We are a grassroots example of pragmatic solidarity. Together, we support Partners In Health and their fight for social justice, proving that a preferential option for the poor in health care, and the infrastructure that supports it, is possible. We are friends, family, churches, engineering and construction companies and professional organizations joining together for a common goal.
The people leading this effort include Chris Strock, Anna Strock and Sarah Alston.
Christopher Strock, PE is a civil engineer volunteering with Partners In Health and a Ph.D. student at the Myers-Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech. He has focused on inequalities in infrastructure in resource-poor settings since 2004 also serving a series of hospitals and universities in Nigeria with Nigeria Faithful Works; L'Hôpitâl Sacré Coeur in Milot, Haiti with the CRUDEM Foundation; and several rural villages in Belize with Peacework. He received his BSCE (with Honors) in 1998 from Virginia Military Institute and worked for DPR Construction in Redwood City, California and Timmons Group in Richmond, Virginia. He received his MSCEE with an emphasis in environmental engineering in 2006 from Virginia Tech. Chris has received several awards for his volunteer service to include the Presidential Volunteer Service Award in 2005 and the Graduate Service Award at Virginia Tech in 2008. Chris designed the proposed bridge in collaboration with the Haitian Ministry of Transportation and is leading the fund raising effort to build a permanent crossing over the Fonlanfe River.You can contact Chris via e-mail at cstrock@vt.edu.
Anna Strock is a free-lance writer volunteering her marketing expertise to this effort. She received her BA in English from the University of Virginia in 1998 and worked for Tri-Tech Marketing in Pleasanton, California and Capital One in Richmond, Virginia before starting her free-lance work. She can be reached via e-mail at anna.strock@gmail.com.
Sarah Alston is a web developer volunteering as web master for bridgeforhaiti.org. She received her BSBIT in 2006 from Virginia Tech's Pamplin College of Business and is currently working as a webmaster for Denver Health & Hospital Authority. Denver Health is a non-profit hospital in downtown Denver, CO that offers health care to both the insured and uninsured. Sarah has volunteered as a web master for several other groups and organizations, including PACÉ (Poverty Awareness Coalition for Equality) and Clinics for Haiti, with the hope to help organizations like these raise awareness. You can contact Sarah via e-mail at salston@vt.edu
Thanks also to Dr. Christine Fiori, PE of the Myers-Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech, Dr. John Rice, PE formally of Virginia Tech and now a professor of Civil Engineering (Geotechnical) at Utah State, and Jim Stone, PE Deputy Public Works Director for the City of Manteca, California for their technical review of the design; those at Partners In Health (especially Dr. Louise Ivers) who has dedicated her life to serving the people of Boucan Carré; those at Zanmi Lasante (especially Loune); friends in the Government of Haiti; Debra Rubin at Engineering News-Record for doing what she does best; Jordan Pyda for his pictures and copy input; Melissa Ripepi for her assistance organizing photos; all those who have supported this project; and especially to Lindsay for giving me her copy of Mountains Beyond Mountains (without that simple gesture, none of this would have ever happened). This effort is dedicated to the people of Boucan Carré and the nameless people taken by the Fonlanfe.