Our Team
Board Members
We are a team of health professionals, business leaders, engineers, advocates, and experts from countless specialties. We pride ourselves in our ability to collaborate, working to transform bold ideas into sustainable solutions that improve health and well-being for all in the long run.
Richard Solazzi, MD
Board Chair
Anesthesiologist (retired), Swedish Medical Center
Richard is a magna cum laude graduate from Macalester College. He received his MD from the University of Washington Medical School. He has spent 30 years in private practice in Seattle, WA. He has also been actively involved in international healthcare for 20 years. He is the founder and president of Resolute Health Outreach.
Alexis Falicov, MD
Chief of Orthopedics, Swedish Hospital
Orthopaedic Surgeon, Proliance Surgeons
Alexis specializes in spine surgery and general orthopedics. He practiced his clinical fellowship in spine surgery at Vancouver General Hospital and was a resident in
orthopedic surgery at the University of Washington. He has received many awards and has been actively involved with RHO for over 9 years, performing more than 200 hip replacements.
Kaj Johansen, MD, PhD
Chief of Vascular Surgery, Swedish Medical Center
Kaj is a Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has been a vascular surgeon, teacher, and mentor for over forty years. His work with RHO includes specialized vascular surgeries, such as vascular access, arterial trauma, limb salvage, and the diabetic foot.
Nuria Adem, MT
Nuria was born in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. She came to the US in 1981 and graduated from the University of Washington. She has 22 years of medical technology experience and has been volunteering with RHO for 8 years. She also has been actively involved in the Ethiopian diaspora committee and Ethiopia Diaspora Trust Fund (EDTF) projects.
Jennifer Johnson, RN, BSN
Jen received her BSN degree from Arizona State University and is currently in ASU's Master of Healthcare Innovation program. She has worked in surgery as both a Surgical Technologist and as an RN. She has been with RHO for 7 years, where her primary focus is nursing education. She is based out of Minneapolis, MN.
Sandra Skovlund, MD
Adjunct Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School
Dr. Sandra Skovlund graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in Communication Disorders, then completed medical school and Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery residency at the University of Minnesota. She is Founder and CEO of Skovlund Medical Products, LLC, and of BioGo, GBC.
Dr. Skovlund teaches Otolaryngology, with a focus in ear surgery, to residents from the University of Minnesota and Addis Ababa University. She has participated in global surgical missions for nearly 20 years. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Dale Watkins, PE
BS Civil Engineering, University of Colorado, MPA, University of Colorado
Registered Professional Engineer State of Washington, Former owner of an engineering firm and construction company.
Dale is a licensed civil engineer who has had a successful engineering career working for municipalities, utilities and private entities to plan, license, engineer and build civil engineering projects. The projects have included electric generating facilities, including fossil fuel and hydroelectric, water treatment facilities, sewage treatment facilities, storm drainage facilities, and design of housing development and commercial projects.
He enjoys the challenge of solving problems, working with others in achieving mutual goals and getting things done. He is currently serving as a water commissioner of Bear Mountain Water District near Chelan Washington. He has served in a variety of civic and local entities including founder and first president of parent-owned Boulder Montessori School, Senior Warden of St. Stephens Episcopal Church, Seattle, President of Inverness Homeowners Association, Seattle, President of Pleasant Beach Condominium Association, Chelan, and long-time Rotarian, University District Rotary Club, Seattle.
Monja Proctor, MD
Pediatric Surgeon, Providence Alaska Surgical Center
Nuru Tuku, CPA
Senior Civil Engineer, Seattle Department of Transportation
Saleih Yassin
Treasurer
Senior Accountant, Costco
Raeann Kreps, AT
Anaesthesia Tech, Swedish Hospital
Rose Twagirumukiza
Executive Director
Rose Twagirumukiza graduated from the Master of Science in Foreign Service Program at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service in Washington DC, where she studied Global Politics and Security and earned a Certificate in Refugees and Humanitarian Emergencies.
Rose has dedicated her life in serving communities in need. Rose has worked with the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program (VRRP). She also served as an immigrant liaison and advocate for a local NGO, Tierra de Todos, in Granada, Spain. Rose has worked with various NGOs on gender based violences issues. She is mostly proud of her work in Mali where she helped empower Malian women who have been victims of rape, gender-based violence, forced marriage, and public beatings following the armed conflict in Mali in 2012.
Rose is currently working with Resolute Health Outreach as the Executive Director and she is committed at helping local hospitals and doctors to improve access to and quality of health care for patients in Ethiopia.
2019 Volunteers
We have a dedicated, compassionate group that includes medical professionals, medical students, nurses, and engineers. They work in some of the top hospital and university programs in the world. Learn more about volunteer opportunities.
Julianne Urrea, Intern
Originally from a small town across Lake Michigan, called Saint Joe, Julianne is a rising senior at DePaul University, majoring in health science with a concentration in public health, with a minor in sociology and chemistry. Julianne is interning for the summer with Resolute Health Outreach. Her passion for science, health, and all things human, is what inspired her to work for a non-profit with such an ambiguous goal of helping others.
Stephanie Belsky, CEO & Co-Founder of Love of Good, Inc.
Stephanie has made an art of identifying and activating fanbases to exceed fundraising goals. Love of Good helps for profit companies engage their consumers in prosocial giving. This approach helps triple the donations for non-profit recipients. She is also a YouTube expert and social media strategist.