Grace Hospital US Partnership Committee
Dr. David Thompson
Chairperson
Dr. David Thompson is a retired general surgeon. He started the Bongolo Hospital in Gabon, where he worked for 35 years as a missionary surgeon and teacher. He then served another five years as a surgeon and teacher in Egypt. While at Bongolo he started the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons surgical training programs to train African doctors to be surgeons in five-year residencies. To date, PAACS has trained and discipled 154 surgeons from 26 training programs in 12 African countries, all of whom serve in Africa, including Dr. Bataneni.
Dr. Hank Walther Treasurer
Dr. Henry Walther is a retired anesthesiologist. He has made 10 short-term mission trips to Africa, and Honduras to care for patients, teach anesthesiology skills, and attempt to model Christ. Several of these trips were as a guest instructor with PAACS.
Lisa Managne Secretary
Lisa Managne is an RN with 10 years of experience working in mission hospitals in Africa,
including four years in Bongolo working with Drs. Jean Claude and Christine Bataneni. Her Missionary nursing work included clinical nursing and teaching nursing. Lisa currently lives and works in Illinois with her family.
Dr. David Young
Dr. David Young is a retired general surgeon. He worked for five years in the Arab Middle East as a missionary surgeon. He has done volunteer work in several countries in the Middle East and Africa, including several trips as a guest instructor with PAACS.
Jack Eisenbach
Jack Eisenbach owns an engineering firm in New York. He served for three years as a missionary with Jews for Jesus. He has been involved in mission work for the last 20 years in Africa and Indonesia and has designed and helped build several hospitals in Central and West Africa.
Dan Lewan
Dan Lewan spent 6 years as the Partnership Director at E4 Project where much of his efforts focused on supporting the Batanenis and the development of Nebobongo Hospital. Before that, he and his wife spent a year volunteering at Bongolo Hospital. He also has experience overseeing the distribution of grants around the world while volunteering as Chairperson for the International Humanitarian Project Committee of the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor.
Julia Meleski
Julia Meleski currently works in fashion merchandising in New York City, while also running an online Christian boutique called Robey Boutique and brings an entrepreneurial skillset to the committee. She was introduced to missions on a trip to Bongolo Hospital in 2010, where she met Dr. Jean Claude Bataneni and his family for the first time and has stayed in touch since.