The BCMF team
The small, yet efficient, BCMF staff team is made up of a small group of core staff in Chiang Mai and Mae Sot. A few individuals also serve the organization in an advisory capacity.
Core Staff Team
The core team consists of seven individuals – Kanchana Thornton, Ma Myai, Htoo Htoo, Samantha Carter, Jacqui Whelan, Chan Lung Kham, and The Cho who are located in the Mae Sot and Chiang Mai offices. BCMF has staff representation in Chiang Mai to oversee patient care, manage patient appointments and liaise with Thai hospital staff.
Kanchana Thornton, BCMF Program Director
Contact: kanchana@burmachildren.com
Kanchana worked as an emergency nurse in Sydney, Australia before coming to volunteer at the Mae Tao Clinic in 2001. Kanchana worked as the Clinic’s Thai Government Liaison Coordinator and Child Health Program Coordinator. Kanchana observed the number of patients who needed complex medical procedures or surgeries that the clinic could not provide and helped to found BCMF in order to serve those patients that needed services beyond the clinic’s capacity. As the BCMF Program Director, she is responsible for overseeing all operations of the organization.
Ma Myai, Patient Liaison
Contact: mamyai@burmachildren.com
Ma Myai is the primary point of contact for all BCMF patients and as the patient liaison, she informs patients about the process for undergoing treatment in Chiang Mai, communicates with them about planned follow-up appointments, and helps to ensure they understand their treatment plans. Ma Myai is also responsible for the organization of all the required documentation and patient registration for the weekly patient transfer van to Chiang Mai. She also assists with administrative tasks and serves as a translator during patient interviews. Ma Myai speaks Burmese and Phwo Karen, and is studying English and Thai.
Ma Tu, Administrative Assistant
Contact: matu@burmachildren.com
Htoo Htoo manages patient files and intake, and assists with database management. She plays a large role in patient interviews, including recording detailed social, financial, and medical histories on each patient. Htoo Htoo also prepares reports for the Thai authorities regarding patient transfer, and assists with the organization’s accounts. Htoo Htoo is fluent in Sgaw Karen, Burmese, and English.
Samantha Carter, Management and Program Analyst
Contact: samantha@burmachildren.com
Samantha joined the BCMF team in October 2012 as a self-funded volunteer. Her primary responsibilities include the development, implementation, and maintenance of BCMF’s monitoring, evaluation, and data systems. This includes expanding existing systems for tracking key data on BCMF patients and their treatment, establishing monitoring systems to track BCMF activities, revising BCMF’s interview protocols, and developing performance indicators to report on patient outcomes. Samantha also helps to conduct patient interviews, write quarterly reports, manage BCMF’s financial accounting systems, and maintain partnerships with key stakeholders and partner organizations.
Jacqui Whelan, Knowledge Services Officer
Contact: jacqui@burmachildren.com
Jacqui joined the BCMF team in 2008 as part of the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) program. For a year she worked closely with local medics to further develop systems for processing patients. Currently in Australia, Jacqui is responsible for BCMF’s international volunteer screening, writing annual report, maintaining BCMF’s social media presence, and assists with fundraising and donor relations.
Chan Lung Kham and The Cho, Chiang Mai Patient Coordinators
Chan and The Cho are the only BCMF staff members in Chiang Mai. Together, they are responsible for the overseeing of patient care in Chiang Mai and ensuring that all of patients’ logistical needs are met. They help patients to get to their appointments, to communicate with hospital staff about their planned course of treatment, and to ensure that all of patients’ needs including food and accommodation are taken care of while they are in Chiang Mai undergoing treatment. They ensure that patients get to their appointments and serve as translators for patients that do not speak Thai. Chan and The Cho are essential as they are BCMF’s primary patient advocates for all patients undergoing treatment in Chiang Mai.
Advisors
BCMF receives assistance from a number of people who are kind enough to donate their time and expertise to assist BCMF with a variety of key program tasks.
Katie Camarena, Fundraising and IT Advisor
Contact Information: katie@burmachildren.com
Katie was a self-funded volunteer for BCMF from September 2009 until April 2012. In April 2010 she became an AVI volunteer and was tasked with assisting BCMF’s development in terms of fundraising, donor relations, and using new mechanisms for administration and reporting. Katie is particularly interested and skilled in media and technology. Although Katie finished her AVI placement in late 2011, she remains involved in BCMF activities. Now back in Australia she writes reports, updates BCMF’s web presence and social media, and goes to events to raise awareness.
Simon – Bordermedia Web Host and Web Designer
Bordermedia is an Information Technology & multimedia organization specializing in web development, audio/visual projects, training and consultancy. Bordermedia predominantly work with NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) and individuals in the not-for-profit sector. Having spent some time in 2005 and 2006 working on various, mainly internet-related projects with Burmese refugees in and around the town of Mae Sot in Thailand, a group of IT professionals from Australia and the UK decided to form an organisation with the aim of addressing this need. Visit Bordermedia’s site here.
