Echo Nomsa VanderWal and her husband, Harry, lead The Luke Commission (TLC)—a faith-based health and development institution that has, since 2005, delivered comprehensive care to Eswatini’s most underserved communities. TLC’s 450-member local team has scaled to serve more than 300,000 patients annually. Since 2024, Echo has also served as VP of Strategic Engagement for Luvelo, an integrated digital ecosystem with 40+ interoperable apps. Combining compassion, leadership, and business acumen, she champions equitable healthcare access at the highest levels globally.
John G. Pierce Jr., MD, is the Vice President of Missions and Medical Education at the CMDA and Professor / Chair of Women’s Health at LUCOM. Dr. Pierce received his B.S and M.D degrees from the University of Florida, completed residencies in Internal Medicine and ObGyn, was on faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University for 16 years, and has been at LUCOM for 10 years. He loves clinical care, education of students and residents and medical missions. Dr. Pierce loves spending time with his wife Nicole and his 4 children. His favorite activities include soccer, the outdoors, surfing, and water skiing.
Dr. Dana Woody is a Professor of Nursing at Liberty University, where she leads in community and public health nursing across BSN, MSN, and DNP programs. A servant leader and advocate, she has partnered with healthcare systems, public health agencies, and nonprofits to strengthen community resilience, disaster preparedness, and student engagement. She also serves as Board Chair of the American Red Cross Blue Ridge Chapter and holds Board positions with the Virginia Nurses Association and the Salvation Army. Her scholarship focuses on health literacy, population health, and faith-based outreach.
Dr. James Anderson practiced medicine in Richmond, Virginia for 42 years. He graduated from University of Virginia Medical School in 1978. He retired from clinical practice in 2021. He was Board certified in Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine. From 1996 to 2020, Dr. Anderson trained over 200 Family Doctors as an Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Family Practice, Medical College of Virginia. Dr. Anderson joined the US Army Medical Reserves in 2002 until 2012. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel. He was mobilized five times, three to the war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dr. Anderson saw patients of all ages throughout his whole career.
Paul Hudson, MD, MPH, FACP trained as a physician at Johns Hopkins and as an epidemiologist at the CDC. He has over 30 years of experience with SIM in Ethiopia, Nepal, and Thailand, focusing on clinical medicine, community health, and HIV/AIDS. He has been in healthcare leadership with SIM for over a decade and authored “Healthcare and the Mission of God: Finding Joy in the Crucible of Ministry.”
