Holt International Children's Services Board of Directors

Holt International-About Us


	Who we are
	Leadership
	Board of Directors
	Historical Perspective
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Board of Directors, Holt International The Holt International Children’s Services Board of Directors is a governing board with a geographically diverse group of directors representing adoptees, adoptive parents, and functional experts with experience in child welfare and special needs, financial, and business operations. These board members volunteer their time and resources to help with the Holt mission to find families for children.
	Jeff Saddington, Chair Jeff and his wife Carol are the parents of five children, ages 19 to 27 years. They also have two wonderful daughters-in-law and one beautiful grandchild. They adopted three children through Holt, all from Korea beginning in 1983. Jeff is a retired executive with 35 years at Johnson & Johnson. He is now a full time Seminary student at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in the Masters of Divinity program, entering his senior year. Jeff and his family lived overseas in Tokyo for three years in the early 1990‟s. Jeff is active in his church (Presbyterian). His interests in addition to service to Holt involves volunteering at Hospice Austin and serving the hungry and homeless in the greater Austin area. He enjoys time with family, reading, photography, and travel. Jeff has traveled with Holt to Korea, India, and Haiti. As a Holt Board member, Jeff enjoys "trying to be most effective to help the organization best help children we seek to serve. The world of adoption is changing rapidly, and I want to help Holt in any way I can to be able to change with it."
	Becca Brandt, Vice Chair Becca and her husband Kim are Holt parents with six adopted children and two birth children, ages 22-32. As a Board member and family physician, Becca has visited Russia, Hong Kong, Haiti, China, India, Nepal, Philippines, Ukraine, Korea, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Mongolia. She does volunteer work with a Down Syndrome Parent Support Group and is a member of various committees in her church. She also enjoys gardening, traveling and good mystery novels. Becca says as a Holt Board member she enjoys "involvement with Holt on so many levels, getting to know other Board members; strengthening my faith." Becca says, "I was deeply touched by knowing Grandma Holt. I always try to remember, "What would Grandma Holt do?' "
	Jan Ahrens Jan and her husband Brent are the parents of four children. Their daughters were adopted, one through Holt from Korea and another from Taiwan. Jan has also traveled with Holt on a mission trip to the Philippines. She has worked in marketing for 20 years and now as an adjunct professor. She teaches graduate level marketing classes in the San Francisco bay area. She earned her doctorate in business from Golden Gate University, an MBA from The Ohio State University and a BS from Miami University. Jan is active in the Lutheran Church and currently serves on the Evangelism Committee and in the past has served on the Social Ministry and Call Committees. As a board member, Jan hopes to help continue the amazing work of Holt International by helping children and families find each other.
	Cynthia Bigelow Cynthia is the founder and executive director of CHOSEN International, a faith based post adoption support organization. She is passionate about helping provide educational, emotional, and spiritual resources that strengthen adoptive families. Cynthia and her husband are the parents of four grown children, two through adoption. Though they began their relationship with Holt in 1989, their connection with Holt deepened in 1992 when they traveled with a dental mission to Korea. While in Korea, Cynthia was able to spend time with Grandma Holt, who was visiting Il San at the time, thus began a friendship that lasted until Grandma Holt‟s death in 2000. Cynthia is honored to be a part of Holt‟s Board of Directors as they continue to seek after God‟s heart for caring for the needy children of the world.
	Larry Cahill Larry and his wife Lisa have been involved with Holt for some twenty years, having adopted three sons through Holt (from Thailand). Larry has served nine years previously on Holt‟s Board of Directors, including 3 years as Board Chair.
	Wilma Cheney Wilma Cheney has served continuously on the board since 1968 and was elected a lifetime member of the board in 1996. She has been married to husband, David, for 59 years and is the mother of 7 children, 4 biological sons and 3 Holt-kid daughters. There are 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She has been a worker in various Christian or Presbyterian churches since 1947. She and Dave, who is a retired airline pilot/rancher, have owned and operated Martin Airfield, a General Aviation airport at College Place/Walla Walla, WA since 1998. As board member she has served on almost every committee, chaired the Personnel and Nominating Committee, and held the office of Vice-President and Secretary. She feels serving on the board is a wonderfully satisfying way to "give back" for blessings received from adoption of their wonderful daughters.
	Cindy Davis Cindy and her husband Randall became acquainted with Holt through their neighbors. Cindy and Randall have attended Holt charity events in Dallas area for about 10 years. As a Board member, Cindy has traveled with Holt to Mongolia, India, Philippines, Ukraine, Romania, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, and Korea. She also volunteers as a court appointed child advocate (CASA). Cindy has education and job experience in nursing and hospital administration. Her husband Randall is an oncologist. The Davis‟ have two adult sons, both married and three precious granddaughters. Cindy enjoys being a Board member and "meeting other Christians and doing the work of the Lord to help children around the world."
	Maureen Grimaud Maureen and David have been married 25 years and have two children. Maureen was adopted from Korea in 1963 at two years old and raised on a dairy farm in Minnesota in a loving Christian home. She graduated with a Business Administrative degree from Mankato State University and has been in a family run business, d/b/a Precision Auto Tune in 12 States, with her husband since 1987. Maureen has been involved with adult adoptee gatherings since 1999 and enjoys getting involved with post adoption services. She has been to Korea in 2004 with her family along with other adult adoptees and found it truly life changing. God is truly great by allowing children who have been abandoned to have families of their own. I feel it a privilege and honor to carry on the legacy Harry and Bertha created 55 years ago.
	Kim Hanson Kim is a Holt Korean adoptee, an adoptive parent and mother to three children. Kim has been actively involved in volunteering for Holt since 1998. Activities include traveling to auctions across the country, greeting for families at the airport, numerous trips to Korea with the gift team, work trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, and helping with the Omaha picnic and auction. "God blessed me by giving me life, the Holt's blessed me by giving me a chance to live it."
	Clay Henderson Clay and his wife Shila are the parents of nine children, ages 8 to 27 years. They adopted four children through Holt, beginning in 1997. Clay is retired from the US Army and now manages a supply chain group for Intel Corporation. He enjoys golfing, reading and spending time with his family. Clay was privileged to see Holt's work in both Korea and Vietnam during his adoption travels and has been committed to helping vulnerable children ever since. As a board member, Clay feels a deep commitment to continue Harry and Bertha Holt's mission because truly, "Every child deserves a home of his own."
	David Kim David worked with Harry Holt in the 1950s and 1960s. David is greatly respected in the field of child welfare and adoption. He serves as an ambassador for Holt's work throughout the world. As a Board member and President Emeritus of HICS, David enjoys seeing Holt continue to grow and serve children. He's grateful for his many years being associated with Holt. He gives glory to God for making Holt such a great organization.
	Eric Larsen Eric and his wife Susi are the parents of three young children, ages 2 to 6 years, including a son, adopted from Ethiopia through Holt. Based on the incredible experience working with Holt - and observing first-hand the organization's transformative work with the families and children of Ethiopia - Eric became deeply passionate about the Holt mission and is privileged to be of service as a new member of the Board of Directors Professionally, Eric serves as Managing Partner of the Advisory Board Company, a Washington DC-based healthcare consulting firm with 1,500 employees internationally. Eric is an enthusiastic international traveler, having visited 70+ countries on all 7 continents.
	Kenneth Matsuura Ken and his wife Diane have been involved with Holt since 1981 when they adopted their youngest daughter (from Korea). They have gone on several Holt trips including Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia and China.
	Joseph Matturro Joe is the father of three adult children, including a daughter and son who were adopted from Korea and the Philippines, respectively. He has eight (soon-to-be nine) grandchildren, ages 2 to 11 years. An attorney by training, Joe is a business active, retired corporate executive with 35 years of experience gained at several Fortune 50 global companies. He enjoys history and global studies, all water activities and skiing. He has traveled significantly in his career, including with the Holt gift and donor teams to Korea, Vietnam, and Cambodia. He has been a practicing Roman Catholic all his life. Joe writes, "It is a real honor and privilege to serve with my fellow Board members in the extraordinary legacy of Harry and Bertha Holt and David Kim. I believe Holt can be grown substantially to serve even more needy children globally,"
	Chuck Mitman Mr. Mitman is the President and co-founder of Prism eSolutions and holds over 20 years of experience in the quality and risk management industries. Prior to founding Prism eSolutions, Mr. Mitman served as Vice President of the International Business Division of Simon & Schuster in New York.
	Amber Stime Amber Stime is the founder and executive director of African Cradle, Inc., a non-profit adoption agency dedicated to helping adopted children and their families build nurturing and loving relationships through education, support and enrichment. Amber holds a Master of Social Work degree from Sacramento State University and has worked in the adoption field for over 25 years. Adopted at age 8 from Ethiopia, Amber returned to her birth country in 1992 to seek permission to begin placing children with adoptive families in the U.S. Four years later, she founded African Cradle. As an adoptee, an adoptive mother, and an adoption professional, Amber views adoption from three important perspectives – giving her a unique understanding of the issues involved. "I like the work Holt is doing globally on behalf of children," she says. "Holt is an organization that protects the rights of every child. Therefore, I am honored to be serving on the Holt Board."
	Francis Wankowicz Francis and his wife, Barbara, began their association with Holt in 1989, ultimately adopting three children who are now young adults. He and Barbara have taught pre-adopt classes, worked with many families considering adoption, traveled to Korea through the Holt Family Tour and developed deep and lasting friendships within the Holt community. As a Board member Francis recognizes both the privilege and responsibility of serving children through Holt‟s work, and is humbled by the passion, character and commitment of Holt‟s staff, leadership and Board.
	Jeff Weinkauf Holt has been part of the fabric of Jeff‟s family for many years. His sister Emily was adopted through Holt from Korea, and his parents have both served in various capacities, on behalf of Holt since the mid seventies. Jeff and his wife Amy have chaired the Eugene Holt auction twice, and have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to Korea on the heritage tour and as part of the gift team. Jeff feels that Holt has a unique and special story to tell. From its simple origins to the movement it is today, there is no other group with as much reach, and potential impact for children internationally as Holt.
Holt International Children's Services P.O. Box 2880 (1195 City View) Eugene, Oregon 97402, USA Phone: (541) 687-2202 Fax: (541) 683-6175 Office Hours: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Pacific Time