Trinh Bui-Kokkoris
is AAI's newly-appointed Director of Viet Nam Projects (based in New York). Trinh will be leading humanitarinan missions to Viet Nam -- visiting physical rehabilitation/vocational centers and impoverished families with disabled children. Since 2003, she has spent a significant amount of time raising awareness and seeking support for the disabled population in Viet Nam, specifically Agent Orange/dioxin victims. She is a certified yoga instructor and has volunteered her services to disabled children and adults in Viet Nam. She has worked with local NGOs in Viet Nam such as the Viet Nam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin and the Viet Nam Red Cross. She was born in Saigon, and came to the U.S. in 1975. When asked the reason for her passionate work, she borrows and adds to a quote from M. Gandhi, "I must be the change that I want to see in the world, and so this is my path."
Shannon De Witt, Spirit Airlines Flight Attendant & AAI Liaison, has been a supporter of Airline Ambassadors for many years. Over time, through the help AAI Members and his mentor Nancy Rivard, he has coordinated over $190,000.00 worth of aide and Humanatarian efforts onsite in the following countries, Peru, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Hawaii (USA), Santo Domingo, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. In addition, he has served on the frontlines in Southern Peru after the 8.0 earthquake in August 2007, to provide Humanitarian disaster relief. Shannon has also coordinated with some of the worlds leading Humanitarian aide organization and companies connecting AAI with additional strengths. He strongly believes in focusing on providing support to help those in the developing world to meet their basic needs, to break the poverty cycle, and to lead a better quality of life.
Dave Douglas has been CEO of several technology companies, leveraging his engineering roots in Silicon Valley. After 20 years, he hung up his corporate has as Sr. VP for Scient corporation managing their web strategy division. Taking advantage of an early retirement, Dave traveled the world for 2.5 years where he developed a deep appreciation for the culture, people and beauty of places such as Nepal, Cuba, Vietnam, Hungary, Bhutan, Laos, Patagonia, Brazil, and Thailand.His famously friendly nature and somewhat dubious guitar-playing skills helped Dave make some incredible travel contacts along the way which he shares generously with his fellow travelers.
Ruth Matranga is one of AAI's most tireless volunteers. If she's not escorting a child in need of a much needed surgery, she's helping out a local fundraiser or leading a mission to one of the many projects she is involved with around the world. Ruth brings compassion and love to everything she touches and we're so proud to have her as one of our Mission Directors. Welcome aboard!
Cindy Paulus has been a member of Airline Ambassadors since 2002. She received the Lifetime Presidential Volunteer Service Award, and has conducted countless missions for AAI with a focus on El Salvadors. When asked about leading missions, Cindy replied "I never knew the true meaning of a passion for something until I started organizing the humanitarian missions to El Salvador. Something deep within just bursts open and your heart overflows when you give of yourself and help the less fortunate." Thanks Cindy, we couldn't have said it any better.
Michael Powers is an adventure photojournalist, widely published, &
recognized internationally for his participation in sea kayaking, humanitarian & filmmaking expeditions. He is the founder of Ocean Studio, an alliance of writers, photographers & filmmakers working together to nurture a deeper understanding & empathy for the natural world.
Nancy Rivard founded Airline Ambassadors in 1996 for airline employees to use their pass privileges to help children. She has hand delivered supplies to over 20 countries and led dozens of AAI missions all around the world. Her vision is to expand the idea of Traveling to Make a Difference to all age groups and professions. Still a flight attendant for American Airlines, she spends most of her time on humanitarian activities, and helping to raise funding for children and families at Airline Ambassador projects on five continents.
Suzanne Sigona has been our mission coordinator for
Vietnam since 2004. Through her 17 years of
volunteering at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, she
developed an interest in providing aid to that country
while assisting others who are drawn to this area of
the world. In
February 2007, she was able to deliver medical
equipment on behalf of the St. Anthony Hospital
Foundation to the Bach Mai teaching hospital in Hanoi.
Members of this mission and previous missions have
served programs in Ho Chi Minh City, Ben Tre, DaNang,
Hoi An, and Hanoi.
Deborah Quigley has been an avid member and mission director of AAI since 1999, with trips to countries in S.America, Central America, Romania, Nepal, Ethiopia, leading trips to the Phillipines, Cambodia, and Thailand, escorting a sick child from/to Micronesia, and working on AAI's sponsorship program. "Airline Ambassadors is my Peace Corps. What a privilege it is to use my life and travel benefits to help orphans and other vulnerable children live a better life. In the words of Bono, as world travelers 'if we fail to do that, we've just been tourists in these people's tragedies'." At home in Hawaii, you can find Deborah working for United Airlines at the Honolulu airport and volunteering with the local RIF program. "To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world."
Trinh Bui-Kokkoris
is AAI's newly-appointed Director of Viet Nam Projects (based in New York). Trinh will be leading humanitarinan missions to Viet Nam -- visiting physical rehabilitation/vocational centers and impoverished families with disabled children. Since 2003, she has spent a significant amount of time raising awareness and seeking support for the disabled population in Viet Nam, specifically Agent Orange/dioxin victims. She is a certified yoga instructor and has volunteered her services to disabled children and adults in Viet Nam. She has worked with local NGOs in Viet Nam such as the Viet Nam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin and the Viet Nam Red Cross. She was born in Saigon, and came to the U.S. in 1975. When asked the reason for her passionate work, she borrows and adds to a quote from M. Gandhi, "I must be the change that I want to see in the world, and so this is my path." 
Dave Douglas has been CEO of several technology companies, leveraging his engineering roots in Silicon Valley. After 20 years, he hung up his corporate has as Sr. VP for Scient corporation managing their web strategy division. Taking advantage of an early retirement, Dave traveled the world for 2.5 years where he developed a deep appreciation for the culture, people and beauty of places such as Nepal, Cuba, Vietnam, Hungary, Bhutan, Laos, Patagonia, Brazil, and Thailand.His famously friendly nature and somewhat dubious guitar-playing skills helped Dave make some incredible travel contacts along the way which he shares generously with his fellow travelers.
Ruth Matranga is one of AAI's most tireless volunteers. If she's not escorting a child in need of a much needed surgery, she's helping out a local fundraiser or leading a mission to one of the many projects she is involved with around the world. Ruth brings compassion and love to everything she touches and we're so proud to have her as one of our Mission Directors. Welcome aboard!
Cindy Paulus has been a member of Airline Ambassadors since 2002. She received the Lifetime Presidential Volunteer Service Award, and has conducted countless missions for AAI with a focus on El Salvadors. When asked about leading missions, Cindy replied "I never knew the true meaning of a passion for something until I started organizing the humanitarian missions to El Salvador. Something deep within just bursts open and your heart overflows when you give of yourself and help the less fortunate." Thanks Cindy, we couldn't have said it any better. 
Michael Powers is an adventure photojournalist, widely published, &
recognized internationally for his participation in sea kayaking, humanitarian & filmmaking expeditions. He is the founder of Ocean Studio, an alliance of writers, photographers & filmmakers working together to nurture a deeper understanding & empathy for the natural world. 
Nancy Rivard founded Airline Ambassadors in 1996 for airline employees to use their pass privileges to help children. She has hand delivered supplies to over 20 countries and led dozens of AAI missions all around the world. Her vision is to expand the idea of Traveling to Make a Difference to all age groups and professions. Still a flight attendant for American Airlines, she spends most of her time on humanitarian activities, and helping to raise funding for children and families at Airline Ambassador projects on five continents.
Suzanne Sigona has been our mission coordinator for
Vietnam since 2004. Through her 17 years of
volunteering at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, she
developed an interest in providing aid to that country
while assisting others who are drawn to this area of
the world. In
February 2007, she was able to deliver medical
equipment on behalf of the St. Anthony Hospital
Foundation to the Bach Mai teaching hospital in Hanoi.
Members of this mission and previous missions have
served programs in Ho Chi Minh City, Ben Tre, DaNang,
Hoi An, and Hanoi.
