walking TEAM
TweetWalking the entire distance from Cape Town to Cairo.
Amy Russell
Founder and Executive Director of Walk4Water
Amy is the admittedly crazy person who has committed to seeing this project through. She's excited to turn this dream into a reality.
Marty Yoder
Compassionately Driven Support Vehicle Driver
Marty is probably the most patient person you will ever meet. He will be the one that picks us up in the nick of time or helps us escape dangerous situations in our support vehicle. If nothing else, he will have driving adventures while we have walking adventures and trade stories with us at the end of the day. Marty is originally from Elkhart, IN and went to Greenville College in IL.
Aaron Tharp
Committed walker and experienced traveller
Aaron, the guy with the coolest dreads on the block, is an essential member of our walking team. Although originally from Ohio, Aaron has been traveling since the age of 18, and has had many different life experiences most people only dream about. If there's anyone you want to walk across Africa with you, it's this guy.
Support Team
These members have been instrumental in getting us TO Africa and will continue to make Walk4Water thrive while we are abroad!
Matt Vickers
Support Team Coordinator
Based in Chicago, Matt has been involved with Walk4Water since the beginning. He is passionate about loving people and making the world a more beautiful place through design, which he has a natural talent for. He is coordinating the Walk4Water support team to make sure everything stays on track. He's pretty amazing!
Doreen Oraha
Marketing, Social Media, and Merchandising
We call her Dora (like the Explorer), and she is responsible for our Social Media and Merchandising channels. Dora adds dedication and excitement to all that she does, and has been an incredible asset to our team since she has joined. She rocks!
Kristen Van Putten
Charity: water specialist
Kristen and her family have been involved with our beneficiary organization, charity: water for a few years. Her experience with the organization and her extreme attention to detail make Kristen is the perfect person to be our charity: water liaison and expert! Other than water, Kristen is passionate about elementary education and is a great teacher in Omaha, NE.
Emily and Jesse Bauer
Emily and Jesse are one of the most passionate and compassionate couples that you will ever meet. They will be helping to track us and will find us if we ever get lost. If something goes wrong, you'll hear the updates from them. And if you have an emergency you need to tell US about, contact them first, and they will know how to reach us.
You might also hear Jesse's voice on the other side of the phone. He will be handing our phone communications.
Rob Nightingale
UK Tour Coordinator and Marketing Director
Rob is coordinating our 10 day speaking tour in the UK; which will commence immediately after the team finishes their walk in Cairo. He runs his own marketing agency there, Wet Fish Marketing, and we are so excited and thankful to have him on board with Walk4Water!
Sarah Van Putten
Faith Community Liaison
Sarah is a nurse to the world and lover of all; who dreams of opening her own coffee shop to benefit impoverished nations in the developing world. (And yes, Kristen is her sister). For Walk4Water, Sarah will be handling specific communications between the Walk4Water team and our supporting faith communities. If you are part of a faith community and want to be involved or to receive prayer requests for the Walk4Water Africa team please contact her.
Josiah Tharp
Accounts receivable and mail communications
Josiah is, yes, Aaron's younger brother. Extremely talented musician and a ton of fun to be around, he is a great asset to our team, helping to hold it all together. If you send us snail mail, he is the one that makes sure we actually get it.
Together, we INSPIRE, INNOVATE, and INFLUENCE.
Love. It may not make the world go 'round, but it certainly makes it worth living on. - Josiah