The Himalayan Family Healthcare Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing community-driven, primary health care services to the people of Nepal's Manang District and surrounding areas.
We are committed to accomplishing our mission by:
- Conducting community health needs assessments and resource evaluations;
- Developing community coalitions and community empowerment activities;
- Developing culturally appropriate community health promotions and disease-prevention activities;
- Providing quality primary health care services;
- Establishing active and passive public health monitoring systems and reporting health indicators such as child mortality rates (MDG #4) and maternal health statistics (MDG #5);
- Conducting project evaluations and research related to primary healthcare services;
- Collaborating with both the district and the national system for the development of health policies;
- Replicating the project's success in other communities.
Our Values
Compassion - We acknowledge, listen and respond to our clients' and staff's needs in a caring manner.
Competence - We demonstrate expertise and solidarity with the community in carrying out our responsibilities and inspiring others to have confidence in us.
Diversity - We respect our individual differences, beliefs and uniqueness.
About Manang, Nepal
The Manang District is one of the most beautiful places in Nepal. Close to the border with Tibet, Manang is known as the "Gateway to Heaven." The people are very friendly, and the environment is homely. The stones, hills and magnificent Himalayas are deeply impressive to all who encounter them. The Manang District is clean, and Tibetan Buddhist philosophy is present everywhere. However, existence here is not easy. Life expectancy is even lower in Manang than in the rest of Nepal. The United Nations' Millennium Development Goals point to an astonishing infant mortality rate of 88.46 per 1,000 live births in the District of Manang (Nepal's rate is 47.46; the U.S. rate is 6.3).
About the Founder
Dr. Devi Gurung States was born and raised in the Tilche Village in Manang, Nepal. After his parents passed away, he became homeless in Kathmandu because he was too young and could not find a job. He lived for months in the streets of Kathmandu until he found a job at KC's Restaurant as a dishwasher.
From these early hardships emerged two dreams: to own a restaurant and to help improve the health status of children and their families who are poor and suffering as he once was.
While working at the restaurant, he met Dr. James H. States, M.D, who successfully ascended Mt. Everest in 1983. Following this success, Dr. James States brought young Devi back to the U.S. with him.
Dr. Devi Gurung States completed his high school education at Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane, Washington, and he received his Bachelor's degrees in pre-medicine and psychology from Eastern Washington University in Cheney in 1991. After completing his high school and undergraduate education in the state of Washington, Devi asked his father, Dr. James States, what he could do to pay him back for giving him the opportunity to prosper in the United States. Dr. James States simply told him to help people. For this reason, Devi decided to pursue his graduate degree in Social Work and learn the skills of helping people.
He completed his Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) at Saint Louis University in 1994. Following this, he worked as a medical social worker and developed an interest in healthy lifestyles and preventive medicine. This led him to earn a Master's degree in Public Health (MPH) from Saint Louis University in 1997. Currently Devi holds the Doctor of Health Science (DHSc) degree in healthcare leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
Utilizing his knowledge and training from his Master's and Doctorate studies, along with many years of professional work experience with chronic disease prevention and health promotion, Dr. Devi Gurung States brought his first dream to fruition. February of 2004 saw the grand opening of the Everest Cafe & Bar. Through this venue, Dr. Devi States has taken a unique approach to promoting healthy lifestyles by serving nutritious and tasty meals, along with free health screenings, for his customers.
In March, 2011 he earned a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University.
Dr. Devi Gurung States is now working toward completing his second dream of improving the health status of suffering children and their families from his former home in Nepal. To facilitate this endeavor, he has established the Himalayan Family Healthcare Project.
His wife, Connie States, is from South Korea. They have two teenage children, James and Jesse.
Board of Directors, U.S.
A Board of Directors and an Advisory Board operate on a volunteer basis.
Dr. Devi Gurung States, Founder/President
Saint Louis, MO
Email: statesdevi@himalayanfamilyhealthcare.org
John Williamson, HFHCP Board Chair/Treasurer
Senior Vice President, Operations
Equifax
Saint Louis, MO
Email: jwilliamson@himalayanfamilyhealthcare.org
John Williamson is a senior leader on the Global Operations organization within Equifax, Inc. He serves as the Senior Vice President, Operations for the Workforce Solutions business unit of Equifax. Equifax Workforce Solutions, replaces slow, paper-based tasks so that organizations can provide better, faster employee service. It enables organizations to meet demands for reduced costs and higher service levels.9,000 organizations, including 3/4 of Fortune 500 companies, are served with web-based services in three employment-related areas.
Mr. Williamson joined the Workforce Solutions business unit in 1997 and has held progressively significant roles over the course of his tenure in human resources, account management, operations and information technology. Previous to joining TALX, he held senior management roles in product management, human resources and sales management with General Mills and Macy’s. Mr. Williamson holds a Masters in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis and Bachelor of Science in Finance, from Miami University - Ohio.
Among his various other roles, he serves on the St. Louis advisory board of College Summit, a national non-profit organization that helps under resourced communities’ high schools raise their college enrollment rates by building a college-going culture. Mr. Williamson is also a member of the Washington University’s Olin School of Business alumni board. He and his wife have three children that live at home and are foster parents caring for children who have been removed from their home by the state.
Melissa Marshall, M.D., HFHCP Board Vice Chair
Associate Medical Director
Family Care Health Centers
Saint Louis, MO
Email: mmarshall@himalayanfamilyhealthcare.org
Dr. Marshall is a board certified family medicine physician and Associate Medical Director at Family Care Health Centers. She attended Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr. Marshall completed her residency in family medicine at the University of California at Davis Medical Center.
Douglas Clements
President
Wings of Hope
Saint Louis, MO
Email: dclements@himalayanfamilyhealthcare.org
Linda B. Cottler, Ph.D., M.P.H
Email: lcottler@himalayanfamilyhealthcare.org
Dr. Cottler is currently the Dean's Professor of Epidemiology and the Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the College of Public Health and Health Professions in Gainesville, Florida. She was formerly Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. She was also formerly the Director of the EPRG and the Master of Psychiatric Epidemiology (MPE) program as well as the WU CTSA Center for Community Based Research.
Dr. Cottler's NIH funding has been in two major areas. First, the work has focused on the development of reliable tools to assess addiction to drugs, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, gambling, and the internet, and risk factors for addiction. These tools are used internationally. She has led the DIS Training Center and SAM Training since the early 1980s. Research in this area has also focused on nosological/classification studies of substance abuse and dependence (specifically MDMA, crack/cocaine, inhalant and prescription drug use). Second, Dr. Cottler's studies have focused on community based peer delivered interventions to change behaviors associated with HIV and STDs. She and her team have worked with underrepresented populations including out of treatment crack cocaine and heroin users, seriously heavy drinkers, injection drug users, prescription drug misusers, and inmate populations. A special emphasis of her work has been changing high risk behaviors among women who use drugs and those who are in the criminal justice system.
Recently, Dr. Cottler and her team have expanded their community focus to the WU CTSA Center for Community Based Research. HealthStreet, originally funded by NIDA, is now the hub for street outreach to link the entire community to research opportunities at WU. The community Cottler works with extends to other countries as well. She has worked internationally as a consultant to the WHO since 1987, as well as conducted her own studies in Sydney, Taipei, and Bangalore. Her research, which has been funded since 1989 primarily by NIDA, has totaled over $45 million.
Dr. Cottler has received awards for her mentoring role including the WU Academic Women’s Network Mentor Award, the BU School of Public Health Distinguished Alumni Award, and the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award from the Post-doc Society at Washington University School of Medicine. She has accepted awards for public health service and leadership from the Missouri Public Health Association and for community based research from the School of Medicine. Dr. Cottler has served on two National Academy of Sciences (NAS) panels to study the Social and Economic Impact of Pathological Gambling and the data on Firearm Injuries.
Dr. Cottler is the former Director of a 28-year NIMH Post-Doctoral Training Program in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. She is Director of a NIDA Pre- and Post-Doctoral Training Program in Comorbidity and Biostatistics, and PI of a Fogarty International Center Training Program at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Bangalore, India. She has reviewed for numerous journals and NIH institutes, was a 2006-2007 ELAM fellow, and is the APPA's Centennial 2010 President.
Joseph S. Grimaud, DDS, HFHCP Director of Communications and Public Relations
Owner
Watson Pointe Dental
8537 Watson Road
Webster Groves, MO
Email: jgrimaud@himalayanfamilyhealthcare.org
Dr. Grimaud is in private practice and is the owner of Watson Pointe Dental in Webster Groves, Missouri. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Missouri Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry and the Greater St. Louis Dental Society.
He is an active member of Washington Overseas Mission, and has provided dental care to the people of Honduras for the past 7 years. He has also received the American Dental Association's Award for Meritorious Service to the people of Honduras.
Dr. Grimaud is a graduate of the University of Missouri at St. Louis with a B.A. in Biology, and is a graduate of the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Dentistry. He is a member of Missouri's Emergency Response Identification Team, and is a member of the Missouri Dental Association's Peer Review Committee. He is also the Chairman of the Board for the Webster Groves/Shrewsbury Area Chamber of Commerce.
Board of Directors, Nepal
Mr. Dorge D. Gurung
Chairman, Executive Committee
Mr. Sher B. Gurung
Vice Chairman, Executive Committee
Mr. Puspa B. Gurung
Board Secretary, Executive Committee
Mr. Harka Jung Gurung
Executive Member
Mr. Aslal Gurung
Executive Member
Mr. Mingmar Bista
Executive Member
Mr. Chandra Ghale
Executive Member
Mr. Komal B. Ghale
Advisor
Mr. Bal Krishna Basnet
Media Consultant
Mr. Pradip Pokherel
Media Consultant
Ms. Anita Gurung
Project Coordinator
Advisory Board
James H. States, M.D.
Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, P.S.
Olympia, WA
Dr. James States is the medical director and founder of the first private practice Adolescent Medicine Clinic in the Northwestern U.S. He completed a Postgraduate Fellowship in Adolescent Medicine at U.S.C. (University of Southern California) in 1978, and is Board Certified in Adolescent Medicine and Family Practice. Dr. States has extensive experience working with youth-at-risk as well as adolescents and college age populations who have diverse multicultural backgrounds. He has provided consultation to Eastern Washington University, The Healing Lodge of 7 Nations, and to Fairchild Air force Base. He has presented hundreds of seminars at professional meetings on Adolescent Medicine topics. Dr. States provides consultation to parents, physicians, schools and universities on the complex medical and psychological issues of adolescents. Dr. States is an internationally known climber, successfully ascending routes in South America, the Canadian Rockies, India and Nepal. He summited on the first American ascent of the North Ridge of Nanda Devi (25,645') and was the 17th American to climb Mt. Everest. He integrates his mountaineering experiences into his clinical work and seminar series.
Gyan K. Kayastha, M.D., M.P.H.
Patan Academy of Health Sciences
Kathmandu, Nepal
Jessica Kenerson, M.D., M.P.H.
Washington University
Saint Louis, MO
Email: jkenerson@himalayanfamilyhealthcare.org
Dr. Kenerson graduated from Duke University School of Medicine and is completing her residency in Ob/GYN at Washington University in St. Louis. In addition, she received a Master's in Public Health from the Gillings School of Public Heath at the University of North Carolina. She is a participant in the Resident and Fellow's Diversity Initiative at Washington University and participates in community service activities including the Spot and Gateway Homeless Shelter.
She has collaborated in the publication "Reversible Contraception Update: The Importance of Long-acting Reversible Contraception". Dr. Kennerson has also collaborated on two manuscripts that are under review for publication: the first regarding prospective evaluation of colposcopy as a screening method for cervical cancer in Haiti, the second an evaluation of contraceptive choice among women reporting a history of violence.
Majesh Makan, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.S.E.
Associate Professor of Medicine
Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division
Washington University in St. Louis
Saint Louis, MO
Email: mmakan@himalayanfamilyhealthcare.org
Dr. Makan is an Associate Director of Echocardiography at Barnes-Jewish Hospital as well as an attending physician and echocardiographer. He is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. He was born in Bardoli, India, which is in the State of Gujarat.
Dr. Makan received his doctoral degree in medicine from the University of Panama School of Medicine, Republic of Panama. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the American Society of Echocardiography. He is also a member of the American Heart Association's Council on Clinical Cardiology and the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography.
Dr. Makan received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Medical Education from New York Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY; the honor of Teacher of the Year from New York Methodist Hospital; and on four occasions, the Teacher of the Year award from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
His editorial and reviewer responsibilities include "Echocardiography," "Coronary Artery Disease," "European Journal of Echocardiography," and "American Journal of Cardiology." He has participated as an invited speaker at numerous presentations around the world in his area of medical expertise.
Lesley McLaren, M.D., M.P.H.
University City, MO
Email: lmclaren@himalayanfamilyhealthcare.org
Dr. McLaren is board certified in Preventive Medicine and Occupational Medicine. Dr. McLaren is also a board certified family medicine physician. Dr. McLaren received her medical degree from the University of London. In addition, she obtained her Master of Public Health degree from Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri. Dr. McLaren is a Clinical Associate Professor of Community and Family Medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. She is also on the medical staff at St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis. Dr. McLaren has provided several community volunteer services, including physician volunteer services at Padhar Hospital in India, supervising physician residents.
Kedar Narsingh K.C., M.D.
President, Nepal Medical Association
Kathmandu, Nepal
Devi Bahadur Shrestha, Sc.D., M.S.
St. Paul, MN
Dr. Shrestha completed his Master of Science from California State University in 1968. He earned his Doctor of Science from Johns Hopkins, School of Hygiene and Public Health in 1985. He served as WHO Representative for over 15 years. Dr. Shrestha was a founding director of the School of Public Health in Nepal.
Support Staff
Connie States, Co-Founder
Everest Cafe & Bar
Saint Louis, MO
Mrs. States is a co-founder of the Himalayan Family Healthcare Project and co-owner of the Everest Cafe and Bar in Saint Louis, MO. She has training in computer networking.
James H. States, Volunteer
Saint Louis, MO
James H. States is a premed student at Saint Louis University.
Pratima Dulal, Volunteer
Saint Louis, MO
Ms. Dulal is a nursing student at Forest Park Community College.
Laura Schweitzer, Volunteer
Saint Louis, MO