The Founders
A Mother’s Wish Foundation was founded by James Craig Pickard and Rita Josefina Rizek to give back to the world community some of the blessings that they had received. They decided to start with the country that Rita had left, over thirty years earlier.
James Pickard was born in October, 1953 in Buffalo, New York, U.S.A. Beginning in 1980, Mr. Pickard spent the next twenty-three years working in the pharmacy benefit management business for PCS, Inc., Medco Containment Services, LLC, WellPoint Pharmacy Management and Sav-Rx Prescription Services.
Rita Rizek was born in December, 1957 in Santiago, Dominican Republic. She lived in Villa Vasquez, Santiago and Santo Domingo until 1966 when, during the United States military intervention and occupation, she moved with her mother and sister to New York City. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in International Business in 1997 from California Lutheran University, Ms. Rizek spent a year in retail and four years as a Sales Representative for Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Ventura County, California and Western and Central Nebraska.
The Board of Directors
James Barta
President and CEO of A & A Drug Company which has businesses in retail pharmacy, pharmacy benefit management and livestock; based in Fremont, NE, U.S.A.
Anthony Marconi
Director at Reliant Pharmaceutical Inc., a Specialty Pharmaceutical company, Liberty Corner, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Jessica Medina, Esq.
A lawyer practicing with Arnold & Porter LLP, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. and General Counsel for the Foundation
John Carlos Molina
Currently a medical student at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University. As an undergraduate John co-founded the Sustainable Community Development Project in support of the efforts of A Mother’s Wish Foundation.
James (J.C.) Pickard
Previous President of Sav-Rx Prescription Services, Fremont, NE. Currently President and Chairman of A Mother’s Wish Foundation, Los Pajones, Dominican
Republic.
Staff
Corina Payamps, M.D.
Doctora Payamps received her degree from Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra Medical School in 2005. She completed her required government work in Villa Gonzalez and Moca by May of 2006. She worked part time in Union Medico and Juan XXIII until she began with Pequeños Pasitos in late August.
Rosemary Suriel
Rosemary Suriel started her community service in High School by joining Children’s International and worked for them through her medical training. Ms. Suriel attended Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra Medical School after High School and graduated in 1988 as a nurse, pharmacy aide and laboratory aide. She interned at two hospitals, including Arturo Grullon. Ms. Suriel worked at the rural, government clinic in her home town of Hato del Yaque for eight years and worked in Intensive Care at Centro Medico Cibao for two years. She is also approved for the government Vaccination program. Rosemary works full-time in the community for our children.
Mildred Carabello
Mildred is our nurse in the clinic. Mildred has two years of experience at a private clinic in Santiago. Her academic background is primarily Physical Science and Mathematics.
Isleny Garcia
Isleny was born in Santiago and lives in La Cumbre. Isleny has proven herself as our premier receptionist. Additionally, she is a junior at Universidad Autonomica Santo Domingo (UASD) majoring in journalism.
Health Promoters
Maria Sanchez
Maria is responsible for cleaning the clinic and preparing the clinic rooms for our patients.
