Our Board

Bol Aweng: Lost Boy of Sudan. Graduated December 2009 from The Ohio State University, Major- Fine Arts, with a focus on Art and Technology. Has painted pictures of his and Jok’s “Journey of Hope” and illustrated a children’s book, Maluak’s Cows, the story of the Lost Boys of Sudan. His paintings and rocks are available for sale. Bol is available as a speaker on his story as a Lost Boy. He also assists schools interested in service learning programs on South Sudan, the Lost Boys and the Buckeye Clinic. President of the Buckeye Clinic in South Sudan Board of Directors.

Jok Dau: Lost Boy of Sudan. Graduated December 2009 from The Ohio State University, Major- International Studies, with a focus on International Relationship and Diplomacy, Minor- International Economics and Social Development. Current resident of Juba, South Sudan assisting with implementation of Buckeye Clinic goals.

Malcolm Cochran: An artist and Professor Emeritus, Department of Art, The Ohio State University. Cochran met Bol Aweng as a student, and they have kept in touch. In addition to being moved by Bol’s story, Cochran is motivated to help establish the Piol clinic by having experienced village life in Guinea (Conakry), West Africa. In 2005, he visited his daughter there when she was a Peace Corps volunteer. Vice President of the Buckeye Clinic in South Sudan Board of Directors.

Dr. Dale Svendesen: Dale Svendsen, MD, MS, is Professor of Psychiatry at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Wexner Medical Center and Director of the OSU Division of Public and Community Psychiatry. For 17 years he served as Medical Director for the Ohio Department of Mental Health. Dr. Svendsen has focused much of his career on improving clinical quality, implementing evidence based practices and integrating physical and behavioral health care. Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee of the Buckeye Clinic in South Sudan.

Nathan DeRoos: Treasurer of the Buckeye Clinic in South Sudan Board of Directors.

Elizabeth Westley: Fundraising Committee Chair of the Buckeye Clinic in South Sudan Board of Directors.

Alex Van Schoyck: Data Engineer and Freelance Web Developer. 2018 Graduate of Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. Met Jok & Bol through the Strides for Sudan Service Learning Project at Upper Arlington High School as a student. Website manager of the Buckeye Clinic in South Sudan, serves as Communications Committee Chair on the Board of Directors.

Linda Miller: Retired middle school language arts teacher from Hilliard Weaver Middle School. She has two grown sons, two daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren. Linda is involved in Scioto Ridge United Methodist Church in organizing monthly Box lunches and a Crockpot ministry at Clair UMC on the south side of Columbus. She also serves as the secretary of the Board for Community Development for All People, 946 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, OH 43026. In addition, she coordinates two mission trips to Henderson Settlement in Frakes, Kentucky; one trip is for the youth in March and the other for adults in September.

Ajiel Wal: Member at Large of the Buckeye Clinic in South Sudan Board of Directors.

Alexia Ipiotis: Our newest member of the board. Alexia holds a Bachelors Degree in Organizational Sciences and recently earned her Masters in International Development Practice from Columbia University. Before attending Columbia, she spent two years in rural Liberia teaching science and training teachers in reproductive health. She is currently in Rome working for IFAD, a UN agency focused on rural development.