Ron Stensgard, President

Ron Stensgard has served on the Friends of Chimbote Board of Directors since 2007 and became its chairman in 2009. He has traveled to Chimbote numerous times. Ron’s story in his own words: “In 2004, I escorted my mother to a Friends of Chimbote fundraiser at Nativity Church in Fargo and felt a prompting to focus on more than business and family. Traveling to Chimbote that fall, I thought I would provide something for the poor there, but to my surprise found that I took away more in the form of life lessons from the poor. I have now been to Chimbote several times with my wife, Barb, and son, Luke, joining me for many of the trips; my daughter, Katie, worked at the Chimbote mission for two years and married a Chimbotano, Coco and they now have a beautiful little girl. Our other daughter, Jamie, has traveled to Chimbote twice. My work career has included concrete contracting, commercial property development, and a screen printing business, but my true job—my mission—is to use my God-given gifts, resources and talent to help the poor of Chimbote find their way out of poverty.”

Lucho Espejo, Vice Chairman

Doctor Espejo was raised in Chimbote and visited the US in the 1970s with the help of Father Jack. He eventually attended medical school in the US and is the medical director of Family Healthcare Clinic in Fargo, ND. Lucho makes frequent trips to Chimbote. He and his wife, Marlene, live in Fargo, ND. Lucho is the co-chair of the board’s medical committee.

Scott Sanders, Treasurer

Scott Sanders was first introduced to Friends of Chimbote through his father and joined the board in November 2009. He is currently an executive recruiter with the McKinley Group in Minneapolis, MN and specializes in finance and accounting.  His background and experience provide valuable expertise to the board serving as our treasurer and finance committee chairman. He has visited Chimbote twice.

Earl Milbrath, Secretary

Earl Milbrath serves Friends of Chimbote as secretary and as the chairman of the economic opportunity council. Earl first became involved with Friends of Chimbote in 2001 through the Rotary shipping container project. He joined the board of directors in 2008 and is also the US administrator for the Dollars for Scholars and Leaders for Tomorrow programs. Earl has traveled to Chimbote numerous times. He and his wife, Carol, live in Chanhassen, MN, where he owns a travel agency.

Father Al Bitz

Father Al Bitz has served on the Friends of Chimbote board since 2007 and is a member of the finance committee. Father Bitz is Rector of the Basilica of St. James in Jamestown, ND and pastor of three small Catholic parishes in central North Dakota. In addition to his support of our Chimbote mission, Father Bitz is committed to helping the Catholic Church in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Joseph “Hector” Bosse

Joseph “Hector” Bosse has been on Friends of Chimbote board of directors nearly since its inception in 1998. Retired from a 26-year Navy career and a 13-year teaching career, he currently serves the Catholic Church as an ordained Permanent Deacon. Hector has served on various Friends of Chimbote committees and has guided many groups traveling to Chimbote from his home in Pensacola, FL. His wife, children and grandchildren have traveled to Chimbote with him on occasion and have been active advocates of the mission.

Sister Peggy Byrne

Sister Peggy Byrne has served in Chimbote since 1982 and has been an ardent champion for our education programs. Born in Wexford, Ireland, Sister Peggy traveled to the US in 1954 at the age of 16 to become a member of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and took her full vows with the Presentation Sisters in 1960. She has an undergraduate degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in educational administration. She was a teacher and principal in North Dakota before arriving in Chimbote. She earned the Caritas Award in 2011 from Catholic Charities ND for her charitable commitment to the people of Chimbote.

Father Jack Davis

Father Jack Davis has served in Chimbote since 1975. His parish, Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro (Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish) encompasses more than 30,000 parishioners, the vast majority of whom survive on pennies a day. Born in 1942 in Devils Lake, ND and ordained as a priest in 1969, Father Jack has made ministering among the poor in Chimbote his life’s mission. In his time in Peru, Father Jack has performed thousands of funeral services for children and adults killed by preventable diseases, lack of health care access, violence and other poverty-related tragedies. He has been robbed at gunpoint, stabbed and targeted for execution by Shining Path terrorists. He also has spent thousands of hours traveling and speaking throughout the US and Europe to raise funds for Chimbote’s poor. Father Jack has earned the following awards and honors for his charitable work: Chimbote Citizen of the Year, the Touchstone Award bestowed by the US National Federation of Priest’s Council, the Peruvian Medal of Honor presented by the President of the Peruvian Congress and the Caritas Award from Catholic Charities ND.

Nancy Evans

Nancy Evans serves Friends of Chimbote on the finance committee. Nancy is a senior addictions counselor for St. Cloud Hospital’s Recovery Plus. She and her husband, Bernie, have two grown children and live in St. Joseph, MN. Their most recent visit to Chimbote was in 2009.

Mark Christenson

Mark Christenson first became acquainted with Father Jack as the priest of his family’s church, Nativity parish in Fargo. Mark’s parents provided some of the earliest support of the mission. Mark has served on the Friends of Chimbote board since 2007 and has been both the secretary and the vice president of the executive board, as well as a member of the medical and finance committees. Mark has been to Chimbote several times and each of his two daughters has visited as well. Mark lives in Grand Forks, ND, where he is the medical director at the University of North Dakota student health services.

Wayne Sanders

Wayne Sanders first encountered Father Jack’s name in 1998 when he authorized a Channel 11 news team in Fargo to travel to Chimbote to document the mission work of Father Jack and Sister Peggy. He was re-introduced to the mission through Ron Stensgard and finally met Father Jack on his first trip to Chimbote in 2007. Wayne serves on the development committee and assists in the marketing process for Friends of Chimbote. Wayne has spent his career in corporate management roles, primarily in the television and radio industry, and is currently partners with Ron Stensgard in a corporate apparel business in Fargo. Wayne and his wife, Lorna, have two sons, Scott and Mark, as well as a daughter-in-law, Danni, and granddaughter, Taylor Rae.

Patrick Klein

Pat Klein is the chairman of the development committee and joined the Friends of Chimbote board in November 2011.  He was formerly the chairman of the Los Amigos Foundation Board.  He is also a committee member of Friends of Chimbote economic opportunity council.  Pat and his wife, Norma, are active in St. Michael’s parish of Prior Lake, MN where they spend their summers and the St. Bernard’s parish in Scottsdale, AZ during the winter. As a retired executive of a large international construction firm, Pat also finds time to work part-time as an instructor and facilitator in the construction industry.

Sister Juanita Albracht, ACAF Executive Director

At age 19, Juanita joined the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and professed her vows in 1954. Sister Juanita earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing and, after several years working as a nurse supervisor, she added a master’s degree in healthcare administration to her education. She initiated healthcare initiatives at various hospitals where she worked, including coordinating an outreach program for low-income Hispanic immigrants in San Antonio, TX.

Sister Juanita has been in Chimbote since 1997. She was the director of the Posta Santa Clara for nine years before redirecting her energies toward the development of hospice services. As the executive director of ACAF, she works directly with the Friends of Chimbote organization and helps to facilitate the efficient and judicious distribution of funding to the organization’s programs in Chimbote.