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
Prior to the formation of Mother Maryam Foundation, Keith Smith assisted in securing grants and raising money for the water project in the village. He has held most officer positions with South Austin Rotary Club and Rotary Club of Westlake Hills. He is a Trustee for The Girls School of Ausin. He is a Private Mortgage Banker with Wells Fargo, and lives in Horseshoe Bay with his wife and two children.
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.
Leah Goetzel, Board Member
Leah Goetzel is currently a student at Austin High School. She has been working with the Mother Maryam Foundation since third grade, primarily by organizing school supply drives, and raising money to build a middle school. She also works at the Farmers’ Market selling Nile Valley Tea to raise money for the foundation. Leah has also raised money for the foundation through connections with the Rotary Club in Marburg, Germany. One day she hopes to visit Sudan and document her stay in photographs and film, something she is also very passionate about, in hopes of inspiring and educating people to take action on behalf of those in need.
Elizabeth Warnock Fernea, Board Member
The Mother Maryam Foundation mourns the loss of Elizabeth Warnock Fernea, Professor Emerita of The University of Texas at Austin. During a prolific and active career, Professor Fernea taught, lectured, and created numerous books and films on the Middle East. As the Chairperson of ECHO (Expanding Cultural Horizons and Options), she was essential to the success of our water project and a valued advisor. She is much missed.
Link to Elizabeth Warnock Fernea obituary