We couldn’t do what we do without our amazing staff, health promoters, health educators, and all of the volunteers and community members who serve alongside us in health and hope.
Leadership and Key Staff
Dr. David Parajón, MD, MPH, MBA
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Dr. David Parajón, a physician, public health practitioner, social entrepreneur, and medical missionary (International Ministries), co-founded AMOS Health and Hope with his wife, Laura, building on the vision and pioneering community health work of his father, Dr. Gustavo Parajón. Dr. David earned his M.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH. He trained in internal medicine at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque and in preventative medicine at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, MD, earning his M.P.H. He earned his M.B.A. from INCAE School of Business in Managua, Nicaragua.
Dr. Laura Chanchien Parajón, MD, MPH
Co-Founder and Strategy Officer for Global and Community Health
Dr. Laura Chanchien Parajón, a family physician, medical missionary (International Ministries), and public health professional, co-founded AMOS Health and Hope with her husband, David, and has worked in the health equity “trenches” of rural Nicaragua for the past 18 years. She has a strong call to work towards a world where every child has the opportunity to thrive and live an abundant life. Dr. Parajón received her B.A. from Brown University, M.D. from University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Medicine, and M.P.H. from UNM School of Public Health. She completed her residency in family medicine at UNM School of Medicine. Dr. Parajón currently serves as the Executive Director for the UNM Office for Community Health and Assistant Professor in the UNM Department of Family and Community Medicine.
Christine Lafferty
Development and Communications Director
christine.lafferty@amoshealth.org
Lester Lorente
Community Projects and Innovation Director
Dr. Gabriella Woo, MD
Programs Director
Jilmer Sánchez
Delegations Coordinator
delegations@amoshealth.org
Ximena Medrano
Volunteer Coordinator
volunteer.coordinator@amoshealth.org
Lydia Caldera
Development Coordinator
communications@amoshealth.org
Elvis Salvatierra
Communications Coordinator
Keyra Baca
Development and Communications Assistant
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors ensures that AMOS effectively carries out its mission and is well-positioned to work towards our vision of health and hope for all.
- Roberto Antonio Martínez, MD, MPH, Board President
- Arthur Francis, CA
- Carmen Largaespada, PhD
- Carol Harvey, RN
- David Hallett, JD, Vice President
- David Gnirk
- David Parajón, MD, MPH, MBA
- Deborah Norton, MD, MPH
- Gary Claus, CPA
- Kim Sandnes
- Laura Chanchien Parajón, MD, MPH
- Lydia Ruth Zamora, RN, PhD
- Marlene Francis, PhD
- Rev. Dr. Jim Stinespring, D.Min.
- Rev. Kent Harrop, Secretary
- Rev. Mike Jeffries
- Octavio Cortés
- Robert McElroy, MD
- Román Santamaría, DDS
- Sixto Ulloa
- Rev. Dr. Tim Spring, D.Min., Treasurer
- Honorary Member: Dr. Suzanne Lake, PhD