2025 Conference Speaker Biographies

Randall “Randy” Thompson DDS

I was born in Arlington, WA.  I attended the Univ of Wash Dental School, and following graduation I joined the US Army Dental Corps, serving for 22 years. Upon retirement in 1996, I joined a mall group dental practice on Camano Is in WA. I enjoyed serving the community until 2015, and then retired. My wife Jamie and I have two daughters and 3 grandchildren. I enjoy reading, bike riding, traveling, and spending summers off grid on a small island.  I was able to use my dentistry in many overseas third world countries and that blessed my life abundantly.

Jamie Thompson

I grew up in Arlington, WA, where Randy and I met in high school.  We both attended the U of W, and I graduated with a teaching degree.  I taught geography, history, and PE in a junior high. I loved our time in the military.  We made amazing friends, who challenged us to learn to know Jesus on a more personal level.  We are forever grateful for those meaningful encounters. I learned the dental assisting skill in order to work alongside Randy on the mission field. I am always ready for the next adventure, and stay open to whatever God has for me.

Mark Johnston, M.D

Dr. Johnston is a graduate of Hahnemann Medical University and works in a private gastroenterology practice in Lancaster, PA. He is a retired Navy Captain and former head of gastroenterology at the National Naval Medical Center. He has joined multiple short term medical missions to Albania, Kenya and China. He holds two US patents for his GI research and has received numerous military, academic, research and humanitarian awards. He is the author of *17 Cairns, Encounters and Reflections from a Lifetime of Following God’s Trail*

Al Weir, MD

Dr. Al Weir is a practicing MD in Memphis Tennessee, where he was born and raised. He works as a professor of medicine in the division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Tennesse Health Science Center, Chief Hematology and Oncology at VA Medical Center and Program Director for the UTHSC Hematology and Oncology Fellowship program. He has spent his life dedicated to missions : Nigeria 1983 – 1985  and Albania – yearly for 25 years. Dr. Al is a contributing author for the Handbook of Medicine in Developing Countries and he has authored two books as well: When Your Doctor Has Bad News and Practice by the Book.

Leonard “Jeff” Harris

Leonard “Jeff” Harris is a practicing hematologist from Memphis, Tennessee holding board certifications in both Hematology and Oncology. He and his wife Joanna are parents of 5 interesting people and are active in their church community. Jeff received his Doctor of Medicine in 2005 from the Medical College of Georgia; he completed a combined Med-Peds residency at Vanderbilt University in 2009. He worked full time in the Methodist University Hospital for 10 years, serving as medical director from 2016-2020 and won a national award for ED quality improvement initiatives. He has over a dozen peer reviewed publication and has served as volunteer faculty in the Divisions of Preventive and General Internal Medicine of the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center since 2010. He often receives teaching awards from medical students and residents, and he is known as an enthusiastic learner and educator.

Joshua Evans, MD

Joshua is a Board-Certified Pediatrician working in private practice in Southeast Michigan. He has an extensive background in pediatric education. He trained at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, where he also served as Chief Resident. After training, he remained on staff for 10 years, during which time he was highly involved in medical student and resident education. Through moving to private practice, he has continued his teaching role in training medical students as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Michigan State University.

Joshua has been married to his wife, Hannah, for 12 years. They have two children, ages 10 and 10. Outside of medicine, Joshua is one of the pastors of his church, where he is also involved in the music ministry. In his spare time, he enjoys triathlons, hiking, visiting national parks, and having a good meal with friends.

Gary Russell, MD

Dr. Gary got into medicine after reading Proverbs 24:14: As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. He then attented Oral Roberts University School of Medicine where he met his wife Dr Susan. After graduating both him and his wife did their residency in Family Medicine at Washington Hospital. Then three years with the US Air Force they went in Pennsylvania working in the clinic. They have been involved in educating medical students both in the US and Africa. Currently Dr. Gary serves with Medical Education International. They both have served in Honduras, Haiti, Togo, Gabon, Kenya, Jordan, Iraq, India and due to that their children have decided to serve in East and West Africa to see how wonderfully God works.

Eugene Smith

Eugene Smith is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. For 19 years he served as Program Director of the Cardiology Fellowship Program and currently serves as the Chief of Medicine at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System in Little Rock, Arkansas. Eugene has participated in a wide variety of medical missions across the world over the last 35 years. In 2015, he made his first trip to Albania. He and his wife Pam enjoy spending time with their 4 children and 3 grandchildren.

Christi Park Riley, PT, DPT, ATC

Christi has been practicing physical therapy for over 27 years in the outpatient setting. She graduated from Chapman University in Orange, CA with her Masters in Physical Therapy in 1997. As a result, she then went on to pursue her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Western University of Allied Health Sciences in Pomona, CA in 2002. Consequently, she spent an entire year in a Manual Therapy based Residency program and possesses extensive certifications and experience in Functional and Integrative Manual Therapy, Vestibular Rehab, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, Cranio-Temporal Mandibular Dysfunctions, and Sports Rehab. In addition, she is Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist, Certified Athletic Trainer, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Certified Pilates Instructor, Certified Functional Capacity Evaluator, Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist, Certified Weight Management Specialist, Certified Nutritionist, and Certified Clinical Instructor. In her spare time, Christi enjoys traveling and experiencing different cultures and is often considered a “foody”. She lives for outdoor activities including skiing, golf, volleyball, soccer, and hiking. Additionally, she loves singing and playing drums.  She feels grateful to be able to share her life with her husband and two beautiful daughters.

Catherine Cowles, RN

Catherine is a Registered Nurse who lives in Germantown, Tennessee with her husband and 4 children. Previously she has worked in Transplant ICU, Heme/Onc as well as Research nursing. Currently she is working PRN at her children’s school as the school nurse. This will be her 7th year in Albania and she loves the students and families here. She cannot wait to meet new students and reconnect with those from the past.

Lavonne Johnston

Lavonne Johnston is a certified master’s level Physician Assistant and has worked in several specialties through her career. She retired from clinical medicine in 2017 after working her final 10 years in Gastroenterology.  Currently she teaches Health Sciences as an Adjunct Professor at Lancaster Bible College and is involved in her church in women’s and mentoring ministries.  She is glad to have time to help with the Albania Health Fund, the Illyricum Movement, and the Johnston Hope Foundation.   She loves keeping up with her three married children and eight grandchildren, along with hiking and reading.

Jessica Carson

Jessica Carson is the proud mother of three adult children and a dedicated nurse of seventeen years. Her career has included fifteen years in the fast-paced world of Emergency Nursing and three years in Ambulatory Care, giving her a wide range of experience from critical, life-threatening situations to guiding patients on their path to wellness.

Over time, Jessica discovered that what she loved most about nursing was not only the patients she cared for but also the nurses she worked alongside. This realization shaped her professional journey as she recognized the deep need to encourage, equip, and strengthen nurses—who themselves often serve in demanding and exhausting environments.

In her walk with Christ, Jessica has embraced the true principles of Servant Leadership, where humility, compassion, and selfless care form the foundation of leadership. It was here that her nursing journey and her Christian faith beautifully converged. She sees her role not only as a nurse who treats illness and injury but also as a bearer of Christ’s light in places where pain, fear, and darkness can feel overwhelming—for both patients and fellow caregivers.

Jessica’s heart is to help nurses grow in both faith and resilience, teaching them to care well for themselves so they can continue to care faithfully for others. On this mission trip to Albania, she hopes to encourage and inspire nurses and nursing students to see their work not merely as a profession but as a calling—an opportunity to reflect Christ’s love and compassion in the world of healthcare.

Hannah Evans, MD

Hannah is a Board-Certified Emergency Medicine Physician working at a community hospital in Southeast Michigan.  In addition to clinical work, she is the physician leader of her hospital’s Hazmat Emergency Response Team, the hospital EMS director, and serves as the physician advisor to four fire agencies and one private ambulance company.  She recently completed a term as the medical director for the Medical Control Authority for the 19^th largest county in the US.  Hannah enjoys teaching Advanced Disaster Life Support, Advanced Hazmat Life Support, and teaching medical students as a Clinical Faculty Assistant Professor at Michigan State University.  Her favorite procedures at work are reducing dislocated joints and intubation.

Hannah has been married to her husband, Joshua, for 12 years.  They have a son and daughter, who came with them to Albania this past summer!  As a family, they enjoy hiking, biking, and visiting new places.

Dr. William H. Nelson, M.D.

General Surgeon – Allegheny Health Network (AHN), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Certified in General Surgery, Dr. William Nelson brings extensive experience in both elective and emergency surgical care to the Allegheny Health Network Surgery Group. His areas of focus include operations involving the stomach, small bowel, colon, gallbladder, bile ducts, and advanced hernia repair. He is also certified in Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).

Dr. Nelson earned his medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia and completed his surgical residency at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. He is a member of the American College of Surgeonsand the Christian Medical and Dental Association, and serves as an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgeryat the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Passionate about medical missions and training future Christian physicians, Dr. Nelson volunteers with the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS), providing surgical care and teaching in resource-limited settings. His mission experience includes serving at Kijabe Hospital in Kenya and Bongolo Hospital in Gabon.