Eric and his wife, Kathie.

Eric Zingler - Board Chair from Wisconsin

Eric Zingler, University of Wisconsin graduate, is currently the Chair of Participatory Wholistic Ministries. He served as an executive for thirty years and created both for profit and non-profit companies. He has experience in corporate governance, adhocracy, and corporate legal issues. Eric has received numerous service awards: the Iowa Governor’s Volunteer Award, Citizen of the year Award, and a Foundation Service Award. He chaired an immigrant bank initiative, a software start-up, served on the Red Cross board for eight years, and is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. He and his wife Kathie currently live on an acreage in Wisconsin. He learned to plow and grow organic crops, served on boards, and incorporated Lee USA to support Hmong Lao charitable work. He became the Lions District Governor in Southwest Wisconsin and received the 2021 Gift of Sight Fellowship Award and the International Presidential Medal for leadership. He has written two books and a third is in progress. He has been a part of Participatory Wholistic Ministries since 2007.
 

Erika

Erika AbusharkH, MA - Vice Chair from Iowa

Erika Abusharkh, MA, is a leader, volunteer, friend, sister, daughter, and aunt. Having lived in a few countries outside the U.S., she has an almost extreme interest in experiencing life to the fullest- where generosity can move mountains. While taking doctoral level courses in servant leadership, she appreciated the foundational ideas but hadn't yet experienced enough of life's lessons to fully incorporate self-love into the personal reflection part of her passion. Nowadays, she is learning to fit an anti-racist frame to most of her work - personally and professionally. Erika believes whole-heartedly in the following, if you can or are able: give something if you have it to give, believe in more than coincidence, look directly at sunsets that will never look the same twice, and commit to a life where 'the pen is mightier than the sword'.

Bryon BOotman - Board Member
from Iowa

Steve

Steve Bootman - Board Member from TEXAS

Three and one half years serving in the Peace Corps in Ecuador in the 1970s and then years later living and working in Bolivia for thirteen and one half years brought me in contact with a lot of people. In urban settings of Latin America one can simply shift language gears and be pretty much at home. However, in rural areas there is a profound separation from modernity. By chance I came in contact with indigenous people in one particular region of very rural Bolivia. The profundity of separation and underdevelopment cannot be put into a few words. Have you ever been in a place so destitute that there simply is not even money, and trade is by bartering? I came into contact with a man who has a passion for education of these his brothers and sisters. He showed me that the schools there were so underfunded that not even books are available. And so the notion of providing books was born as just one avenue to helping Communities Succeed. Unfortunately that small corner of Bolivia is replicated 1000s of times over in rural Bolivia and many countries of the the Americas.

Jana & her husband, Jhonny.

Jana Taller de Copa, BA -
Board Secretary from Texas/Bolivia

Jana Taller de Copa, BA, is an English-Spanish translator and interpreter for Community of Christ. She has a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies - Latin America and minors in health and Spanish. Jana enjoys helping people communicate by bridging the communication gap between languages. While at Graceland University, she worked for AmeriCorps and helped at-risk youth in the community. Jana moved to Bolivia upon graduating from college after having visited several times. During her initial visits, she was a volunteer in local congregations and did some course work for her degree. She is married and has a 6-year-old son. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, learning languages, and different outdoor activities. She has a passion for equality, human rights, and the marginalized of the world. Jana is also a board member of Participatory Wholistic Ministry, a nonprofit that aims to provide textbooks to students in rural Bolivia.

Jasper

Jasper McCroskey, MA -
Board Member from Iowa

Jasper is a public health campion at Iowa HHS. She lived in Bolivia in the early aughts where she met fellow board members Steve Bootman and Jana Teller.