About us
About Us
Global Medical Brigades develops sustainable health initiatives and provides relief where there is limited access to healthcare. In 2009, 80 GMB clubs systematically traveled to Central America to establish mobile clinics in 80 of our community partners. Each community receives a brigade every 3 to 4 months where hundreds of patients are treated and volunteers deliver public health workshops. For every GMB club that is established one more village is able to receive care. Between brigades our in-country team maintains relationships with the communities to provide follow-up and to conduct Community Health Worker (CHW) trainings to empower local leaders to sustain a consistent level of healthcare. Electronic patient records are collected for future visitations and to monitor overall community health trends.
Global Medical Brigades is a program of Global Brigades, Inc., the world’s largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. Comprised of secular, international service programs, we mobilize student volunteers and professionals to empower communities in developing countries with programs that improve quality of life while respecting local culture and improving the environment.
Between 2008 and 2009, more than 4,000 volunteers from 110 university chapters in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Ireland traveled to provide health and economic development solutions to more than 50,000 beneficiaries through our teams in Panama and Honduras.
Where we Work - Central America
Honduras and Panama are the current focus of Medical Brigades, where more than 3,000 student volunteers and health professionals have traveled to establish mobile clinics in under resourced communities. Communities are selected on an extensive study based on need, access to medicine and include a collection of information to create baseline demographic information.
Important Statistics about our Community Partners:
Typically no doctors within a 20 mile radius
Average family income is less than $1 a day
20% of patients have never seen a doctor outside of GMB
Typical families have less than 3 gallons of water per day to use
Global Leadership Team
Steven Atamian, Chief Empowerment Officer, Global Brigades
Dr. Shital Chauhan, Chief Executive Officer, Health Programs
Catherine Markman, Chief Executive Officer, Development Programs
Quique Rodriguez, Central American Regional Director
Oisin O'Connor, Chief Executive Officer, Brigades.org
Thomas Sigler, Expansion and Sustainable Development Consultant
Vanessa Lopez, Marketing Leader, Global Brigades
Julie Goldstone, Director of Online Marketing, Photographer
Nicholas Koch, Director of Information Technology
Danielle Starry, GB Travel Director
Kim Hanson, GB Travel Coordinator
Other Program Directors
Ben Erker, Water Brigades
Joy Bittner, Public Health Brigades Director
Lauryn Linsell, Public Health Brigades Coordinator
Jon Lee, Daisey Leon-Martinez, Hiral Patel, Community Health Workers
Kate Leeming, Dental Brigades
Diane Dunn, Law Brigades Director
Adriana Piñeiro, Business Brigades Director
Anna Pasternak, Environmental Brigades Director, Panama
John Cunningham, Architecture Brigades
Merrilee Chapin, Microfinance Brigades
U.S. Team
Chris Ha, U.S. Director
Orion Haas, Director of Student Empowerment and Founder, Water Brigades
Kyle Thibodeau, Regional Coordinator, West Coast
Thomas Hutch, Regional Coordinator, Midwest
Carter Neugarten, Regional Coordinator, East Coast
Canadian Team
Gill Gibson, Canada Co-Director, Health Programs
Lauray Stymiest, Canada Co-Director, Health Programs
UK Team
Sandra Sadoo, UK Director, Health Programs and Chairperson
Rebecca Uva, UK Director, Health Programs
Central American Medical Brigade Team:
William Vallejos, Medical Brigades Coordinator
Pedro Vallejos, Medical Brigades Coordinator
Denia Morazan, Director of Administrative Services
Nancy Amador, Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Sanchez, Chief Medical Officer
Josue Daniel "Flaco," Logistics Coordinator
Field Office Interns
Brittany Estok, GMB Intern
Thomas Hutch, GMB Intern
Suzanne Zupello, GWB Intern
Past Field Office Interns:
Dan Mahoney
Catherine McCord
Melody Saemon
Teresa Taverno
Yahaira Plata
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“Global Brigades” or “Brigades” refers to one or more of Global Brigades International, a Canada-based international not-for-profit corporation, and its respective subsidiaries and affiliates. Global Brigades International is devoted to improving quality of life for the world’s most under resourced communities. Its affiliates including “Global Brigades USA,” “Global Brigades Canada,” or “Global Brigades UK” do not provide or implement sustainable development services, but act in conjunction with Global Brigades International to empower their national volunteer base. As independent not-for-profit organizations, neither Global Brigades International nor any of its affiliates has any liability for each other’s acts or omissions. Each of “Global Brigades USA,” “Global Brigades Canada,” “ Global Brigades UK,” “ Asociacion Global Brigadas de Honduras,” Fundacion Brigadas Globales de Panama,” are separate and independent legal entities.