The Mother Maryam Foundation Board of Directors
Awad Abdelgadir, President and Chairperson
Awad A. Abdelgadir grew up in Zawrat village in Northern Sudan. He is the son of Mother Maryam and he dedicates the village projects to his mother’s memory and to all mothers. He runs Nile Valley Herbs, Inc., which produces and markets herbal tea and supports the village projects. He also teaches Arabic at St. Edward’s University in Austin Texas. He has a Bachelor of Law degree from Sudan and a Master’s in Education from Southwest Texas State University. He is a member of Austin-Westlake Rotary Club. He has successfully implemented several projects in Zawrat; the village clinic project is his latest endeavor.
Steven R. Hake, Secretary and Board Member
Steven R. Hake is an attorney engaged in the practice of business law in Austin, Texas. He is a graduate of Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley. He is admitted to the Bars of Massachusetts, Washington, and Texas and has been in private practice since 1978. Steve is a member of the Rotary Club of Austin and has established close ties with Rotarians in Africa, Australia, and Mexico. He assisted the village clean drinking water project from the beginning.
Keith G. Smith, Treasurer and Board Member
Keith is a manager for Wells Fargo Bank in Austin Texas. He is a member of the Austin-Westlake Rotary Club. He assisted the village clean drinking water project from the beginning.
Linda Boxberger, Board Member
Linda Boxberger is a researcher, writer, and consultant specialized in Southern Arabia and Sudan. She has a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern History from the University of Texas at Austin. She is associated with the Yemen College for Middle Eastern Studies and is a member of the board of the American Institute for Yemeni Studies. She has participated in the implementation of projects in Zawrat, and since 1988 has documented various aspects of village life, including the projects.
Dr. Abdelaziz Osman, Board Member
Dr. Abdelaziz Osman is Chairman of Zawaya Group, an industrialist group developing industries in different sectors of the Sudanese market. He recently retired as CEO of Sudatel, Sudan’s largest publicly owned company. He has a PhD in engineering from Oklahoma State University. His business interests have always supported philanthropic activities and community development.
Elizabeth Warnock Fernea, Board Member
Elizabeth Warnock Fernea, Professor Emerita University of Texas at Austin, is the creator of numerous books and films on the Middle East. She has served on the boards of numerous organizations, and is the Chairperson of ECHO (Expanding Cultural Horizons and Options), a non-profit charitable organization which has participated in Zawrat village projects.