Denise Cucurny, President and Co-Founder, is the trip coordinator and international liaison for Women for World Health.  She is an anthropologist whose background includes biological, cultural and medical anthropology.  Denise has worked with numerous volunteer medical organizations in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Latin America.  From 1999- 2006 she was Director of Operations for Plasticos Foundation, a volunteer group of plastic/reconstructive surgeons who travel to developing nations performing free surgeries on children with birth defects or other traumatic injuries.  She currently serves as Director of Trip Development for Plasticos Foundation and has made invaluable international contacts through her tenure with them.   Denise is also working with the Himalayan Health Exchange in an effort to improve the health options to remote peoples in the Himalayan region of India.  Denise's research focus is on merging traditional and occidental medicine to improve patient care in developing nations.  Toward this goal, she has been working with Edgar Rodas, former Minister of Health for Ecuador.  She has been on multiple missions with Dr. Rodas' foundation, Cinterandes in their mobile O.R. traveling to remote areas of Ecuador performing free surgeries on people in need and interviewing traditional healers in these regions.

As a Professor of Anthropology Denise has lived and taught all over the world. She has been coordinating medical missions and anthropological field schools since 1994.  She has a special talent for seeking out and developing strong relationships with those we work with around the world, regardless of their cultural or socioeconomic backgrounds.  She is the liaison between the host country, Women for World Health, medical teams, patients, family members and local community leaders. Denise continues her work with Tibetan refugees in northern India, shamans in the Amazon, traditional healers in the Andes and occidental medical practitioners in the third world as well as the U.S. and Europe.  "The medical needs in the third world are critical and diverse.  I want to offer a variety of medical options to improve the lives of individuals in poor nations. To give someone hope is the best gift I can offer."

www.plasticosfoundation.org
www.himalayanhealth.com
www.cinterandes.org

Vice-President and Co-Founder of Women for World Health, Dr. Amy G. Wandel became involved with medical missions in 1989.  Dr. Wandel spent two years in the Philippines after completing her general surgery residency at U.C. Davis East Bay. As a Navy general surgeon, Dr. Wandel volunteered on multiple medical missions that went into the jungles surrounding the military base. These medical teams were made up of military and civilian personnel whose purpose was to seek out small villages of native people in the jungle and provide basic medical care, immunizations and antibiotics to them. These trips often saved lives through immunizations, wound care, antibiotics and nutritional supplements.

In 1990, Dr. Wandel returned to the United States and entered a plastic surgery residency at Brown University. After completing of her residency, Dr. Wandel traveled back to California to work as a plastic surgeon at the Naval Medical Center Oakland. It was during her tenure here that Dr. Wandel went on her first medical mission as a plastic surgeon. She went to Nicaragua to perform reconstructive surgery on children with facial and hand deformities..

"These are the most amazing experiences for me.  I take these little children from their parents and repair their cleft lips.  Most of these children are looked upon as a curse laid upon the family for past sins.  Their families are often cut off from their communities and the children are hidden away.  It is so moving for me to make it possible for them to rejoin their world.  When the lip is fixed, they too are 'fixed.'  When I get back from our trips, I cannot wait to go again."

Dr. Wandel has since been on more than 25 medical missions with multiple organizations and has not only performed the surgeries on these children but taught local surgeons how to do these complex repairs. Now Dr. Wandel is looking towards meeting more of the medical and educational needs of these people in underdeveloped countries. She has joined two other women who share the same vision: that little by little each of us can make the world better and safer by sharing our skills and knowledge with those in need.

Sol Khazani, one of our Board members and Financial Director for Women for World
Health, brings a wealth of experience to our team. He has been a successful entrepreneur all his life. He is a co-founder of U.S. Auto Parts, the largest on-line auto parts company in the nation and has been one of their directors since January 2001. During his tenure with U.S. Auto Parts Sol has served as Chairman of the Board, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President. He is also
co-founder of several other corporations. Sol is a self-made man who began building his fortune by selling bumpers out of the back of his car. He remembers what it means to struggle and to need help.

Sol brings compassion, generosity and business experience to our Board. He contributes to many causes but now, in his semi-retirement, Sol wants to participate at a deeper level. Sol has worked side-by-side with Women for World Health team members. In his words, "I have seen these women at work. Their teams include both men and women and they just get it done. I have accomplished more in a two hour meeting with this Board than I have with most of my
other corporations. These women power through and make things happen. I am honored to be a part of their team."

Michael P. Westman is a California native who has traveled all over the world, lived in Spain, and loves the interaction with new peoples and cultures.  He graduated from UC Irvine and UCLA, and is a successful business owner.  Michael has previously worked with non-profit organizations providing food to the hungry and has coordinated various charity events, including food and wine festivals, silent auctions and the like.  He is excited to be a part of Women for World Health and is encouraged and inspired by the amazing accomplishments on each medical mission.   In his words:  “In our day to day lives, we lose sight of the fact that many people around the world, including in the US, have never seen a doctor.  They do not have access to one and have no funds to pay to see one, much less pay for an operation correcting a disfigurement or to restore eyesight.  I am privileged to be a part of an organization that is committed to improving the lives of people around the world.  I feel it is everyone’s social responsibility to assist in that task and give back just a little.”