Empowerment to Health Sustenance and Recovery

Dr. Peter Landless
M.B., B.Ch., M.Med., FCP(SA), FACC, FASNC

Bio:
Peter Landless is a medical doctor who trained in South Africa, the country of his birth. During his first term of mission service, he completed a specialty in Family Medicine. In this same period he was ordained as a minister of the gospel. He subsequently specialized in internal medicine and then cardiology. Throughout this time he worked with mission outreach and pastoral work as well as pursuing an academic career in medicine (clinical work, teaching and research). Since 2001 he has served the global Seventh-day Adventist Church as an associate director of the department of Health Ministries. From October 2013, he was elected to serve as the Director of the Health Ministries department. He is also the executive director of the International Commission for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (ICPA), a non-governmental organization with a UN (United Nations) Charter.

His passion is the practice, promotion and sharing of the Blended Ministry, the ministry to the whole person - body, mind and spirit, by the whole team – every ministry and member of the Church.

Dr. Fred Hardinge
DrPH, RD, FAND

Bio:
For more than 35 years, Dr. Hardinge has been communicating the message “Your choices can lead you to be more healthy and productive!” to a wide variety of audiences. His background includes pastoring, academic teaching, community health education, corporate training and consultation, administration and private health counseling. He is known nationally and internationally as a creative educator and motivational speaker. He enjoys hiking, climbing and cross-country skiing with his wife April, two children and four awesome grand-children; and finds carpentry and writing very relaxing.

He was co-founder of Bibleinfo.com in 1995 and founder of PositiveChoices.com, a new health evangelism web initiative in 2008.

Currently he is an Associate Director of the Health Ministries Department of the General Conference of SDA.

Dr. Katia Reinert
PhD, MSN, RN, CRNP, FNP-BC, PHCNS-BC, FCN

Bio:
Dr Katia Reinert serves as Health Ministries associate director for the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist church. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner and Public Health Clinical Nurse Specialist and practices internal medicine at Shepherds clinic in Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr Reinert holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Washington Adventist University, a Master of Science in Nursing from Catholic University of America with focus in public health and the treatment of vulnerable populations, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, focusing on interdisciplinary research on violence in the family.

Dr Reinert has served in the nursing profession at Washington Adventist Hospital for 15 years as a critical care nurse, occupational health nurse practitioner, Faith Community Nursing coordinator and Health Ministry Clinical Supervisor for Adventist Healthcare. Prior to her current role she served as Health Ministries and Recovery Ministries director for the Adventist church in North America. She has been appointed a member of the National Advisory Council for the Center for Mental Health Services at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) in the US Department of Health and Human Services. Dr Reinert has a special interest in spirituality and health, lifestyle & preventive medicine and the wholistic treatment of physical and mental/emotional disorders. She has lectured and published on these topics while also been involved in faith-based partnerships to improve the health of individuals, families and communities.

Dr Reinert has a heart for ministry, and a passion for global health and mission. She takes joy in helping populations across cultures to understand and cope with trauma, depression and anxiety. She enjoys traveling and exploring the opportunities for service around the world through medical missionary work and envisions churches as a center for hope and healing, where people may achieve mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wholeness. Her dream is that all of God’s children– regardless of race, ethnicity, country, age or gender, or whatever challenges they face – may experience restoration and an abundant life through God's love and grace, reaching their full potential. Originally from Brazil, she enjoys bicycling, hiking, traveling and exploring the world and its beautiful natural scenery.

Dr. Viriato Ferreira
MD (MBChB)

Bio:
After graduating from UCT Medical School worked at various hospitals in Cape Town, South Africa. Served as a missionary doctor in Namibia. Completed a fellowship program in Lifestyle Medicine in the US and is now practicing in Portugal. Co-founded and is the president of the Portuguese Association of Preventive Medicine – VitaSalus, an organization that operates a residential lifestyle center and two outpatient medical clinics. Promoter and organizer of community health education programs such as Health Expos and Health Clubs. Health Ministries director at the Inter-European Division of Seventh-day Adventists from 2006 to 2014. Associate director of Health Ministries at the General Conference until July 2015, and thereafter serving in an honorary capacity. Co-founder of Adventist Help, a volunteer based organization providing emergency medical care to refugees living in conflict areas. Married to Marianne who is also a medical doctor. They share a passion for the healing ministry of Jesus through His Church. The couple has 3 children – Daniel, Clarisse and Muundja.

www.vitasalus.org

www.adventisthelp.org

www.healthministries.com

Dr. Kebogile Mokwena
PhD

Bio:
Kebogile Mokwena is a Research Professor of Public Health at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in Pretoria, South Africa. She obtained her doctoral degree in Public Health education from the University of South Carolina, USA in 1998.

Her Public Health discipline is Social and Behavioural Health Sciences and her research on nyaope started in 2011, for which she was awarded research funding by the South African Medical Research Council. In 2018 she was awarded the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) grant for Substance Abuse and Population Mental Health by the National Research Foundation (NRF), which provides funding for the next 5 years to expand her research program. She has published in both national and international journals, and is the most published researcher on nyaope in the country. She has successfully supervised more than 60 students at master level, as well as 6 at doctoral level.

Dr. Bangwato Sikwa Ramabu
MD, MBA,

Bio:
Dr. Sikwa is a Danish trained medical doctor with wide experience in general medicine. She spent most of her clinical life in Denmark in surgery and gynecology. Other areas of concentration in Africa include HIV/AIDS management as well as other chronic disease long term management. She further has training and experience in health care administration and management for corporate, Non-Governmental and Government entities. She accepted a call to work for the church full-time in 2012 as the CEO of Kanye Adventist Hospitals, one of SDA church historic facilities founded in 1921. Subsequently was called to serve as the Health Ministries Director for the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division where she is currently. She is further pursing doctoral studies in International Public Health with EUCLID, a WHO study center. Dr. Sikwa has a passion for health in general and health system management to ensure sustainable efficient health delivery.

Dr. Akintayo Odeyemi
PhD, BSc, MSc

Bio:
Dr. Akintayo Odeyemi has been an active player in the community development industry for over 23 years and he currently serve as the Executive Director in the ADRA Africa Regional Office. He is a graduate with Bachelors (University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria) and Masters (University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria) degrees in Geography, Master of Science in Administration (Andrews University) and Doctoral in Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology (Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria).

As the administrative head of the ADRA Africa Regional Office, Dr. Odeyemi’s duties require him to ensure the sustainability of the current 34 ADRA country offices within Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as strategically facilitating smooth relationships between the ADRA offices, their host country governments and in-country SDA Church leaders.

Tayo joined ADRA Nigeria as the Associate Country Director in June 1995 and was appointed substantive Country Director two years. Between September 2002 and December 2004, he also served as the CEO of Adventist Health International (AHI) Nigeria, as an unpaid volunteer. His two years and nine months stay in Malawi which started in June 2005 saw him expanding the donor base of the already successful country office. His initial responsibilities in the ADRA Africa Regional Office in January 2008 as Programs and Planning Director also included Emergency Management and Strategic Planning for the Africa Region. These have given Dr. Tayo Odeyemi tremendous practical experience in virtually all aspects of community development and administration.

As previous Union (Nigeria and Malawi) and currently Division (ECD, SID, WAD) Executive Committee member, ‘Tayo continues to serve the SDA Church. He also serves on the ADRA’s Network Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Human Resource Working Group and Annual Council Committee among others. Being among the first set of students in Andrews University’s International Development Program, Dr. Odeyemi has had the opportunity to practice in the field, the knowledge acquired in the classroom.

‘Tayo has provided online and classroom lecturing support to students in Adventist Universities including Andrews University, Pacific Adventist University, Southern Adventist University and Adventist University of Africa. He is also mentoring Masters Degree students from Andrews University and Adventist University of Africa. He believes that capacity building is one of the main solutions to Africa’s chronic food security and health problems.

Based on his firm and strong belief in Matthew 25: 31-36, he continues to forge a binding relationship between the SDA Church and ADRA in various ways to create an enabling environment for ADRA to efficiently fulfill its mission. Dr. Odeyemi, is a family man, with one wife, two children and two grandchildren

Tayo’s passion for evangelism has seen him conduct Prophesy Seminars and outreaches in several countries including Nigeria, Kenya, DRC, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Gambia, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi.

Dr. Alexis Llaguno
MD

Bio:
He is currently the Executive Director of the Adventist AIDS International Ministry (AAIM), an office created in 2002 by the General Conference in response to the HIV (Human Immune Virus) pandemic. With the epicenter of this deadly disease in Africa, AAIM is based in South Africa but serves the world-wide church.

Prior to his AAIM appointment, Dr Llaguno served as Health Ministries Director of the Southern Africa Indian Ocean from 2003-2015 with 3 years of those years also as Human Resource Director. With his specialty of Internal Medicine, he has served the African continent for 34 years as a medical missionary doctor in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. In 3 of those 5 countries, the church mission hospitals were in very remote, isolated, difficult, economically depressed and malaria infested countries. To him, those places were valuable lessons of complete trust and constant confidence in God’s leadings. He is married to Nellie for the past 34 years with two adult children Arnel and Raenelle.

Dr. Dwight C. Evans
M.D, FACP

Bio:
Dwight C. Evans, M.D., FACP is a graduate of Southern Adventist University (B.A. in History) and Loma Linda University School of Medicine (M.D.).

His Internal Medicine Residency and Endocrinology Fellowship were done at Vanderbilt University. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine with Sub-Specialty Board in Endocrinology. He served as Professor of Medicine and then Vice President for Medical Affairs at Montemorelos University School of Medicine from 1978 through 1985.

He has been an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at LLU School of Medicine since that time. His most recent administrative function for the past 16 years was as “Chief of Staff/Chief Medical Officer” at the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System.

He continues to be a Consultant (since 1992) for the GC Health Ministries (HM) Department participating in HM activities in 10 Divisions. His passion is for Healthcare Quality Improvement/Patient Safety and Health Professional Education.

Mr. Giles Barham

Bio:
“Giles Barham has been working in the capacity of Account Executive for Adventist Risk Management since October of 2015. Before this most recent appointment, Giles had been working as Associate Treasurer for the South England Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (SEC) since 2009. Prior to the commencement of his denominational employment, Giles had been working as a manager in the hospitality industry for over 5 years.

In his educational career Giles read for his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Essex before continuing his studies reading for his Masters of Science in Entrepreneurship, Science and Technology at the University of Nottingham. During his employment at the SEC, Giles achieved professional membership with the Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants (ACCA) and is most recently focusing his professional studies with the Chartered Institute of Insurance where he has recently obtained the Certificate in Insurance (CERT CII).

Giles is passionate about education, accounting and managing risk and voluntarily holds the role of Bursar of Newbold School, a denominational Primary School in England. In his spare time, Giles loves to follow football with specific interest in the English Premier League. His favourite team is Manchester United.

Mr. Lowell Cooper

Bio:
Canadian-born Lowell Cooper is a retired vice president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Prior to his employment at the Church’s world headquarters, Lowell held pastoral and departmental leadership roles in Canada followed by over 16 years of service in Pakistan and India. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary in Michigan and a Master of Public Health degree from Loma Linda University School of Public Health. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Loma Linda University in 2011.

Lowell’s 22 years (1994-2016) of service at the General Conference includes 17 years as a General Vice President. In this role he traveled extensively in all parts of the world consulting and teaching on leadership life within the Seventh-day Adventist Church and its institutions. Lowell has served on numerous governance level boards and committees at the General Conference as well as at General Conference institutions. He chaired the Board of Loma Linda University Health (15 years), Adventist Development and Relief Agency (10 years) and Pacific Press Publishing Association (10 years). At the present time Lowell is a member of the Board of Trustees for Adventist Development and Relief Agency/Canada, Adventist Risk Management, Pacific Press Publishing Association, and Walla Walla University.

Lowell’s wife, Rae Lee, is a nurse (retired) and musician. The couple has two adult children. Lowell and his wife live in Kennewick, Washington, USA. He can be reached at cooperlc@verizon.net.