Welcome

Officers:

Molly Kiefer – President

I am a psychotherapist and had been in private practice in Raleigh, NC for over 35 years. I was born in Dublin, Ireland and came to the US at the age of 3. I feel as though I grew up traveling to Europe and throughout different parts of the United States from a young age.

The travel, the cultural exchanges, and meeting people were enticing features of Friendship Force. When I joined in 2011, I was excited to learn the culture of others, to stay in their houses, eat their food. And, then reciprocate when people from all over the world came to our wonderful state of North Carolina. The connections and experiences have been an eye opening experience. It has been fun to help organize and participate in many exchanges. I am hoping to go to France in 2021 with our group. Other exciting trips have included Kentucky, Florida, Ohio, Tennessee. The in-country trips have been terrific. If I can help in any way, please contact me Molly.kiefer@icloud.com.  919-828-4343 Vice President.

Brenda Gay - Vice President

Diana Moore - Treasurer

Diana hails from Louisa, KY and Northern Ohio. Lived in Germany for three years

and various places in the USA to include Arizona, Texas, New Jersey, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, and Florida before settling down in Raleigh, NC in 2019. Having worked for the DoD most of my career, I deployed to the Middle East from Sep 2008-Sep 2009. I retired in 2015. I have always been an avid explorer enjoying walking, traveling, and experiencing different cultures. I enjoy the beach as well as the mountains but prefer warm weather over cold. Shoes are a personal passion of mine.

Though not an expert, I do enjoy gardening and plan to expand my herb garden to include vegetables next year. I enjoy movies...especially good comedies and action adventures. I help out in our community’s Greenway clean-up program and am A lover of the outdoors, trails and parks. Physical fitness and eating well is something I focus on every day.

DeAnne Dotson – Secretary

DeAnne is a native North Carolinian who has lived and traveled all over the world. She grew up in tobacco country in Stokes County, studied in Finland and Russia (ultimately graduating from UNC-G with a Communications BA in 1995), taught English in South Korea, and worked for the USO on US military bases in Kuwait and Afghanistan. Along the way, she has backpacked across five continents, enjoying the food, the culture, and the people she encountered. Her commitment to non-profits began at a young age, inspired by her mom who was a Den Leader for both the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. DeAnne translated this commitment into a stint with AmeriCorps where she worked with disadvantaged youth in Austin, Texas. She has continued to volunteer in a variety of ways with various organizations throughout the years, such as recruiting alumnae to adopt residence halls at The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (her alma mater), staffing the USO center at the at RDU Airport, and leading a group of friends to set up an apartment for an incoming refugee family with US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.  

Directors:

Scott Cappelluti

Olga Dovoric

Carole Dubber

I am a retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Most of my career was as a clinical supervisor at Dorothea Dix Hospital and in private practice.

Now that I have retired, I want to spend more time traveling . Friendship Force offers that as well as the opportunity to build relationships with people in other cultures.

I have enjoyed my participation with incoming journeys . I really enjoyed the journeys to Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina. I look forward to traveling overseas, hopefully , starting when our club visits France.

Mary Louise Gray

Jan Johnson

Patricia Jones

Doyle Long'

Doyle joined the Raleigh FF in 2004 with husband, Joe, in time to join a journey to New Zealand.  It was a wonderful trip and set me up for many more. I went to Ismir,Turkey, then a tour afterwards; to Japan, a week in Tokyo, then another stay in Nara; In between Friendship Force trips, I managed to see Ireland, then Italy with Joe and The Holy Land (Jerusalem) in the same year); Nancy Shugart and I had a beautiful trip to Egypt, then a two week stay with a friend in Amman, Jordan and an 8 day cruise through the Greek Islands. Another great FF trip was to Brunsweige-Piner, Germany, then to Berlin for four or five days to see the sights. After that Nancy and I flew to Stockholm for a week with a friend, then to Helsinborg, Sweden with a couple who had visited us in Raleigh, then four days on our own in Copenhagen. Our next exchange was my last international FF trip to Australia where we had three different Journeys plus 4 days in Sydney. Since then I've only traveled domestic journeys to Memphis and the Suncoast in Florida. Early on we spent a week each in Bakersfield and Santa Ana, Calif. I have loved all my travels and cherish the friendships I have made and remained friends for years. Without emails I probably wouldn't have been able to keep up with so many of these wonderful Friendship Force members.

Rachel Masimore

R. Jorge Montoya

Jorge Montoya is a retired Research Engineer that has been a member of the Friendship Force of Raleigh for the last 3 years and a member of the board for the last year and a half. Jorge and his wife, Adrien, have been associated with local and national organizations that promote citizens’ exchanges with other countries as well as student exchanges. They have hosted many international visitors and exchange students, and have traveled extensively nationally and internationally. (montoyarj@yahoo.com)

Mike Rakouskas

I have been an active member of the Friendship Force of Raleigh for about 14-15 years, having served as a past-president of the organization. I have participated in several outgoing international and domestic Journeys and have served as Ambassador Coordinator for a number of these. My wife Elaine and I have home hosted for a number of incoming international and domestic incoming Journeys and Mike has been Host Coordinator for a number of them as well. I enjoy the opportunity of showcasing Raleigh and the Research Triangle area to our fellow Friendship Force members journeying to our community.

We are avid travelers having visited all 50 states and traveled to all of the Canadian provinces. We love international travel and have travelled extensively in Europe, Central and South America, and Mexico, having recently visited Australia and New Zealand for our 50th wedding anniversary. We also enjoy ocean cruising.

We look forward to meeting future Friendship Force members and making new friends. (mrakouskas@aol.com)  

Liz Smith

Marylin Sorin

Donna Steele

Donna is a retired Biotechnology and pharmaceutical training manager. I am active in the community and serves as President of The Woman’s Club of Clayton, as well as serving on the local community college, downtown Clayton and FF of Raleigh Boards. My interests are volunteering in the community, reading, walking and travel.   

Dhsteele249@yahoo.com 

Carol Winner

Judy Wright