Our Team

Pam Van Dorn is the Founder and Executive Director of Touch A Life and the author of Jantsen’s Gift, a powerful memoir published in three foreign markets. Pam has been committed to a life of purpose since losing her oldest son in 1999. That life of purpose has been organically taking shape in the most creative ways.

From the streets of Saigon to the adventures of West Africa, Pam firmly believes that the world can be changed one child at a time. Pam lives in Northwest Arkansas and she has four children — Jantsen, Crista, Van, and Tatum.

Rachel Brown has worked for Touch A Life since 2009, and she was named the Chief Financial Officer in 2023. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Pepperdine University,  and it was at her alma mater where she met Pam Van Dorn. After traveling to Ghana with Pam for the first time, Rachel was brought on board to manage special projects, craft donor communication strategies, and organize volunteer efforts for the organization.

Rachel’s role has evolved and, like the other staff members at TAL, she wears a lot of hats. She now handles financial and compliance-related matters for the organization, and she still loves creating new ways to tell TAL’s story. Rachel lives in McKinney, Texas, with her husband, four children, and their adorably large English mastiffs.

Angie Dickerson is a Registered Nurse by trade and serves Touch A Life as Director of Communications, where she handles donor relations and social media. Angie has been married to Kevin for 20 years, and mom to four pretty cool kids. Angie and her family began traveling to Ghana in 2012 and soon she discovered her passion for caring for women and children, as well as advocating for medical and human rights. Angie made the jump into the full time non-profit world in 2016, focusing her work in Ghana, the birthplace of their youngest son.

As her kids have grown older, Angie has found incredible joy in this new season of life, being able to travel more and serve Touch A Life and survivors of human trafficking around the globe. Angie loves filling her time with her kids’ sporting events and musical theater shows, travel, and sweet time with her family.

Denise Schmitt has been volunteering for Touch A Life since early 2009. She saw a video about TAL’s work at her church and felt called to use her financial and organizational gifts. Since then, she has been involved in various financial day-to-day aspects of TAL. She was surprised that volunteering in an administrative capacity could bring such joy and meaning to her life.  She served as the Community Investment Operations Manager at FHLBank of Dallas before recently retiring. Since then, Denise has been able to travel, spend more time with friends, and start playing the great sport of Pickleball.

Diane Durgin has been a supporter of Touch A Life and a friend of the TAL staff since 2009. She recently retired from a 34-year elementary teaching career. As a child advocate, she wanted to give back more to Touch A Life. Volunteering as a Donor Relations Representative is a great way to do that. She handles donor inquiries and is readily available to assist in any way.

Since retiring from teaching, Diane has more time to volunteer, travel, knit, read and watch her beloved Red Sox. You also may see her out walking or playing Pickleball.

Sarah Mast is an award-winning Digital Art Director for The High Road Agency, based in her hometown, Johnson City, TN. To her, her job is more than designing annual reports, crafting full marketing campaigns, and building websites: it is sharing a story that needs to be told or raising awareness about issues that many never knew existed. She was introduced to the Touch A Life family in 2018 and traveled to the Care Center that fall where she gained a new understanding of the importance of sharing Touch A Life’s story and vision. Living in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and having a love for nature photography, she often finds herself on the many nearby hiking trails.

Natalie Dickerson serves as a Content Curator, sharing the stories of Touch A Life students and Care Center events.  Natalie began her college career in Journalism and Public Relations at the University of Oklahoma (Boomer Sooner!), but recently transferred to Belmont University in Nashville to pursue her main love: songwriting (along with a minor in Music Business so she doesn’t freak her parents out too much). Natalie first traveled to Ghana in 2012 to bring home her youngest brother and has now been to the Care Center several times since. While at the Care Center, she loves nothing more than singing and playing songs with the kids.

Bernard Fianku was born in a small village along Lake Volta in Ghana and was sent to live with an aunt and her husband at the age of nine. During that time he was subjected to child labor until he was able to move and continue his education. Bernard went on to attend International Theological Seminary where he studied faith-based counseling in addition to biblical studies. He earned a degree in counseling and certificate in addiction, grief, and behavioral therapy and later went to the University of Ghana to study economics and sociology.

Bernard was on staff as director at various child support and schooling organizations from 2003 until he joined the Touch A Life team in 2009. Bernard was named TAL’s Ghana Country Director in 2013 and lives in Ghana with his wife, Irene, and their young son, David.

Selorm Nyamalor is a well-seasoned educator with almost a decade’s experience in leading and coordinating various learning projects. Passionate about educational innovations, Selorm has been involved in the Ghanaian educational not-for-profit sector where for more than five years she served as the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Project Lead, and later as the Programs Coordinator, for Pencils of Promise. Selorm lead her team in implementing many innovations in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), mental health, and reproductive health in more than fifty communities.

Selorm is proficient in research and monitoring, program evaluation, and general project management. She holds a Masters in Educational Innovations and Leadership Science (MPhil) and is enthusiastic about education that yields holistic transformation to the mental, social, and emotional needs of the learner.

Michael Morgan is the Director of the Care Center in Kumasi. He currently celebrated his 10 year anniversary working with Touch A Life since joining the team in January 2009. Mr. Morgan has a background as a teacher and is also a very talented basket weaver. His claim to fame is his infectious smile and always jumping in the middle of every dance party that breaks out. He and his wife Paulina are the head houseparents, and the two of them working together have created a safe place for the children to call home.

Bernice Dogbey is a graduate of the Ghana Institute of Journalism with a Bachelor’s in Communication Studies. She also holds a Master’s in Development Communication from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) with a specialty in stakeholder engagement, strategic communication, NGOs management, and communication campaigns. She has been volunteering with various non-profit organizations since the age 16, mainly as a soft skills trainer and coach with community youth to promote sustainable employment and financial independence. Before joining Touch A Life, she worked as an office administrator and executive assistant in an insurance and business advisory.

Bernice serves as the liaison between Touch A Life’s various teams and departments, handling all administrative duties, including travel co-ordination for volunteers, while also ensuing we are in compliance with all that is required of Touch A Life.

Daniella Gyedu is a graduate of the University of Ghana. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy. After college she worked with the Ministry of Health (National Health Insurance Scheme of Ghana) for a year. She has gained years of experience working with various individuals and organizations, as well as experience in communications, organizing, and people management.                            

Daniella works as the programs coordinator for the Touch A Life College Outreach Program. In this role, she manages the affairs of all college students as well as  all college related activities, including but not limited to after care activities of the students. As a programs coordinator, her ultimate goal is to help all students become self reliant and independent individuals.          

Currently, Daniella is enrolled in law school at the University of Professional Studies Accra. She is passionate about helping young people and aspires to be an advocate for the less privileged and vulnerable.

Israel Agbovi is a beneficiary of Touch a Life. He is a dedicated professional with a degree in International Business Management, complemented by a certificate in Digital Marketing and Content Creation. Israel has volunteered for Touch a Life since his third year in university.

After university, he worked with the Center for Business Development at KNUST for one year before he was employed to work with Touch a Life. He works as a content provider and manages social media communications for Touch a life in Ghana. He also work as a  Programs Director for the Touch a Life’s College Outreach Program.

Israel is passionate about photography and committed to pursuing it as a creative endeavor. Israel is very excited to contribute a unique blend of business acumen and creative skills to Touch a Life.