Jillian Hopewell, MPA, MA has devoted her professional career to health care justice for immigrant populations. For the last 15 years, Ms. Hopewell has worked with Migrant Clinician Network, the oldest and largest clinical network dedicated to improving health care for underserved migrants. Ms. Hopewell directs MCN's California Office and she is currently part the executive management team at MCN, serving as the Director of Education and Professional Development. In this capacity, Ms. Hopewell oversees MCN's comprehensive technical assistance program for migrant and community health centers and migrant clinicians. She also directs MCN's continuing education program for clinicians and coordinates all of MCN's clinical publications. She is the editor of Streamline, a bimonthly peer reviewed publication that reaches over two thousand clinicians. Additionally, she is responsible for the development and ongoing management of content for MCN's award winning website.

Ms. Hopewell has a Master's degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Arts from the Institute of Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. She specialized in the policy implications and development challenges of binational tuberculosis care. Prior to joining MCN, Ms. Hopewell worked extensively in international arenas. She spent a year researching the role of indigenous art in sustainable economic development and the continuance of cultural traditions in Ecuador and Indonesia. She also served as the Country Director in the Dominican Republic for Amigos de las Americas, a youth leadership and community development organization. Prior to this she was a Route Leader for the same organization in Paraguay. Jillian is fluent in Spanish.

Jillian is married with three children.

Ricardo Garay began working for the Migrant Clinician Network in February of 2009. He is currently responsible for the management of the organization’s Health Network program. This program focuses on the proper coordination of clinical care for migrant workers in different parts of the world. This program also includes other initiatives such as TBNet, CAN-Track, Diabetes Track II, Prenatal Care, and HIV.

Ricardo was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Growing up he became very involved in the family-owned Pharmacy called FarMax. His hands-on experience in the pharmacy laid the foundation for his future interests in both the business realm and social awareness initiatives. While in college, Ricardo was the Student Recruiter Director for the Abilene Christian University’s Admissions office where he managed a team of 20 other students callers. Ricardo received his degree in Business Administration and decided to move to Austin in order to pursue further professional options.

Prior to working for Migrant Clinician Network worked as an EDU Account Manager for Apple Inc. Outside the office, Ricardo enjoys playing soccer, listening to live music, and traveling. “I like to keep an open mind to different approaches, the more people I come in contact with, the more I understand in the importance of equality.” Ricardo strongly believes that Austin and this position at MCN, provide the perfect backdrop for this to happen on a daily basis.

Adrian L. Velasquez is the Manager of the Family Violence Prevention Initiative for Migrant Clinicians Network. This program in focuses particularly on the primary prevention of both sexual and intimate partner violence in the Hispanic migrant community in the United States and building healthy relationships for these families.

Adrian was born in Del Rio, TX. Growing up, Adrian was always involved in social awareness initiatives. During high school and college, Adrian actively led many initiatives; particularly, those dedicated to at-risk youth and local food drives. Adrian attributes his social interests to being a first generation high school and college graduate coming from a migrant family. Adrian graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2008 with a B.A. in Latin American Studies.

Adrian began working for the Migrant Clinician Network (MCN) in September of 2009 as a Health Network Associate; addressing the continuity of care needs on a global scale for farmworkers and other mobile populations. He transitioned to Hombres Unidos in 2011 bringing with him many years of experience dealing with diverse populations, cultural competency, and a thorough knowledge of issues pertaining to the migrant population.

Outside the office, Adrian is very active and enjoys playing and coaching competitive volleyball. He is in his second year as the Assistant Director of Austin Elite Volleyball Club.

Erin Sinclair is originally from Modesto, CA and moved to Chico in the summer of 2009 to begin courses for her Masters. She recently graduated with her Masters in Applied Psychology and will begin the School Psychology credential program at UCLA in the Fall of 2011. Within the Migrant Clinician Network she assists Jillian Hopewell, the Director of Education and Professional Development.

Ms. Sinclair has her Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Gender Studies from California State University Stanislaus. She resides in Chico with her two dogs.

Candace Kugel is a Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse-Midwife with over twenty years of experience in health care for the underserved. She has worked in various clinical settings, including family planning, migrant health, community health center, and private practice. She has worked almost exclusively in rural settings.

Candace has also been active in aspects of health care other than direct patient services. She has served as a clinical instructor for nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, nursing, and medical students, and currently has faculty appointments with the University of Cincinnati and Penn State University’s Schools of Nursing. She has worked in program development in various arenas, including co-founding a “Stork’s Store” prenatal incentive program, initiating a natural family planning education program, and teaching childbirth education classes.

Candace is fluent in Spanish and has worked for many years with Hispanic and migrant patient populations. She taught childbirth education classes in Spanish and led a monthly health education group for Hispanic women. She is currently working with the Migrant Clinicians Network to provide clinical guidance on domestic violence, prenatal, and other programs.

Working with Hispanic populations in the US has led to a growing interest in work in Central America. Candace has studied Spanish in Guatemala, and has traveled to Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti for short-term health care projects. She has acted as faculty for the International Health Medical Education Consortium Elective in Honduras, as well as for the University of Cincinnati Department of Family Medicine Medical Brigade in Honduras and has provided midwifery training classes to community-based midwives in Honduras.

Over the years Candace has served on a number of national and local committees. She has numerous publications and professional presentations to her credit.

Candace is married, and has three children.

Theressa Lyons is the Specialist for HRSA and Cancer Grants for Migrant Clinicians Network (MCN), an international network of health care providers serving migrant farmworkers. Ms. Lyons is responsible for the oversight of HRSA and Cancer Grants. She is also responsible for developing other grant opportunities for MCN.

Ms. Lyons has fifteen years experience as a consultant in administration, training and customer service. In her personal life, she is the founder of The Circle of Friends Alzheimer’s Caregivers Respite dedicated to giving respite in a warm and loving environment to those who care for loved ones living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Amy K. Liebman directs MCN’s comprehensive environmental and occupational health programs that aim to reduce migrant workers’ risks associated with environmental and occupational hazards by improving clinical knowledge and practice. Amy maintains a number of important partnerships with community based organizations, Migrant and Community Health Centers and national and regional groups addressing environment and occupational health and agricultural health and safety.  

Additionally, she has been a national leader in bringing the promotora de salud (lay health worker) model to environmental and occupational health efforts to educate communities about pesticides and ways to reduce their risks from pesticide exposure. MCN and Amy received the 2008 EPA Children’s Environmental Health Regional Champion Award for their innovate programs to help farmworker families minimize their exposures to environmental hazards.  

Amy also coordinates Bienvenidos a Delmarva, a project of the Business, Economic and Community Outreach Network at Salisbury University. Bienvenidos provides technical assistance and support to service providers working with immigrants on the Eastern Shore of the Delmarva Peninsula.    Prior to her current position, she was the Director of Outreach and Policy for the Center for Environmental Resource Management in El Paso, Texas, where she directed several programs on both sides of the US-Mexico Border. Her most noted program was Agua Para Beber or Water to Drink, a community-based hygiene education program that reached thousands of families living without water. It was the first program to successfully utilize the promotera de salud model in a community-based environmental health initiative in the United States. It was awarded the 2000 Texas Environmental Excellence Award. 

 Amy has been the principal investigator and project manager of numerous government and privately sponsored projects. She has authored articles, bilingual training manuals and other educational materials dealing with environmental and occupational health and migrants. Amy has a Master’s degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Arts from the Institute of Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.  

Amy has traveled throughout Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina, Chile and Europe. She loves to spend time with her husband and two children, ages 11 and 8. Together they spend a lot of time outdoors. Amy coordinates a Community Supported Agriculture Program and helps organize a fund for low-income people to access fresh, local produce. She and her family also live in a passive solar house and are passionate about heating/cooling using the sun.  

Matt Riley is a native Texan born in Ft. Worth and raised all over Texas and Oklahoma. He attended Belmont University and received a degree in Commercial Music in 2005. From there, he moved to Los Angeles where he worked for an international media company as their office manager. In 2010, he moved back to Texas, taking up residence in Austin where he began work for a restaurant supply company as their accounts receivable clerk.

Matt enjoys playing guitar, piano, singing, and writing music. He plays with a band in his free time and leads music for First Baptist Taylor on Sunday mornings.

Elyce Harris is the Executive Administrative Associate at MCN. She is a native Texan, hailing from San Antonio, but her family is military so she traveled a lot as a child. After high school Elyce lived in Mexico City for two years working with a church on a variety of issues including advocating for indigenous population rights, leading eco-tours, and teaching English. When she returned from Mexico she went to community college and received her Associate of Arts in Business Administration. In 2005, Elyce started at Texas Tech University and graduated in 2009 with Bachelors of Arts in both Global Affairs and Spanish. During her time in college she studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain and Lyon, France. In both of these countries she did more advocacy work for victims of human trafficking, refugees, and handicap rights, as well as disaster relief projects. In May of 2010 she moved to Austin, Texas to work for the Refugee Services of Texas, where she worked as a case manager for refugees and victims of human trafficking. In this capacity she provided direct care services to these groups and worked with lawyers, doctors, Medicaid/Medicare, grants, and many more programs and organizations on a daily basis.

As Director of International Projects, Research, and Development for the Migrant Clinicians Network, Deliana Garcia writes and presents on the health needs of migrants and the disparities in the provision of health care services they suffer. She has developed clinician training on infectious and chronic diseases and programs to assist migrants to remain in clinical care as they move for purposes of employment. Ms. Garcia has been involved with migrant populations for 20 years. She has worked in the areas of reproductive health, access to primary care and infectious disease at the local, state, national and international level through program and policy development and publications for more than 25 years. Her past experience includes direct patient education, legislative advocacy and as a consultant to federally qualified health centers in the U.S.

Sarah Martin joined Migrant Clinicians Network in April of 2012. She currently provides support to the Board of Directors and Executive Committee and ensures the Austin office keeps on rolling. She was born and raised in Austin, Texas but enjoys traveling outside the Lone Star State. Latin American Art History was her favorite class before she received her BA in Art from Texas State University. She has traveled to many places in Latin America and appreciates the culture and art alike. She loves anything outside especially gardening, so she can watch her plants grow into something she can cook.

Bertha Armendáriz, MD works for MCN as the TBNet Program Coordinator for El Paso, TX and Las Cruces, NM. She also serves as a consultant for MCN’s Immunizations Initiative, helps coordinate pesticide education in the area and directs MCN’s nutrition program for border tuberculosis patients.

Prior to working with MCN, Dr. Armendáriz worked for the Secretaria de Salud as a Staff Physician at a Rural Public Health Center at a Juárez México Border. She also worked for the Secretaria de Salud as Clinical Director of a Family Practice Rural Clinic at a Juárez México Border.

Dr. Armendáriz received her medical degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Cuidad Juárez, School of Medicine. She completed an Internship at Instituto de Seguridad Social para los Trabajadores del Estado with a fellowship in Preventive Medicine and Public Health. She currently attends the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua pursing a Masters degree in Healthcare Administration.

Dr. Armendariz was born and raised in Juarez, Mexico. She is particular concerned with the spread of infectious diseases and is very committed to helping migrants and other underserved people in the border region.

She enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters. Dr. Armendariz also plays piano and spends time listening to classical music. She enjoys the outdoors and sports such as basketball, Kung-Fu, and Judo. She teaches self-defense techniques to young women in Juarez.

Karen Mountain, RN, MSN, MBA has served as the Chief Executive Officer of MCN since 1987. In her capacity as CEO, Ms. Mountain has translated her extensive experience in health care delivery, business and research into the development of broader national primary care policy. Under Ms. Mountain’s direction, MCN has grown into a major international presence.

Ms. Moutain received her Masters in Nursing and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. At UT Austin Ms. Mountain received numerous awards including the Most Outstanding Student from the School of Nursing.

Ms. Moutain serves on numbers boards and advisory committees incuding the Baylor College of Medicine Physician Assistant Program Rural Health Initiative Project, the Primary Care Fellowship Society, and the National Rural Health Association. Ms. Mountain is an Adjunct Clinical Instructor, School of Nursing, the University of Texas at Arlington.

Prior to her work with MCN, Ms. Mountain served as a catalyst for state level health policy development as the Project Director for the Texas Office of Rural Health. Ms. Mountain’s participation in public policy decision making, and primary care initiatives, includes work with both national and state based organizations Beyond her pivotal role at MCN, Ms. Mountain is a published author and coveted presenter. Ms. Mountain holds Master’s Degrees both in business and community health nursing, and has worked from the North Slope of Alaska to Thailand setting up primary care service delivery models for vulnerable populations and as a medical officer for National Geographic.

Dr. Jennie McLaurin has thirty years of experience in working with migrant farmworker populations, starting as an outreach worker in 1982. She is a pediatrician with a degree in maternal and child health, and has worked at the local, state, and national level on developing programs, policies, and publications for migration health, cultural proficiency, child health, and bioethics. Her past experience includes work as an outreach worker, clinician, medical director, faculty member and consultant. She has assisted MCN with a Centers for Disease Control sponsored initiative to improve immunization coverage to migrant families, served as a faculty member for the HRSA Health Disparity Collaboratives, and lectured widely on a number of clinical topics. She provides graduate education in the fields of bioethics and migration health to a number of university programs.

Dr. McLaurin received a BS in chemistry from Salem College, an MD from Wake Forest University, an MPH in maternal and child health from UNC-Chapel Hill, and an MCS with a bioethics thesis from Regent College graduate school in Vancouver, BC Canada.

Work experience also includes several months in southern India and short assignments in the Dominican Republic.

When not at work, Dr. McLaurin likes to spend time with her family, especially if it means being outside in the Pacific Northwest.

Dr. Ed Zuroweste is the Chief Medical Officer for Migrant Clinicians Network. In this position, Dr. Zuroweste is responsible for the oversight of all of MCN’s clinical activities. He was present for the first “official meeting” of the Migrant Clinicians Network in 1985 and have been consistently involved with the organization since that time.

Dr. Zuroweste began his work with migrants as a partner in a private practice in Chambersberg, PA. He later became the Medical Director of Keystone Health Center, a large Migrant and Community Health Center in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. While attending to his administrative responsibilities, Dr. Zuroweste also maintained a full-time clinical practice in family practice and obstetrics, including full hospital privileges in Pediatrics, Adult Medicine and Obstetrics.

In addition to his work with MCN, Dr. Zuroweste is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine where he directs an International Rural Health Elective in Honduras. Dr. Zuroweste is also the staff physician for Dauphin and Franklin County HD tuberculosis clinic, PA Dept. of Health; a Clinical Consultant for 3 separate consulting firms; and serves as a Locum Tenem family physician for multiple sites.

Dr. Zuroweste has traveled extensively in Central America, especially Honduras and Guatemala both for teaching and pleasure. He has also traveled to Europe, South America and the Caribbean.

Dr. Zuroweste is married with three children. When not working, Dr. Zuroweste enjoys long distance running, listen to great music, great movies and concerts, work out of doors, and travel with family and friends to far off locations.

As a recent graduate from the University of North Texas, Gracie became an addition to the Migrant Clinicians Network in January of 2011. She earned a degree in sociology with a minor in Spanish as a means to practice reciprocity. While in college, she worked as an English tutor at Laredo Community College and as a bilingual interviewer at the UNT Survey Research Center. Gracie relocated to Austin soon after graduating and was welcomed into Health Network.

When Gracie is not fulfilling her role as a Health Network Associate, she experiences beauty in reading, creating, and volunteering.