Foundation.
Dr. David Chen is a fellow in the department of Otolaryngology –Head and Neck Surgery at Oregon Health & Science University. Prior to moving to Portland for his fellowship, he completed his residency in Otolaryngology at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He has participated in medical mission trips in Asia and Africa, and we are excited to have him work with us in Peru!
Dr. Tom Shokri is completing his residency in Head and Neck Surgery at PennState Health, Department of Otolaryngology. During his time in medical school at George Washington University, Dr. Shokri volunteered with Flying Samaritans in El Hongo, Mexico. This will be his first surgical campaign with the FACES Team.
Dr. Natalie Krane is a chief surgical resident in the Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery Department at Oregon Health & Science University. She completed her undergraduate degree in Behavioral Neuroscience at Lehigh University and obtained her medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. She will soon be pursuing a fellowship in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery in Kansas City, KS. This will be her first trip with the FACES campaign.
Anesthesiologists
Dr. Ramos is an anesthesiologist at Legacy Emanuel and Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland. He joined the FACES Team in 2017 and has been a bright spot with both team members and patients. In college, Justin lived for two months in Madrid as part of a study abroad program. We are excited for his return to the FACES team this years our lead anesthesiologist.
Dr. Rubin is a pediatric anesthesiologist at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital at OHSU. She completed her anesthesia residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and her pediatric anesthesia fellowship at Stanford. Her academic interests include medical simulation and pediatric anesthesia fellow education. She has previously travelled to Guatemala and Vietnam for other medical missions. This will be her first trip to Peru with the FACES Foundation, and she is thrilled to be joining such an excellent team!
Dr. Peters is an assistant professor in anesthesiology at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland Oregon. He previously joined the FACES Team in 2017 on their medical mission and was greatly moved by being able to help the wonderful people of Peru. In addition to his clinical role as an anesthesiologist, Austin researches treatment and monitoring methods for patients affected by traumatic brain injuries. He is married to Daphne Peters and lives in Portland, Oregon.
Dr. Christina Giblin is completing her fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology at Oregon Health & Science University. She completed her anesthesia residency at Johns Hopkins. Her academic interests include resident education and difficult airway management. This will be her first surgical trip with the FACES Foundation. Welcome to the team!
Dr. Patrick Baker is completing his fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology at Oregon Health & Science University. He has been on multiple service immersion trips, and this will be his first campaign with the FACES Foundation. We are glad he is joining our team this year!
Dr. James Yawn is a board-eligible anesthesiologist completing fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology at MCW. Prior to his residency, the majority of his volunteering was for the pediatric population. Dr. Yawn has participated in after-school programs, community-building classes, and Child Life emotional support programs for hospitalized children. This will be his first mission trip with the FACES team.
Dr. Ruiz Barros is currently the Chief Resident in the anesthesiology program at OHSU. She completed medical school at University of California – Davis, and next year, she will begin her pediatric anesthesia fellowship at Stanford. Originally from Colombia, Dr. Ruiz Barros is fluent in Spanish, and we know she will be a great asset to the FACES team this year!
Vy is a fourth-year medical student at Oregon Health & Science University going into anesthesiology. She has participated in 2 prior medical mission trips during her undergraduate studies, both in Vietnam. She is this year’s recipient of the Thompson Global Health Scholarship. We are happy to welcome her to the FACES team!
Operating Room Nurses
Meghan McIntyre is a surgical technologist at OHSU and has spent a majority of her last year working alongside the facial plastics team. This will be her second trip with FACES, and we are excited to have her return as the OR Nursing Team Lead!
Alisa has been a nurse for almost 7 years. Her background consists of correctional, critical care, PACU, and most recently the operating room for arenas of nursing. This is her second mission with FACES and we are thrilled to have her on the team!
Richard is a native of Liverpool, England. He has worked as a nurse for over 30 years in the UK, the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. Currently he is a scrub and circulating nurse at Kaiser Interstate. He has participated in multiple medical mission trips in the Middle East and South America. We are so happy to welcome him to the FACES team this year!
Mikayla Mendez is a native Washingtonian who is currently as a travel surgical technologist at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California. This will be her first international medical mission trip, and we are happy to have her on the FACES team!
Erika is a certified surgical technologist and has been working at OHSU for the last 9 years. She specializes in ENT procedures and is currently the surgical services coordinator for general/spine/neuro/pain at CHH. Erika received a degree in Early Childhood Education prior to working in the OR. This will be her first medical mission with FACES.
Hazel is a registered nurse with 25 years of experience. She is currently working as a Service Coordinator, ENT/ Dental at CHH OHSU. She moved from the UK to Portland in 2009 where she worked for 9 years in the recovery room. Prior to that, she completed her Bachelor’s degree in nursing in the Philippines where she also worked on civic duties, voluntary assistance, and medical missions. This year will be Hazel’s first medical mission with the FACES foundation.
Pre / Post-Op Nurses
Tammy Berks has been a nurse at Kaiser Permanente in Clackamas Oregon for 32 years. She is the charge nurse in the surgery prep area. This will be her 12th mission trip with FACES Foundation. Tammy delights in the ongoing relationships she has formed with her patients in Peru. She is especially delighted that her son Sterling, who is studying to be a nurse, is able to join her for his second year with FACES.
Michelle’s nursing career has been focused on pediatrics for 13 years. Her skills and outlook have been shaped by her time at Emanuel Children’s Hospital/Randall Children’s Hospital and at Kaiser Interstate ASC, focusing on family centered care. She serves on the committee of the Pediatric Care Team – a Kaiser team of health professionals with the goal of improving safe, family-centered care for Oregon’s pediatric population. This will be her third trip with the FACES Foundation, and we are thrilled to have her back!
Heather is an incredible source of skill, experience, and kindness. She retired this year after 40 years of nursing at Kaiser Permamente. She has volunteered in a number of capacities on over 15 medical mission trips. This will be her fifth year with the FACES Foundation, and we are so grateful to have her (and her Spanish skills) on the team!
Nan has been a registered nurse for 35 years and has specialized in pediatric perianesthesia nursing for 15 years. She is proud to work for Shriners Hospital for Children and loves caring for the children that pass through the PACU there. She is a Certified Perianesthesia Nurse and strives to always continue to grow and learn in her nursing practice. She has served one prior mission trip to Kenya and is excited to be apart of the FACES team in 2020.
Sara Sherwood has been a pediatric recovery nurse for 10 years. She has worked at Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Portland and currently works at Kaiser Interstate, where she helps babies and children recover from cleft palate and cleft lip surgeries. This will be her first medical mission with the FACES team!
Angel has spent her career (over 35 years!) as a pediatric recovery nurse. She has been involved in cleft missions in the Philippines, where she helped recover patients after lip and palate surgeries. We are excited to have her join our team!
Sterling has worked in health care since graduating high school and enjoys working with patients. Currently, he works with patients at Clackamas View Senior Living Center while preparing for nursing school. This will be his second year serving with the FACES Team, and we are thrilled to have him back!
Speech Therapists
Hannah Sanford-Keller, MS, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor and Speech-Language Pathologist at the Institute on Development and Disability at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. Hannah works in the Cleft Palate/Craniofacial Disorders Program at the Child Development and Rehabilitation Center providing parent coaching, assessment, and intervention services to support the communication skills of children with craniofacial differences. This will be her fourth campaign with the FACES Foundation!
Chelsea Sommer, MS, CCC-SLP is a bilingual Spanish-English speaking speech and language pathologist and a doctoral student at the University of Utah. She is in the department of communication sciences and disorders and the global health program. Chelsea is researching speech skills in Spanish speakers with and without cleft palate. She has been on medical missions and educational training missions in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Ghana. This is her first trip with FACES and she is really looking forward to working with the children, families, locals, and the FACES team.
Interpreters
Nathalie has loved using Spanish and traveling her whole life. A retired high school Spanish teacher, she enjoys playing chamber music, hiking, skiing, swimming and biking. In previous years, she has assisted with patient and family interviews, and she is happy to be helping with interpreting again. She is excited to use her cultural and language knowledge, and proud to be a part of the FACES organization.
Carlos is a native Spanish speaker, author, and entrepreneur. He is the host of the “Yo Emprendo Mi Vida” podcast, a Spanish language podcast for entrepreneurs. Carlos has a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in Marketing. In his spare time, he enjoys volunteering, spending time with family, watching historical dramas and eating delicious food. This will be his first-time volunteering with the FACES campaign, and he is happy to be part of the team.
Photography
Paul is a long time supporter of the FACES Foundation and a talented photographer. He first joined the team in Peru in 2017. We are thrilled that he is returning to Peru with us to help capture clinical information and photo memories.
Additional Support
Daphne is an experienced program and project manager, with 12+ years in developing, implementing, reporting and supervising multiple community development and small business education programs. She has basic medical assistance and care experience from volunteering at nursing homes while in college, as a year-long medical assistant volunteer at Abbott Northwest Hospital in MN, and while working at orphanages in Panama, India and Hong Kong. We are excited to welcome her to the team this year!