ECHO: Networking Global Hunger Solutions

ECHO has a small staff with a big mission. Volunteers are invaluable in ECHO’s effort to fight hunger. Volunteers provided over 72,000 hours of service last year. ECHO also relies greatly on the work of interns. Each year eight interns spend 12 months at ECHO and contribute greatly to maintaining the farm, nursery, seed bank, tours, and public relations.
	MARILYN ACTON is Volunteer Coordinator Marilyn has a B A in Business Administration. She managed the Bookstore at Evangelical Christian School in Ft. Myers for nine years. In September, 2005 she joined the ECHO staff to help ECHO better utilize volunteers’ unique skills, abilities and enthusiasm to accomplish it’s world-wide ministries.
	DAWN BERKELAAR is Co-editor of ECHO Development Notes(EDN). She came to ECHO in July of 2000 as an intern with a background in biology and is now an employee working out of her home in Canada. Her interests include running, reading, and writing. Email: dberkelaar@echonet.org
	DANNY BLANK is our Farm Manager. Danny came to ECHO as a student for a month in May of 1992. He returned as an intern in March of 1994, then became part of the staff in April of 1995 after finishing his time as an intern. Danny is now in charge of the ECHO farm, directing all planting and planning. He has a wealth of technical and practical knowledge on tropical agriculture. His interests include managing his citrus grove, spending time with friends, reading, hiking, and growing closer to Jesus.
	RHODA BEUTLER, Educational Programs Coordinator. Rhoda oversees ECHO's various training and education opportunities including workshops, college courses, study program, and the annual agricultural conference. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Agronomy and International Studies from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. She came to ECHO in 2004 as an intern and continued as a staff member after an oversees assignment in the Central Platuea of Haiti. Email: rbeutler@echonet.org
	JIM BUTLER is the Director of Resources/Conference Coordinator. Jim came to ECHO in April of 2001 with backgrounds in human resources, technical problems, computer experience, drafting, and electrical engineering. Jim's interests include cooking, landscaping, and being a mentor for young married couples. Email: jbutler@echonet.org
	STAN DOERR is the Executive Director of ECHO. Stan and his wife Beth have transfered to ECHO from World Vision where they served 3 years in Mauritania. Stan has lived or worked in over 45 countries around the world in community development and agriculture and has a masters of Science from the University of Texas. Email: sdoerr@echonet.org
	JERI HAMPTON, Bookstore Manager, came to ECHO in March 2005. Prior to ECHO, Jeri and her husband owned an auto glass business for 18 years, so Jeri has a background in business and sales. Jeri's interests include visiting lighthouses with her husband, spending time with her two grandchildren, and scuba diving (she is a certified scuba diver). Email: jhampton@echonet.org
	ELLEN HARGRAVE, Hospitality Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator, has a background as a missionary in Kenya, Africa. She came to ECHO in October of 2003. Her interests are in education and "people". Email: ehargrave@echonet.org ROBERT HARGRAVE, Technical Research Specialist, has a background of agricultural missions in Kenya, Africa, with expertise in drought resistant crops and famine relief distribution. Bob works with ECHO's Technical Response Unit answering requests from missionaries and development workers overseas. His interests include dry land and tropical agriculture.
	Danielle Flood, Public Relations Manager, came to Echo in December 2007 to become part of our Public Relations staff. She served as a missionary in Niger, West Africa for two years and has a degree in Spanish. She enjoys learning languages and cultures, kayaking, picnicking and basically anything outdoors. She and her husband, Nate, look at ECHO as an opportunity to serve the missionary community and want to be faithful to serve God wherever he plants them. Email: dflood@echonet.org
	Monica Gomez , Office Manager, was born in New York city has 3 male children Simon, Mateo and Joshua. Monica and her husband Osmany are an integral part of "Mision Latina, Ft Myers" and very happy to be part of the ECHO. She is very passionate about building the relationship between ECHO and the Hispanic community both locally and internationally. Email: mgomez@echonet.org
	Bill Hooth works in Development as Speakers Bureau and Ambassador coordinator. He has several years of corporate marketing and sales in the auto-manufacturing industry. He brings great enthusiasm and joy to the ECHO team. Email bhooth@echonet.org Mary Ann Hooth serves as an administrative assistant to the Executive Director and Director of Development . She has a business background in executive administration. She enjoys spending time with her friends, grand-children, and is involved with her church.
	GINNY KRIDER is ECHO's Donor Services and Technical Requests. Ginny joined the ECHO team in March of 2003. Ginny has a background in setting up disaster response programs for the United Methodist Church and other office environments. Her interests are working with computers, and reading. Email: gkrider@echonet.org
	Nate Lehmkuhl is ECHO's Appropriate Technologies Manager. His role involves research and documentation of appropriate technologies being utilized in developing countries around the world. He is also in charge of AT training for students and interns and the construction of selected demonstrations. Nate has a background in wildland management and animal husbandry and experience working and traveling throughout Latin America. Nate enjoys exploring different cultures.
	ORLANDO LOGELIN, Planned Giving Specialist. Orlando joined the ECHO staff with 36 years of experience in developing planned giving programs with numerous national non-profit organizations. He is responsible for charitable gifts through wills, trusts, and gift annuities. Orlando also served on the ECHO Board of Directors for 12 years. Email: ologelin@echonet.org
	Dr. TIM MOTIS ECHO's Seedbank Manager. Dr. Tim Motis grew up in Liberia and worked in Ethiopia for two years before earning his PhD in horticulture at the University of Florida. He then spent three years working as the Director of ECHO's Small Farm Resource Development Project in Haiti. Since 2006, he has served as ECHO's Seed Bank Director. His role in the seed bank involves acquiring seeds of new species to offer to interested members of ECHO's network, coordinating research on the farm, exploring appropriate seed storage techniques for the tropics, and editing various ECHO publications
	GEORGE & LOLLIE PECKHAM lived in Central and South America for over 18 years doing animal feed marketing, international development and poultry production. They are now volunteer staff at ECHO, coming here in October of 1995. Lollie works in the office processing technical requests from around the world and can translate into French and Spanish. George works in the nursery with plant sales and keeps seeds stocked in the bookstore and on shop site. Email: lpeckham@echonet.org
	DR. MARTIN PRICE is ECHO's Senior Agricultural Resources Director. He came in 1981 and established ECHO in its current form, overseeing all areas of ECHO's ministry. He is directly responsible for the technical staff, intern program, bookstore and nursery sales, and is editor of the ECHO Development Notes (EDN). With a B.S. in chemistry, Ph.D. in biochemistry and Post-doctoral research in agricultural chemistry, Martin is interested and experienced in gardening plants for humid tropics, fruit trees, edible landscaping and rooftop gardening.
	VIRGINIA QUIGLEY is ECHO's Bookkeeper. Virginia came to ECHO in September 1996 and has a background as a bookstore manager and as a financial bookkeeper. A native Floridian, Virginia has the gift of encouragement, which helps everyone. Her interests include reading, traveling and family. Email: vquigley@echonet.org
	JEFF REACH is ECHO's IT Manager. He is responsible for ECHO's computer networks, technical website and producing books on CD-ROM. Jeff has a background in sales, sales management and all facets of computer technology. Jeff came to ECHO in September of 2002 from Gartner, Inc. a leading IT Research and Consulting firm. He has a special interest in the Martial Arts and the owner and head instructor for USA Martial Arts Florida. Email: jreach@echonet.org
	MIKE SULLIVAN is ECHO's Development Director, and under his direction, the Development Department works diligently to improve ECHO's financial position through fundraising, grant writing, and increased public contact. Mike is a well-known and much sought-after speaker in the local community and with national organizations. Mike came to ECHO as a volunteer in August of 1994 and became part of our staff in November of the same year. He has a sales and marketing background, with an Army medical degree. Mike's interests include canoeing, kayaking, fishing, preaching, giving tours, and public speaking. Email: msullivan@echonet.org
	HARRY VOLKER, our Facilities Manager, came to ECHO as a volunteer in January of 1999, then became a staff member in January of 2001. He has a background as an "earth science" teacher, a naturalist at a nature center, and owned his own beekeeping business. Besides fixing and building things here, he teaches the interns proper beekeeping techniques. His interests include singing, NASCAR watching, and bees. Email: hvolker@echonet.org
	JANE VOLKER, Reference Librarian, came to ECHO as a volunteer in January of 1999, then became a staff member in January of 2001. She has taught home economics and has library certification. Jane oversees the library, and guides the students, interns, volunteers and visiting missionaries through the maze of information on tropical agriculture. Her interests include quilting, walking, reading, and beekeeping with her husband.
	Lindsay Watkins, Seed Bank Manager, oversees the day to day operations of ECHO's seed bank: maintaining seed inventory, managing interns and volunteers, and filling seed requests from our network. Lindsay came to ECHO as an intern in 2005, and after an overseas tenure in Kazakhstan, returned as staff. She holds a bachelor's degree in plant science and theology from Dordt College in Iowa.
	Tim Watkins, ECHO's Tropical Fruit Nursery Manager, has a background in biology and horticulture with a degree from Bethel University. Tim was an intern from January 2001 to January 2002 and returned to ECHO after time in the Central African Republic. Tim's interests include camping and refinishing antique furniture.
	LARRY YARGER joined the ECHO Team in November 2004. Larry has a B.S. and M.S. in Horticulture from Michigan State University and has spent most of his professional life overseas. Prior to ECHO, Larry worked with World Partners in Vietnam focusing on church support, agroforestry, and hillside farming. Larry enjoys gardening, old agricultural things such as tools and books, and music.