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Board of Directors
Geof
Caldwell
Geof has been active member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Alexandria, VA for over twenty years. He has served on the Finance, Mission’s and several ad hoc committees and as an Elder for two terms, he has also participated on search committees for the minister of a de-nova church and an associate pastor for Westminster. As a businessman he has his own consulting firm and works with non-profits and commercial institutions on their direct marketing initiatives. He is an active member of several trade organizations in Washington, DC and NY. Geof holds a BA in Economics from the University of Virginia and a MBA in Marketing from American University. He has two married children and two grandsons that provide he and his wife, Brooke, of 40 years, constant joy.
Ruth Farrell
Ruth worked with the Bridge of Hope Fair Trade Project (a Presbyterian Church initiative) in Lima, Peru until July 2007. Through that project over 200 artisans organized themselves into cooperatives which received training, produced Fair Trade products, and exported these products. Like it or not, North Americans wield buying power – they can reward businesses who exploit or they can reward businesses in which workers are valued and benefit from a business’s success. Ruth’s passion is to help groups of artisans succeed socially as well as economically. Through their cooperative businesses, artisans have the opportunity to create communities in which they treat each other with respect, and can pursue a better quality of life. Prior to working in Peru, Ruth worked in micro-enterprise development among women and immigrants in Louisville, Kentucky. Ruth has an MBA from the George Washington University. Ruth and her husband Hunter live in Louisville, Kentucky. Grown children Will and Ndaya are in college and Andrew is in high school.
Eleanor Geiger
Eleanor is a lifelong Presbyterian and mother of two grown sons. She has a BA in International Studies from Rhodes College in Memphis and a BS degree in Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis. She and husband Tom were Peace Corps Volunteers in Panama (1967-69) and lived in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru for 13 years while Tom was with the US Agency for International Development. While living in Peru they met Ruth and Hunter Farrell, and Ruth and Eleanor worked extensively together to develop products and train artisans in the early stages of the formation of Joining Hands.
Judy Hoffhine
Judy is originally from Springfield, Ohio, and then Moorestown, New Jersey. She was born to Hal and Jean Myers, her father being a Presbyterian pastor. Judy’s undergrad work was at Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA. She majored in religion studies, and minored in political science and sociology. Before becoming a pastor she taught at Menaul High School, Columbus School for Girls, and pre-school at Bexley United Methodist Preschool. In 1983 she entered Trinity Lutheran Seminary and became Director of Children’s Christian Education at Broad Street Presbyterian Church. She graduated and was ordained in 1988. She has served several Presbyterian churches in her career: Overbrook, Covenant in Springfield, Worthington, Groveport, and Broad Street Presbyterian. Her concentration has been local and global mission, preaching, Christian education, pastoral care and deacon work, and ministry with HIV/AIDS patients and families. Her ministry has taken her to Peru several times to work with our mission co-workers there. Now she is a member-at-large of the Scioto Valley Presbytery. Her hobbies include canoeing and rowing, reading, knitting and crocheting, and bread making. Her theological interests lie in Celtic spirituality, and eco-theology.
Marion Mitchell
Marion was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and grew up close by. He has a B. M. E., co-operative plan, from Georgia Tech and an M. S. M. E. from M. I. T. After a year at ESSO Engineering in New Jersey, he entered active duty with the Army and spent one tour in Vietnam. He then had a career at Monsanto and Air Products in the southeast U. S. and St. Louis. He started in product development but spent many years in project management of fabrication of membrane gas separation systems. He is currently retired, but is doing some contract mechanical engineering. Marion is married to Sarah, and they are the parents of one son and two daughters. Marion is a life-long Presbyterian, has served on the Sessions of three congregations, and been the clerk of one. He is on the presbytery’s Congregational Development Action Team, and he became involved with PJT from the Joining Hands Action Team. He has made visits to Peru in 2003 and 2007.
Alan Randolph
Alan Randolph is Professor of International Business, holds the CSX Distinguished Professor Chair, and is Director of the Center for Global Business Studies in the Robert G. Merrick School of Business, University of Baltimore. Alan teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses, specializing in management and international business. His graduate International Business courses provide students an opportunity to gain real experience by traveling abroad for analysis and application to real projects. Recent trips have been to China, Brazil, Poland, Peru, Germany and England. Alan's research interests focus on Working with National Cultures, Creating Cultures of Empowerment, Global Leadership Skills, International Business Challenges, and Teamwork for Better Results. He is currently conducting research on leadership and empowerment in Peru. Alan has also authored or co-authored eight books. His most recent three books are GO TEAM! Take Your Team to the Next Level (written with Ken Blanchard and Peter Grazier, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2005), Empowerment Takes More Than A Minute, 2nd. Ed. (written with Ken Blanchard and John P. Carlos, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2001), and The 3 Keys to Empowerment: Release the Power within People for Astonishing Results (also with Ken Blanchard and John P. Carlos, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1999). Alan serves as a consultant and executive educator both domestically and internationally. He is viewed as an expert on empowerment issues and leadership practices that yield results.
In 2005, Alan and his wife lived in Lima, Peru, for six months, where he taught at a business school. He is passionate about the challenges facing people in a country like Peru and has a strong interest in applying good business practices to help achieve fair trade practices that benefit artisans and crafts people in Latin America. Alan has also been on two mission trips to Honduras via his church, Towson Presbyterian Church, to aid in building projects, dentistry, and craft work in remote villages. Alan is working hard to become proficient in Spanish.
Colleen Shannon
Colleen lives in Seymour, Tennessee, in the shadow of the Great Smoky Mountains. A lifelong Presbyterian, she is an elder at First Presbyterian Church, Knoxville, where she chairs the Global Mission Committee, volunteers in ministries addressing homelessness and children, and manages the annual Partners for Just Trade sale. Colleen was coordinator of the Presbyterian Hunger Program for many years, traveling extensively in Africa and in Latin America and serving on the boards of Church World Service, Bread for the World and Alternatives for Simpler Living. Working with the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility, she helped design and carry out a study on infant feeding practices among poor women, bringing about changes in the promotion of infant formula and the successful conclusion of the Nestle boycott. Colleen has a BA in Sociology from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL, and a special commitment to women’s participation in development.
Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist
Sarah grew up in Tucson, AZ, and headed east to Georgetown University in Washington, DC, to attend college. After receiving a B.A. in English and Religious Studies at Georgetown University, Sarah stayed one extra year at Georgetown to obtain her MA in English. Her Masters Thesis revolved around the use of creative writing workshops in marginalized communities, and while working on her thesis Sarah taught a writing workshop at a residential drug treatment facility. After finishing her Masters work Sarah traveled around the United States and tried a stint of living the rural life in Pennsylvania. Eventually fate brought her back to Washington, DC, and full time employment at Green America. Her work there supported Sarah’s belief that the best avenue for social and environmental change is through the buying habits of consumers, who have the power to drive businesses to be more socially just and environmentally sustainable. After the birth of her son, Sarah returned to Tucson, where she works part time as Senior Writer for Green America, tends to her chickens and garden, and raises a Fair Trade and Earth-loving son.
Geof has been active member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Alexandria, VA for over twenty years. He has served on the Finance, Mission’s and several ad hoc committees and as an Elder for two terms, he has also participated on search committees for the minister of a de-nova church and an associate pastor for Westminster. As a businessman he has his own consulting firm and works with non-profits and commercial institutions on their direct marketing initiatives. He is an active member of several trade organizations in Washington, DC and NY. Geof holds a BA in Economics from the University of Virginia and a MBA in Marketing from American University. He has two married children and two grandsons that provide he and his wife, Brooke, of 40 years, constant joy.
Ruth Farrell
Ruth worked with the Bridge of Hope Fair Trade Project (a Presbyterian Church initiative) in Lima, Peru until July 2007. Through that project over 200 artisans organized themselves into cooperatives which received training, produced Fair Trade products, and exported these products. Like it or not, North Americans wield buying power – they can reward businesses who exploit or they can reward businesses in which workers are valued and benefit from a business’s success. Ruth’s passion is to help groups of artisans succeed socially as well as economically. Through their cooperative businesses, artisans have the opportunity to create communities in which they treat each other with respect, and can pursue a better quality of life. Prior to working in Peru, Ruth worked in micro-enterprise development among women and immigrants in Louisville, Kentucky. Ruth has an MBA from the George Washington University. Ruth and her husband Hunter live in Louisville, Kentucky. Grown children Will and Ndaya are in college and Andrew is in high school.
Eleanor Geiger
Eleanor is a lifelong Presbyterian and mother of two grown sons. She has a BA in International Studies from Rhodes College in Memphis and a BS degree in Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis. She and husband Tom were Peace Corps Volunteers in Panama (1967-69) and lived in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru for 13 years while Tom was with the US Agency for International Development. While living in Peru they met Ruth and Hunter Farrell, and Ruth and Eleanor worked extensively together to develop products and train artisans in the early stages of the formation of Joining Hands.
Judy Hoffhine
Judy is originally from Springfield, Ohio, and then Moorestown, New Jersey. She was born to Hal and Jean Myers, her father being a Presbyterian pastor. Judy’s undergrad work was at Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA. She majored in religion studies, and minored in political science and sociology. Before becoming a pastor she taught at Menaul High School, Columbus School for Girls, and pre-school at Bexley United Methodist Preschool. In 1983 she entered Trinity Lutheran Seminary and became Director of Children’s Christian Education at Broad Street Presbyterian Church. She graduated and was ordained in 1988. She has served several Presbyterian churches in her career: Overbrook, Covenant in Springfield, Worthington, Groveport, and Broad Street Presbyterian. Her concentration has been local and global mission, preaching, Christian education, pastoral care and deacon work, and ministry with HIV/AIDS patients and families. Her ministry has taken her to Peru several times to work with our mission co-workers there. Now she is a member-at-large of the Scioto Valley Presbytery. Her hobbies include canoeing and rowing, reading, knitting and crocheting, and bread making. Her theological interests lie in Celtic spirituality, and eco-theology.
Marion Mitchell
Marion was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and grew up close by. He has a B. M. E., co-operative plan, from Georgia Tech and an M. S. M. E. from M. I. T. After a year at ESSO Engineering in New Jersey, he entered active duty with the Army and spent one tour in Vietnam. He then had a career at Monsanto and Air Products in the southeast U. S. and St. Louis. He started in product development but spent many years in project management of fabrication of membrane gas separation systems. He is currently retired, but is doing some contract mechanical engineering. Marion is married to Sarah, and they are the parents of one son and two daughters. Marion is a life-long Presbyterian, has served on the Sessions of three congregations, and been the clerk of one. He is on the presbytery’s Congregational Development Action Team, and he became involved with PJT from the Joining Hands Action Team. He has made visits to Peru in 2003 and 2007.
Alan Randolph
Alan Randolph is Professor of International Business, holds the CSX Distinguished Professor Chair, and is Director of the Center for Global Business Studies in the Robert G. Merrick School of Business, University of Baltimore. Alan teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses, specializing in management and international business. His graduate International Business courses provide students an opportunity to gain real experience by traveling abroad for analysis and application to real projects. Recent trips have been to China, Brazil, Poland, Peru, Germany and England. Alan's research interests focus on Working with National Cultures, Creating Cultures of Empowerment, Global Leadership Skills, International Business Challenges, and Teamwork for Better Results. He is currently conducting research on leadership and empowerment in Peru. Alan has also authored or co-authored eight books. His most recent three books are GO TEAM! Take Your Team to the Next Level (written with Ken Blanchard and Peter Grazier, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2005), Empowerment Takes More Than A Minute, 2nd. Ed. (written with Ken Blanchard and John P. Carlos, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2001), and The 3 Keys to Empowerment: Release the Power within People for Astonishing Results (also with Ken Blanchard and John P. Carlos, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1999). Alan serves as a consultant and executive educator both domestically and internationally. He is viewed as an expert on empowerment issues and leadership practices that yield results.
In 2005, Alan and his wife lived in Lima, Peru, for six months, where he taught at a business school. He is passionate about the challenges facing people in a country like Peru and has a strong interest in applying good business practices to help achieve fair trade practices that benefit artisans and crafts people in Latin America. Alan has also been on two mission trips to Honduras via his church, Towson Presbyterian Church, to aid in building projects, dentistry, and craft work in remote villages. Alan is working hard to become proficient in Spanish.
Colleen Shannon
Colleen lives in Seymour, Tennessee, in the shadow of the Great Smoky Mountains. A lifelong Presbyterian, she is an elder at First Presbyterian Church, Knoxville, where she chairs the Global Mission Committee, volunteers in ministries addressing homelessness and children, and manages the annual Partners for Just Trade sale. Colleen was coordinator of the Presbyterian Hunger Program for many years, traveling extensively in Africa and in Latin America and serving on the boards of Church World Service, Bread for the World and Alternatives for Simpler Living. Working with the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility, she helped design and carry out a study on infant feeding practices among poor women, bringing about changes in the promotion of infant formula and the successful conclusion of the Nestle boycott. Colleen has a BA in Sociology from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL, and a special commitment to women’s participation in development.
Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist
Sarah grew up in Tucson, AZ, and headed east to Georgetown University in Washington, DC, to attend college. After receiving a B.A. in English and Religious Studies at Georgetown University, Sarah stayed one extra year at Georgetown to obtain her MA in English. Her Masters Thesis revolved around the use of creative writing workshops in marginalized communities, and while working on her thesis Sarah taught a writing workshop at a residential drug treatment facility. After finishing her Masters work Sarah traveled around the United States and tried a stint of living the rural life in Pennsylvania. Eventually fate brought her back to Washington, DC, and full time employment at Green America. Her work there supported Sarah’s belief that the best avenue for social and environmental change is through the buying habits of consumers, who have the power to drive businesses to be more socially just and environmentally sustainable. After the birth of her son, Sarah returned to Tucson, where she works part time as Senior Writer for Green America, tends to her chickens and garden, and raises a Fair Trade and Earth-loving son.