BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Steve VonBerg

Steve VonBerg

Board Chair

Steve has been a part of the UWP Board of Directors ever since he visited Uganda as a part of UWP Team #1 in 2008.  His first-hand experience with the critical need for clean water and the solutions that UWP provides continues to motivate his involvement.  He is passionate about the transformation people experience when working with UWP and seeing its solutions in action.  Steve is the President of Pervasive Solutions in Victor, NY.

James Harrington

James Harrington

Board Member

James started laying the foundation for the Ugandan Water Project in 2007 after crashing a barbecue and meeting a man from Uganda.  The first water projects were installed in 2008 and the organization now works in over 300 communities across Uganda. A contagious communicator, he speaks on topics surrounding international development, non-profit leadership and values-driven poverty alleviation across diverse demographics. He loves helping people see their own potential to change the world. James is passionate about helping to identify sustainable solutions for communities in crisis by leveraging the power of relationships. James and his wife, Christy, are raising 3 beautiful daughters in Bloomfield, NY where they are active in their church and committed as a family to connecting with people to produce change in the world around them.

Doug Cowburn

Doug Cowburn

Board Member

Doug’s enthusiasm lies in meeting real needs for the global community.  Alongside his own connections to the people of Uganda after a short-term missions trip, Doug believes in the mission of UWP and its goals.  His own focus on reaching people and changing lives for future generations partners well with UWP’s work in providing safe drinking water and changing the lives of Ugandans immediately for a sustainable future.  Doug is the Executive Pastor at Elim Gospel Church and a leadership coach for Church Health Solutions.

Trish Christoforo

Trish Christoforo

Board Member

Trish’s interests rest in partnering with and supporting sustainable models of business throughout the world.  She appreciates the vision and focus that UWP offers within international development while also being flexible and realistic.  She is passionate about the way that clean water at schools can significantly improve the education for Ugandan children in multiple ways. Trish works as a realtor for Keller Williams in the Canandaigua area.

Dave Christoforo

Dave Christoforo

Board Member

For Dave, finding ways to invest in social impact with a tangible outcome is motivating. Dave is inspired by UWP’s commitment to impacting a nation through the foundation of providing clean water.  He is most excited by the analytics and data-tracking that UWP is using to help UWP make data-driven decisions. He and his wife Trish have several business ventures in the Dominican Republic and other international locations as well as working locally as property managers in the Canandaigua, NY area.

Mark Jenkins

Mark Jenkins

Board Member

Mark is a Senior Financial Officer for Pyramid Management Group (joined in 2004) in Syracuse, NY. He holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from Roberts Wesleyan College and a Masters of Business Administration from Clarkson University. He has been a guest lecturer at Syracuse University and Cornell University for topics including Commercial Real Estate, Real Estate Investment and Capital Markets. Mark is also very passionate about community involvement through his volunteer efforts, which include The Maureen’s Hope Foundation, Honor Flight Syracuse, Alzheimer’s Association, Baldwinsville School District and Believer’s Chapel. He resides in Baldwinsville, NY, married to his best friend, Brenda, is the proud father of two sons (Marcus & Sam) in the U.S. Navy and a daughter (Makenzie) beginning her college career. He attended college with James Harrington at Roberts Wesleyan College and joined the Board of Director’s in 2018. His goal is to develop increased awareness of UWP’s mission throughout the greater Syracuse area by forging new relationships with people who will share in the efforts of making sure that someday nobody has to walk for water.