Our Board of Directors 

   Betsy Meredith Hudgens, along with her best friend and husband Jason, is the Founder and President of World Orphan Connection (WOC). Her educational background includes her BA in Political Science, with minors in History, International Development and Business. She is also currently working on her MBA at Regis University.

   In addition to her education, Betsy also ran a successful financial services business for over seven years. After her younger brother's experience overseas she decided to combine her love for children and her love of business and attempt to make a global impact. Eventually,  along with Jason, she wants to spend the majority of her professional career looking for ways to serve around the globe, using WOC as the vehicle.

Dr. Steven Fassnacht is an Associate Professor of Watershed Science in the College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University (CSU).  His research interests are Snow Hydrology and Modeling, as well as International Watershed Management. 

His involvement with World Orphan Connection (WOC) started when he was the instructor of Introduction to Geography (GR100) in the fall of 2003 at CSU.  Since then, he has supervised independent research into international issues for a number of students who have become involved with WOC.  He plans to further his involvement by studying water issues related to orphans and orphanages.

Brenda Redding graduated from Mesa State College in 1994 with a degree in Counseling Psychology and earned her Masters of Social Work from Colorado State University in 1998. She has many years experience working with disadvantaged youth and more specifically with youth leaving the foster care system. 

She had formerly coordinated Chafee Foster Care Independence Program services for Larimer County for 6 years and for the State of Colorado for 14 months. She is aware of the direct needs of youth preparing for emancipation from the Child Welfare System as well as the needs of youth to make permanent connections prior to their leaving foster care.

Elwood Meredith is one of the original inspirations for World Orphan Connection.  Carl holds his BS in Psychology from Colorado State University and is currently attending Medical School in Denver, Colorado. Carl has traveled the globe and spent a great deal of his time serving orphans.

As a doctor, Carl hopes to spend a lifetime working with the  underprivileged around the world. His interest in WOC includes assisting in research as well as being an advisor on international travel, specifically to Third World countries. 

SERVED From 2006-October 2010

Dr. Pamela Vaughan Knaus holds advanced degrees in Historical Studies from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale as well a nursing degree from LaGrange, GA. She worked throughout the decade of the 1980s in health care, where she experienced children's suffering first-hand. Her graduate studies focus on American immigration policy and law, culminated in her 1996 doctoral dissertation and was awarded a university-wide fellowship.

Extensive research in United States immigration policy allowed her to become familiar with on-going international refugee turmoil and the alarming rate of orphaned children that result.

She is currently under contract with Colorado State University's Department of History as well as the mother of an adopted South Korean son. She brings decades of volunteer work and keen determination to World Orphan Connection.