Our Board of Directors
Totally committed to the groundbreaking work of A Promise of Health in rural Mexico, the directors give generously of their time and abilities. Richly diverse in talent, they are the core of the organization’s cadre of volunteers.
Executive Director Barbara Grannell
Barbara Grannell, co-founder of A Promise of Health, is a fervent advocate of Homeopathic healthcare, having personally experienced its healing properties. Former Executive Director of a national grassroots activist organization, she brings 25 years of organizational and motivational talents to inspire others to become involved in bringing primary healthcare and education to indigenous communities we serve. When not in Mexico, fundraising or speaking, Barbara spends her precious free time at her desert home near Tome, New Mexico.
President and Director William Grannell
Bill Grannell, co-founder of A Promise of Health, grew up in Colorado. Always an activists, he is a former Oregon lawmaker who, following his political career, became a state and national lobbyist representing county government. When he retired he followed his passion, Mexico. He tuned into his indigenous roots and in Mexico discovered a vast network of rural native communities who were in need. Fluent in Spanish, Bill has been instrumental in the design of A Promise of Health’s Mexico program. He has made many trips and spent much time in Mexico working with APOH staff and our partners. At the outset of the Oaxaca program he personally visited each community, meeting with leaders and attending village meetings to talk about our program. At home he maintains communication with our Mexican partners and U.S. migrant organizations that support A Promise of Health.
Bill Grannell, co-founder of A Promise of Health, grew up in Colorado. Always an activists, he is a former Oregon lawmaker who, following his political career, became a state and national lobbyist representing county government. When he retired he followed his passion, Mexico. He tuned into his indigenous roots and in Mexico discovered a vast network of rural native communities who were in need. Fluent in Spanish, Bill has been instrumental in the design of A Promise of Health’s Mexico program. He has made many trips and spent much time in Mexico working with APOH staff and our partners. At the outset of the Oaxaca program he personally visited each community, meeting with leaders and attending village meetings to talk about our program. At home he maintains communication with our Mexican partners and U.S. migrant organizations that support A Promise of Health.
Treasurer and Director Wes Hamdorf
Wes and his wife Roberta live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Wes retired from Rockwell Collins after 40 years as an engineer. He is active in his church, Saint Andrews Lutheran, where he served as treasurer for 8 years. Both he and wife have visited Promise of Health Medicine Wheels in Yucatán and are long time active participants in our organization.
Director Carmelino Cruz
Carmelino Cruz was born in Ayoquezco de Aldama, the youngest of a family of eight. At the age of nine he migrated to California where he spent the majority of his life. He grew up in San Marcos and spent two years in Fresno. He attended and graduated from California State University San Marcos in 2005 with a Bachelors of Arts in Human Development with an emphasis in Children Services. It was when he started college that he became involved with non-profits and activism. Later he took a different approach and focused his work with grassroots organizations including his own hometown association (MIGPAO) for which he has served as treasurer for the last two years. He currently resides in the city of Escondido with his wife and two children. Carmelino says, “I envision myself continuing my involvement with different groups to bring change and provide assistance to those who most need it.”
Carmelino Cruz was born in Ayoquezco de Aldama, the youngest of a family of eight. At the age of nine he migrated to California where he spent the majority of his life. He grew up in San Marcos and spent two years in Fresno. He attended and graduated from California State University San Marcos in 2005 with a Bachelors of Arts in Human Development with an emphasis in Children Services. It was when he started college that he became involved with non-profits and activism. Later he took a different approach and focused his work with grassroots organizations including his own hometown association (MIGPAO) for which he has served as treasurer for the last two years. He currently resides in the city of Escondido with his wife and two children. Carmelino says, “I envision myself continuing my involvement with different groups to bring change and provide assistance to those who most need it.”
Director Larry Vollman
Larry Jay Vollman the oldest of 6 children was born in Corvallis, Oregon and grew up in California's Central Valley living in Stockton, Modesto and Fresno. In 1966 his family moved to the Bay Area where he graduated from St Francis High School in Mountain View in 1967. The first 20 years of his working life he was a radio disc jockey in Merced, Stockton and San Jose. During that time he co-owned, and taught, at a radio broadcast school in San Jose. In July, 2011, he retired after 15 years at Coastal Circuits, a manufacturer of printed circuit boards, in Redwood City. As he writes, he is passionate about family, baseball, travelling, the Beach Boys and 60's oldies. Larry has spent his life volunteering and helping others. Today he continues that service working as a volunteer at Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen and Meyer Elementary School tutoring reading to second graders. “My golden rule,” says Larry, “is whatsoever you do to the least of my people, you do to me."
Director Doug Brown
After graduating from Yale University’s Family Nurse Practitioner program in 1987, Doug Brown moved to Portland, Oregon to begin his practice. Following 10 years of prescribing pharmaceutical drugs, he thought that there was something more, but he didn’t know what. It was during this time of exploring the healing arts that his son was cured from a serious ear infection by homeopathic medicine. This epiphany moment changed his life forever. Today, homeopathic medicine is his passion, his profession, and teacher. Doug learned Homeopathic Medicine at the Hahnemann College of Homeopathy. He has a busy private practice where he sees children and adults of all ages for a great variety of problems. He is also teacher at a number of Homeopathic Colleges, and provides mentorship and seminars for advanced students and other practitioners. He is currently working with A Promise of Health to bring the healing art and science of homeopathy to Haiti.
“I am proud to be a part of A Promise of Health, which is one of the few organizations which bring homeopathic healing to people who would otherwise have no access.”
Director Bill Torretti
Bill has worked as a Counselor with Hearing-impaired individuals, as a Computer Network Analyst in the health field and most recently as a Homeopathic and Holistic Health Practitioner. He works with individuals on many health-related problems with Homeopathy and continues to learn more about healing and natural health. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and spends a lot of time in the outdoors. He is active in his church and is involved with social justice issues.