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Meet our Team!
Hundreds of
global-citizens have contributed to PeaceTrees Vietnam since the
project was created in 1995. A small dedicated group of
volunteers work on the project daily. We could not do our
important life-saving work without the assistance of these caring
individuals.
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United States Team
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Blair B. Burroughs - Executive
Director
Blair B.
Burroughs, an experienced trial and municipal lawyer, recently
graduated from the Nonprofit Leadership Program at Seattle
University and plans a second career in nongovernmental
organizations working overseas. As a partner with Lawler
Burroughs & Baker, P.C. he acted as special counsel for numerous
Washington cities and special purpose districts. He also
represents these, as well as civil clients, in a wide variety of
lawsuits. He
received English and Russian literature degrees from the
University of Washington, and graduated from its Law School with
honors in 1978. After serving as a law clerk to the Chief
Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court, he returned to the
University of Washington Law School to teach before entering
private practice. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of
Trial Counsel and has been named by Washington Law & Politics as
one of its "Super Lawyer" each year from 2001. Blair has
served as a board member of PeaceTrees Vietnam since 2007 and
led the Athenian School Citizen Diplomacy trip to Vietnam in
March 2008. |
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Milica Koscica -
Program Coordinator
As the
Program Coordinator for PeaceTrees Vietnam, Milica is the anchor
in the Seattle office. While she often serves as the face and
voice of PeaceTrees to inquirers and visitors, she also assists
in the fundraising and public relations functions, coordinates
the Citizen Diplomacy trips and at times escorts the groups to
Vietnam, and supports the Executive Director and Board members
as they perform their respective responsibilities. Milica has a
background in philanthropy and has worked as a nonprofit
fundraiser for one of the largest national civil and human
rights coalitions in the country. She is a committed advocate
for peace and human rights, and has worked and traveled
extensively abroad. Milica loves live music, zazen, farmers
markets and good food. She is a recent transplant from
Washington DC, and holds an International Relations degree from
American University.
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Vietnam Team
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Quang Le - Country Director
As the In-Country Representative for PeaceTrees Vietnam Quang Le
provides direct oversight for all of our projects and work in
the Quang Tri Province and acts as our liaison with Vietnamese
officials. He organizes our entire country itinerary:
transportation, lodging and meals for our Citizen Diplomacy
trips. Further, he provides PeaceTrees' immediate response
to all victims of landmine/UXO accidents. He determines the
best way to help them and meet their immediate and long-term
needs.
Quang Le is a Vietnamese American and resides and works in the
PeaceTrees Vietnam office in Dong Ha nearly ten months a year.
He worked in Vietnam for over twelve years.
He has a bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University
of Ohio. He is married and has four daughters and one
grandchild. His home is in Fountain Valley, California. |
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Pham Thi Hoang Ha - In-Country Project Manager;
Le Giang - In-Country Project Manager
Vo Thi Kieu Oanh -
Assistant programmer/Accountant;
Mr. Trung Vo - Driver;
Mr. Binh -
Security/Maintenance |
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Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team |
| Board Of Directors |
Jerilyn Brusseau -
Co-Founder/Board Member
Rae Cheney - Board Member
Cynthia Chirot -
President/Board Member
Linda Cheever - Board Member
Catherine Hazen - Board Member
Paul Kennel - Board Member
Evin Morris - Treasurer/Board Member
Thoa Nguyen - Board Member
Lam Nguyen-Bull - Board Member
Rick Preble - Board Member
Robert Stokes
- Vice President/Board Member
Aly Vander Stoep - Board Member
Joe Yencich - Board Member |
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Jerilyn Brusseau,
Co-Founder/Board Member
Jerilyn Brusseau is a
cook, baker, restaurateur, business-woman, humanitarian and
cultural diplomat. In 1978, she founded “brusseau’s in Edmonds”,
a flourishing French sidewalk café and country bakery, which she
operated with her family until 1993. During that time Jerilyn
was invited by Restaurants Unlimited to join them in the pursuit
of the “perfect” cinnamon roll, resulting in 1985 in the
creation of Cinnabon World Famous Cinnamon Rolls.
In 1986, she founded PeaceTable to create shared culinary
experiences between people of the United States and the former
Soviet Republics as a tool for building cultural understanding.
For this unique work, Jerilyn was given the National Giraffe
Award, given to people who “stick their necks out” for the
common good.
In 1995, she co-founded PeaceTrees Vietnam, a project to foster
cross-cultural friendship and healing with the people and the
land of Vietnam. Her husband and PeaceTrees Co-Founder, Danaan
Parry, died suddenly in 1996, as the first PeaceTrees citizen
diplomacy team was preparing to leave the USA for Vietnam. Her
brother Daniel Cheney, a young helicopter pilot, was killed in
the Vietnam War in 1969, and received the Distinguished Flying
Cross for Bravery. The loss of her brother inspired the
creation of PeaceTrees Vietnam.
Jerilyn has been featured in People Magazine and in an
Emmy-Award-Winning documentary film, “Vietnam Revealed”, on
behalf of PeaceTrees Vietnam.
In April 2005, she was awarded the International Humanitarian of
the Year Award by the International Association of Culinary
Professionals for PeaceTrees Vietnam’s work.
Jerilyn is a founding member of the Seattle Chapter of Les Dames
d’Escoffier International, a member of Seattle Four Rotary Club,
and recipient of the first “Broadway Edison Culinary Award” for
global and community service, offered by Seattle Central
Community College. She serves on the Advisory Board of the
Women’s Center of the University of Washington. |
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Rae Cheney - Board Member
Considered the "heart" of the organization, she does everything
from helping with events to writing personal thank-you notes to
thousands of donors, large and small.
A
retired banking professional and mother of Daniel Cheney, a young helicopter
pilot who lost his life in Vietnam 1969, Cheney has dedicated
her post-retirement life to the organization and support its
daily operations tirelessly with untold volunteer hours.
In 1970, Cheney was awarded the Gold Star Emblem, a medal
bestowed on mothers who have lost their sons in foreign wars.
She has two daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She lives on Bainbridge Island. |
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Cynthia Chirot - President/Board
Member
Cynthia retired from a 28 year
career in banking where she served as Chief Operating Officer of
the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle and Vice President at Bank
of America/Seafirst. She is now enjoying a second career focused
on nonprofits, and currently serves as the Interim Chief
Operating Officer of the Washington Women’s Foundation. Cynthia
also serves on the boards of Capitol Hill Housing and City
University Seattle, is a member and past Vice President –
Service of the downtown Seattle Rotary and is a graduate of
Leadership Tomorrow. Cynthia’s daughter, Laura, currently works
in Vietnam.
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Robert
Stokes, Vice-President/Board member
Bob was born in Amarillo
Texas in 1953 but grew up mainly in Europe. He graduated from
Columbia College with a major in
French in 1975 and from Columbia Law School in 1978. After
clerking in the Federal District Court in Manhattan he moved to
Seattle in 1979. He practiced Commercial law specializing in
communications work. Much of his practice focused on wireless
telephony. He was a founder of and partner in the Seattle law
firm of Stokes Lawrence. In 1997 he began work at AT&T Wireless
where he left the practice of law to focus on business
development and mergers and acquisitions. He became Sr.
Vice-President of Mergers and Acquisitions and negotiated the
sale of AT&T Wireless in 2004. He retired in 2005. During his
time at AT&T Bob worked extensively in South Asia as well as in
Southeast Asia, Europe and Canada. With Indian partners he
helped to develop one of the largest Indian wireless companies.
Bob has been volunteering his time with PeaceTrees Vietnam for
more than a year and led the March 2009 Citizen Diplomacy trip
to Quang Tri Province to dedicate the Jesse Griego Kindergarten. |
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Vietnamese
Partners
PeaceTrees Vietnam works very closely with the People’s
Committee of Quang Tri Province - a governmental body similar to
the state level in the US. The Foreign Relations Department
within the People’s Committee of Quang Tri Province is tasked
with all Non-Governmental Organization affairs.
PeaceTrees
Vietnam also works with The Women’s Union of Quang Tri Province.
The Women’s Union is a well-organized national association that
works to improve the health and welfare of women and children
throughout Vietnam. The Women’s Union is instrumental in the
mines awareness education project.
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People's
Aid Coordinating Committee
People’s
Committee of Quang Tri Province
Foreign
Relations Department of Quang Tri Province
People's Committee Dong Ha Town
The
Vietnam Women’s Union
The
Vietnam Women’s Union of Quang Tri Province
The
Vietnam-USA Society |
United States Partners
PeaceTrees Vietnam works very closely with various organizations
both governmental and non-governmental. |
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Over the years PeaceTrees Vietnam has been granted funds by the
United States Department of State and the Office of Weapons
Removal and Abatement. In 2008 we were awarded funding to
extend our Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team (EOD) another year.
They have also granted us funding to expand our EOD Team,
allowing us the capacity to double our life-saving work.
Our third grant for 2008 will allow us to create a Mine Risk
Education program in the ethnic minority languages in Vietnam. |
PTVN International Headquarters
1301 5th Avenue, Suite 2500
Seattle, Washington USA 98101
206-441-6136 ~
info@peacetreesvietnam.org |
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