The Leadership
Team

Meet the leadership team bringing the vision for better healthcare to life in Karen State, Myanmar.

Dan Ryan

EM & EMA Executive
Director

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Dr. Mitch Ryan

EMA Program
Director

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Caryl Ryan

EMA Administration
Director

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Dr. Sha Kler Law

T-RAD Clinic
Medical Director

Ler Doh (Kyaukkyi), Myanmar

Saw Raykaw

Rain Tree Clinic
Medical Director

Karen State, Myanmar

The Donor and Communication Team

Meet the donor and communication team keeping in touch with you to make a difference in Karen State, Myanmar.

Laura Hesselink

EM Administrative
Director

Siloam Springs, AR, USA

Jill Carver

EM Associate Executive Director

Siloam Springs, AR, USA

Rob Campbell

EMA Director of Donor Development

Wimberley, TX, USA

Irtaas Laaldin

Communication
Director

Honolulu, Hawaii

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Founders:
LD & Sue Ryan

Earth Mission was formed to give technical people a way to do short-term missions, with an emphasis on appropriate technology, helping missionaries with technology to make their lives easier on the field. LD, as a PhD licensed engineer, began Earth Mission along with his wife, Sue, who managed the accounting and legal requirements for the non-profit organization.

LD taught mechanical engineering at John Brown University (JBU) and worked under Jim Pearson (Chair of the Engineering Division and Caryl’s father).

In 1982, EM created a building truss manufacturing business in Mexico. LD and several others designed and made fixtures to build steel trusses. Church donations of tools and other equipment to fabricate trusses were loaded into an old school bus, and volunteers drove the bus to Mexico to get the business started.  A local pastor and partner took the business from this beginning, making doors and hydraulic lifts and other products.

Soon after, Scott  (one of LD’s mechanical engineering students at JBU) and Scott’s brother-in-law (an anthropologist) set up a foundry making aluminum pans out of recycled aluminum. Together with a partner in the Dominican Republic, the project had long-term success.

LD and his team then continued to work on other appropriate technology projects such as solar and windmills. Some of these projects were done through his students’ senior project classes at JBU.

When his son, Dr. Mitch, and Caryl joined Earth Mission in 1993, they started the medical outreach mission which has grown over the last 25 years first in Pakistan and then in Thailand and Myanmar.

LD and Sue (left) at a gathering, LD with a colleague on an early Engineering Technology project, Dan Ryan working on an Engineering Technology project, photos of the Engineering Technology projects in Mexico

The Board
Members

Meet the board members making sure Earth Mission stays accountable to you and the Karen.

Mark Davis

President

Dennis Bergthold

Vice President

Dr. Jim Caldwell

Secretary

Stefan Siems

Treasurer

Cindy L. Frieze

Board Member

Cathy Reimer

Board Member

Dr. Amy Schochler

Board Member