Shake the World Health Board of Directors

 Cristina Woodhouse, MD, MPH is the founder and president of  Shake the World Health.  Born in Honduras and raised in Iowa, she first volunteered in El Porvenir, Honduras in 2010 with an organization now called Honduras Child Alliance.   She ended up falling in love with the community of El Porvenir.  She has since been back almost yearly and decided to turn her passion for global health and her love of El Porvenir into a public health organization.  

Cristina, who speaks Spanish, was one of the teachers of the first KIP program as well and describes the experience as immensely empowering for everyone.   "The goal is to empower the community by teaching critical thinking and by showing that we each have the power to shape our own world."  She is a family medicine physician currently splitting her time between the U.S. and Honduras with her infant son, Ari.  She is also a member of the Iowa and American Academies of Family Medicine. 

 Thao Schlichte, BS is the vice-president of  Shake the World Health.  She works as a health inspector and lives in Waukee, Iowa with her husband.  She has a strong interest in pubic health and disease prevention.   She also has a passion for working with immigrants.  Thao comes from an immigrant family who emigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam.  While never having traveled to Honduras, she would love to go someday.   

 Rebecca Kessler, BBA, MA is the treasurer of Shake the World Health.  She is retired and lives in Iowa City, Iowa.  She has been involved with Shake the World Health from its onset.   Rebecca has a strong interest in both education and pubic health and is very excited to be a part of the organization.   "I'm excited to see the impact that the Knowledge is Power Program has already had on the lives of young people in the El Porvenir area."

Rebecca also enjoys foreign travel.  She has been to Honduras four times including once to El Porvenir.  In addition, she has also traveled to Cuba, Brazil, and China.  She looks forward to brushing up on her Spanish language skills in anticipation of traveling to Honduras again in the future.  

 Thomas Kessler, BGS, MA, MBA is the secretary of Shake the World Health.  He also serves vocationally as Coordinator of the Peace & Justice Center of the Cedar Valley, a ministry of Cedar Falls Mennonite Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  He is actively involved in a number of community organizations, including Cedar Valley Advocates for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Cedar Valley Citizens for Undoing Racism, and the NAACP of Black Hawk County.  Thomas is a Professor Emeritus of Library Services from the University of Northern Iowa.