Staff

Peg Thomas, Executive Director

Years ago I was the Executive Director of the American Indian Health Care Association, where we addressed health disparities in medical care for Native American and Alaskan Natives on a national scale. Later as the Executive Director of the Grotto Foundation for 12 years, I helped create a $5 million dollar Native American language, and a Native American family care program that galvanized funding from national foundations. I was a board member with Global Deaf Connections where we financed the education of Deaf children in Kenya, the DR Congo and Jamaica. This Brides to Learning position moves me farther into global philanthropy work and I can't wait.

Prior to my work at the Grotto, I was the Executive Director of Metro Deaf Senior Citizens, an organization of Deaf senior citizens who use American Sign Language—my second language.

I bring a number of educational credentials, which will be of great value in my work at Bridges to Learning. I have master's degrees from both the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and Harvard.

After ten years as a partner with my consulting business, Strategeries, developing business, strategic and financial plans with over 75 nonprofit organizations, I look forward to helping us think global and act local because I believe it will inspire us to do more with what we have and to open our hearts and minds. Let's make a big difference for children near and far.

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Sara Stalland, Programs & Administrative Assistant

I have long been passionate about helping children and families attain a better quality of life through education. Living in Africa multiple times furthered my interest in the developing world. Before taking this position with Bridges to Learning, I had just returned from a consulting job at a small private school in Yaoundé, Cameroon. I served many roles, but primarily worked on fundraising, organizational development and financial planning. Moving to this American position to help Anh Linh Love School - a school similar to that in Cameroon - neatly linked my field experience to Bridges to Learning's mission and objectives.

I have a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in political science with a certificate in global cultures and concentration in African studies. I will be pursuing a master's degree in public policy at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in the fall of 2011 where I look forward to integrating my work at Bridges with my academic curriculum.

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Robert Mac Murdo, Financial Officer

Of the many wonderful things you discover in retirement are the opportunities to give your time and energy for worthwhile causes. I had an engineering background and worked for AT&T in both engineering, marketing and business development for thirty years and wasn't certain where I could use that in a way that met my objectives.

I always regarded education as a field of endeavor to pursue and when I met Jerri the answer was very easy. Jerri first asked if I could sponsor a child and that became the easy part. Then when I traveled to Vietnam to visit Jerri while she worked with the school I met my "godchild" and was hooked. Creating Bridges to Learning, Inc. provides the means to help so many and as in business there become goals to meet and tasks to be accomplished but nothing touches the heart more that the recipients, the children.