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Andrea J. Branchaud, MPH, is a people-centered leader whose professional journey was shaped, in part, by three formative years living and working in Panajachel, Guatemala. As Director of Monitoring, Evaluation & Development at Oxlajuj B'atz' (Thirteen Threads), an indigenous women's empowerment nonprofit, she designed evaluation systems, built local staff capacity, and supported a mission she continues to hold close. Now based in Needham, Massachusetts, Andrea brings 20+ years of expertise in organizational development, change management, and human experience to her work as a healthcare strategist and people transformation leader. Most recently, she served as Director of Human Resources at Mass General Brigham, one of the country's largest academic medical systems, where she advised C-suite leaders on human capital strategy, workforce redesign, and organizational culture across an 80,000-person institution. Earlier, at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, she built and led strategic employee wellbeing and cultural transformation initiatives, programs that supported caregivers while championing the patient voice during some of the most demanding periods in modern healthcare, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout her career, Andrea has been drawn to work where human dignity, equity, and community are at the center.
Kate Colwell is a weaver and retired Family Medicine physician with a lifetime of engagement with Latin American communities in the US and abroad. She’s been a supporter of Mayan Hands since going on their first tour in 2009 and enjoys furthering that relationship as a member of the Board. She grew up in California and after an early stint at Antioch College she received most of her education at the University of California in Berkeley and San Francisco.
Meaghan Graham is a research coordinator for VillageReach, an international NGO whose activities focus on the African continent. In her role, she coordinates a $3M grant-funded qualitative study with a community-based participatory approach that spans four countries, ensuring methodological coherence, providing logistical support, and co-driving the analysis. Previously, Meaghan worked as a freelance public health consultant for organizations including Parisian women’s health tech start-up Ninti, Lyon-based lactation consultant’s association Information Pour Allaitement, and SisterWeb, a community-based doula organization providing culturally congruent birth support. Meaghan received her Master’s in Public Health from U.C. Berkeley in May 2023 and has been an active member of the public health community since - with a particular focus on women’s health, maternal health, and children’s health. Meaghan has also taught ESL to students ages (5-65). Based in France, Meaghan is both professionally and personally familiar with intercultural communication and is passionate about discovering new places, people, and ways of living.
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Dennis McCarty majored in international affairs at Georgetown University and served for three years with the Peace Corps in rural Guatemala. He subsequently earned a Ph.D. in criminal justice and retired as an Assistant Director at the NYS Office of Homeland Security.
Dr. McCarty also taught at the University at Albany where he received a Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching. His work includes publishing The Quest to End Human Trafficking: An Educational and Practical Guide forEveryone Who Wants to Help Break the Chains and Assist Survivors.
Laurie Naranch is Professor and Chair of Political Science & International Relations at Siena University, NY, USA. Her work revolves around gender equality, craft and democracy, and relational political ethics. She has travelled on three research trips with students to Guatemala with our past Board President and much missed Mayan Hands advocate, Vera Eccarius-Kelly. She was pleased to go on the wonderful tour with Mayan Hands in February 2026 to meet our artisan partners and learn even more. She has been a member of the Board for nearly ten years.
Jonathan Nye is a former attorney with experience in non-profit governance and organization. He became involved with Mayan Hands after having the privilege of participating in a tour to Guatemala, where he was inspired by the talents of the artisans and the work the organization performs. Jon lives in Chatham, MA, where he plays lots of Renaissance and baroque music as a member of a number of recorder groups. He is a graduate of the American University School of International Service and University of Pennsylvania Law School.
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Mark Van Wormer has spent over 40 years as a fine arts photographer and educator, serving as Art Department Chair and Faculty Trustee at a girls’ independent high school. He advised the school's Fair Trade club, a social enterprise that raised thousands of dollars for scholarships for girls in Africa, Central America and Afghanistan. After helping the school become the first "Fair Trade School" in the US, he served for four years on the National Fair Trade Campaigns Steering Committee. He led trips to Guatemala, Nicaragua and Colombia with student groups to learn first-hand about Fair Trade and ethical business practices. He has donated his photography services to various non-profits, including Mayan Hands, Oxlajuj B'atz' and Andean Textile Arts. Mark received an MFA in photography from Bard College (1999).
