Meet the Volunteers in Costa Rica and Guatemala

A new team of Project HOPE medical volunteers joined Continuing Promise 2010 aboard the USS Iwo Jima and ashore to help people in Costa Rica and Guatemala. Two more rotations of HOPE volunteers will serve Continuing Promise 2010 alongside their Navy counterparts as the ship continues its eight country humanitarian assistance and health education mission through Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Nicaragua, Panama and Suriname.


Meet the Project HOPE Volunteers


Kathleen Britton a Certified Nurse Midwife from Poulsbo, Washington has more than 27 years experience in nursing, midwifery, women's health care and teaching. She is a three-time HOPE volunteer and will be serving as a nurse midwife and HOPE’s Operation’s Officer in Costa Rica and Guatemala.


Cassandra Hamilton, a nurse from Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, Minnesota is a first-time Project HOPE volunteer. She is using her family care, pediatrics, post-partum, gynecology and medial surgery nursing skills aboard the USS Iwo Jima and ashore in Costa Rica and Guatemala.


Dr. Arthur Hayward from Portland, Oregon is a first-time Project HOPE volunteer. He is serving as an internal medicine physician aboard the USS Iwo Jima and ashore in Costa Rica and Guatemala.


Tracey Kunkel, an operating room nurse from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is also retired from the U.S. Navy after 21 years. A second-time volunteer, Tracey served as HOPE’s Operations Officer during Continuing Promise 2009. She is serving as HOPE Medical Director aboard the USS Iwo Jima and ashore in Costa Rica and Guatemala.


Dr. Erika Latchis from Washington, D.C. , brings more than 20 years experience as an OBGYN to her volunteer position onboard the USS Iwo Jima. She has also spent nearly 10 years working with Project HOPE in places such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Poland and Malawi.


Kevin Makowski is a corporate communications professional from Irvine, California with more than 20 years of experience in photography, video production and digital graphics for medical centers, children's hospitals and medical research organizations. A first-time HOPE volunteer, Kevin is serving as HOPE’s Public Affairs Officer in Costa Rica and Guatemala.


Dr. Jean Muench from Marietta, Florida brings 18 years of pediatric experience to her second volunteer mission with HOPE. She is serving as a pediatrician aboard the USS Iwo Jima and ashore in Costa Rica and Guatemala.



Heather Sullivan a pediatric nurse from Woods Cross, Utah is using her experience working with children recovering from orthopedic and plastic surgery on her first volunteer mission with Project HOPE in Costa Rica and Guatemala.


Mary Winston from Natural Bridge, Virginia brings more than 20 years experience as an Adult Nurse Practitioner to her first mission as a Project HOPE volunteer. Mary is using her knowledge of preventive care and chronic disease management while working with patients aboard the USS Iwo Jima and ashore in Costa Rica and Guatemala.