Lisa S Williams, MSPAS, PA-C
Executive and Founding Director
Lisa has 19 years of experience as a Physician Associate. She received her Masters Degree in Medical Studies from DeSales University in 2003. She is currently an Emergency Medicine provider in a critical access setting in upstate New York. With eleven previous medical trips internationally, Lisa is the most experienced volunteer team member. While traveling she enjoys educating and helping others build a diagnostic skill set that is less reliant on the imaging studies used heavily in the US. Ms. Williams has previously volunteered with local homeless shelters in the greater Lehigh Valley, PA, and worked as a medical volunteer with Bloom Bangor, helping women in recovery. She believes her travel experiences to developing countries has helped her to better understand and appreciate opportunities for care in different global environments.
David W. Scaff, DO, MBA, FACS
Vice President and Founding Director
Dr. Scaff was born in central Pennsylvania and had always had the desire to help others through medicine. He graduated from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Ca in 1997. His general surgery residency was completed in Bethlehem, Pa, and trauma/surgical critical care fellowship was at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pa. He has developed and maintained the only Level III trauma center in the state of Pennsylvania since 2008. This trauma center provides regional emergency care to injured patients in rural Northeast, Pennsylvania. He has also subsequently obtained an MBA from the University of Tennessee in 2014 to be able to improve hospital systems with limited resources and elevate the care provided.
Ellis J Williams
Secretary and Founding Director
Ellis is a businessman from the Bangor, PA area who operates an automotive recycling and repair facility. He has nearly 30 years of experience organizing volunteers for special events. Ellis enjoys opportunities to serve others in his community or abroad through faith-based and civic organizations. He has served on numerous church boards, as Chairperson of the PA Auto Recyclers Trade Society, and on the nonprofit boards of Slate Belt Nursing and Rehabilitation, Phoebe Ministries, and the Lehigh Valley Chorale. Ellis has served on two prior medical trips internationally in the capacity of organizer and children's educator. He looks forward to returning to Tanzania in 2018.
Celeste Swanson, CRNP
Treasurer
Celeste Swanson is a Board Certified Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, a 2014 graduate of Drexel University. She is employed as a Critical Care Nurse Practitioner by Virtua Health in Southern New Jersey, where she provides overnight coverage in their critical care unit. The majority of her nursing career was spent as an emergency room nurse, at Pocono Medical Center during which time she completed her schooling and raised her family. She is now enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family, especially her grandchildren, As a cancer survivor she has a great appreciates the importance of supporting others. In the past she has participated in mission trips to Jamaica and Haiti and continues to seek out ways to serve others. She looks forward to working with Larksview Foundation as she feels there is much more gained by giving than receiving.
Jacob P Behler
Director
Jacob is the youngest member of our board but has already accumulated a great deal of experience in international service. He first traveled internationally as a volunteer with the Gaskov Clerge Foundation when he was 15. He served 3 times with this group in Haiti. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree from University of Pittsburgh, he opted to join the Peace Corps. He served in Manabi, a remote area in Ecuador for 2 years teaching nutrition and horticulture. While serving, he was a strong advocate to keep girls in school and encourage gender equality. He currently attends Korbel School of International Studies at the University or Denver. His long-term goal is find a position that will allow him to help shape international programs.
James V. Fareri, Esq.
Director
Jim Fareri was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, then obtained a law degree from Rutgers. He has practiced law in Stroudsburg PA since 1981 with the firm now known as Newman Williams where he is a shareholder. Jim has focused his practice on litigation matters, municipal representation and acting as general counsel for ESSA Bank and Trust.
Jim has long been active in non profit and community endeavors where he has volunteered as board member and/or legal counsel for organizations such as Developmental Education Services of Monroe County (where he as been board president for over 20 years), Delaware Water Gap Volunteer Fire Company, AWSOM, and Habitat for Humanity.
Will Russell, DO
Director
Dr. Will Russell was born in Baltimore, MD and raised in Martinsburg, WV. He initially left home to attend high school at the Mercersburg Academy in South central Pennsylvania. He then moved on to obtain his undergraduate degrees in Biology and Environmental Science at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. Following college, he spent some time in Oregon and Tennessee before ultimately returning to West Virginia for medical school at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg. He then moved back to Pennsylvania for Emergency Medicine Internship and Residency training at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown and Bethlehem. Following residency, he remained in Pennsylvania to continue working as an Attending Physician in the Emergency Department at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono in East Stroudsburg.
Lori Nwaro, RN, BSN
Director
Lori is from Bayshore, NY. She is a graduate of City College School of nursing, New York and has been a registered nurse for thirty three years, the last fifteen in Critical Care. Lori is the Women's Ministries leader at her local church. She volunteers with the community service department in Warren County, New Jersey, preparing meals for workers with Habitat for Humanity and volunteers preparing and delivering personal care packages for a women's shelter there. Lori is a member of the Abia State Association and Uturu development union, organizing fund raisers to provide medical care, shoes, and clothing to the villagers of the Abia state community in southern Nigeria.
Laura Connor, MPAS, PA-C
Director
Laura started her career in research with degrees in chemistry and biology from Wilkes University in 1997. She studied peptides and their therapeutic uses in immunochemistry at The University of Vermont, Amgen Inc and Cornell University. She was part of the team that developed the drugs; erythropoietin and neupogen which are used in the treatment of anemia and neutropenia. She then graduated from SUNY Upstate Medical University in 2013 with her Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies and has been practicing medicine mainly in small underserved hospitals and clinics since. She is passionate about bringing her love of science and medicine to everyone and going where the need is highest. She is active in her home community and volunteers her time at vaccination clinics, health fairs, and pre-natal clinics but especially loves travelling to learn more about the world and bring her skills to others.
Lyndon Cueto, RN
Director
Lyndon is a retired Amy Medic serving 31 years between active duty and National Guard. Deployments include Korea, two tours Iraq, Afghanistan, and most recently at the Meadowlands North Rutherford, NJ COVID -19 field hospital. He is a 2009 nursing graduate of Holy Family University. Currently he is employed as a critical care nurse at Virtua Health in Southern New Jersey. Lyndon is a humanitarian at heart. Having grown up in the Philippians and immigrating to the US as teenager, he has a great understanding of inequalities and a sensitivity to injustice. You will find he always roots for the underdog. He enjoys travel especially when he can mingle with the locals. He has participated in multiple volunteer organizations such as Team Rubicon, Emanuel Cancer Center and soup kitchens in Philadelphia. He has participated in two Larksview missions to Africa where his military, medical backgrounds, and humble service have greatly contributed to the mission’s success.