Meet our Board of Directors

Burris (Duke) Duncan, MD

Dr. Duncan has led an esteemed career in pediatrics.  He was director of pediatics at the University of Colorado and visiting professor in Natal, Brazil.  While there, he was director of Project HOPE’s Land Based Program.  Since 1978, he has been professor of pediatrics and Public Health at the University of Arizona, where he retired in 2006 and now serves at the School of Public Health.  He has consulted for Project HOPE in Foraleza, Brazil, Malawi, Africa, and the Dominican Republic in areas of maternal and infant survival from 1988-1991.  He has been Chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Task Force for International Child Health, Chairman: Committee for International Child Health, Chairman: Section on International Child Health AAP, Chairman: Steering Committee of the AAP's Pediatric Division of Health Volunteers Overseas, US Coordinator for HVO's Program in Uganda, member of the Standing Committee of the International Pediatric Association, and Co-Editor: newsletter for the Section on International Child Health AAP.  Dr. Duncan joined our board in November of 2007 and brings a multinational depth of knowledge to our organization.

Robert N. Hansen, Ph.D.

Dr. Hansen has a doctorate from the University of Missouri in psychology and has a distinguished career in student advocacy.  He taught counseling at the University of Missouri from 1976-1986 where he also served as program director.  In the early eighties, he worked for the Catholic Charities of Kansas City as an adoption case worker, as a representative and as the assistant director of the National Leadership Conferences of the American Youth Foundation.  From 1986 to the present, he has served as the Director of Counseling and Health Services at Westminster College in Fulton, MO.  He has been involved with many regional, hospital, and leadership boards, including Habitat for Humanity for Callaway County and the Central Missouri Community Action.  He co-founded the Wakonse Foundation for College Teaching, the Ozark National Outdoor School, and Project Quest, a campus based outdoor adventure program.  In September 2007, Dr. Hansen joined the board of HFC and with his daughter spent two months in Eastern Africa working as volunteers for HFC furthering our future goals. In May 2008, Dr. Hansen led a group of four Westminster College students to Rwanda as goodwill ambassadors where they began laying the groundwork for the Kibungo Children's and Mothers' Health Center.

Ashley Hufft, JD

A graduate of Harvard Law School, Dr. Ashley Hufft, JD, is a partner at Alston & Bird, LLP, where she has worked from 1998-present specializing in mergers, acquisitions, securities, and most recently African business development.  In 2007-08, Dr. Hufft served as the Millennium Cities Representative for Kenya, and under the direction of Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, acted as the overall project manager for all activity related to the Millennium Cities Initiative in Kisumu, Kenya, coordinated MCI activities with the Millennium Development Goals Steering Committee, analyzed investment opportunities, developed an investment promotion office in Kisumu, managed need assessments in health, education, waste, energy, transport, and IT in the area, developed links between farming and markets, and served as a spokesperson for MCI in connection with investor missions.  Throughout her career, she has remained involved in the development and promotion of children and women.  She brings with her a vast knowledge of the business, legal and development guidelines in East Africa.

Margaret Wanjiku

A graduate of the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies and a native Kenyan living in Nairobi, Margaret Wanjiku Ngunjiri serves as the Public Sector Specialist for the Millennium Development Group (MDG).  Since 2006, she has supported national and sub-national governments in the Eastern and Southern African Region in scaling up MDG initiatives and public investments.  Ms. Wanjiku has assisted decentralized governments throughout the region in preparing poverty reduction plans and improving dialogue with governments, the UN, developmental partners, and the private sector.  From 2003-2006, she served as the Advisor on Governance and Gender to SNV Kenya, advising partner organizations on governance and gender issues.  In this role she led a team studying linkages between natural resource based conflict, gender violence and HIV/AIDS in the North Rift Valley region as well as working with the North Rift Women’s Organization Network, Rural Women Peace Link, and Youth Organizations Network.  From 1999-2003, she coordinated programs aimed at education, gender, and political processes as the Program Manager of the Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development.  A widely published author, Board member of the Foundation of Women’s Right in Kenya, and member of Association of Women’s Rights in Development and League of Kenyan Women Voters, Ms. Wanjiku brings knowledge of the governmental regulations, development plans, and organization throughout East Africa.