Promoting a global culture of solidarity with the poor - in Haiti, Africa, and beyond. - for a more just and sustainable world . . .
Mitch Farrel, Board Treasurer, visited Haiti as a sophomore student at St. Vincent College in 2014 and continued visiting each year thereafter. He has degrees in accounting and music and works as a professional accountant. He serves as parish "Haiti liaison" at his home parish of Mt. St. Peter RC Church (New Kensington, PA) which as been a long-time "congregational partner" of Rich in Mercy.
Carol Serafin is and educator, director of Faith Formation at her home parish of Holy Trinity RC Church (Ligonier, PA), and a long-time friend and supporter of Rich in Mercy. She earned a master's degree in Theology from St. Vincent Seminary (Latrobe, PA), and is a Lay Spiritan - a lay member of the missionary Congregation of the Holy Spirit.
Vera Swiergol, Board Member Emerita, first visited Haiti in 1992 as a participant in the inaugural Rich in Mercy “Reverse Mission Pilgrimage” with Rich and Daneen Gosser. she is a retired bookkeeper and member of St. Margaret Mary RC Church (Lower Burrell, PA). Since 1994 she has been passionate about supporting education in Haiti and raises fund annually for the "Education for Change" fund. Since 1994 she has provided more than $100,000 in scholarships to Haitian children and youth based on merit and need.
Daneen Gosser, co-founder, Board Vice President and Board Secretary, is a retired RN with more than 30 years of experience as a certified psychiatric nurse providing patient care and therapy in both institutional and home health settings. She Rich went to Haiti in 1987 after being inspired by a book in which the author encouraged readers to encounter Jesus not in the Holy Land where he walked more than 2000 years ago, but in the slums of Port au Prince where – he promised – Jesus could be found among people living in extreme material poverty.
Daneen and Rich are both Lay Spiritans - lay members of the missionary Congregatoin of the Holy Spirit and co-workers with Presentation Ministries, a lay association in Cincinnati, OH. They are active in their home parish of Holy Trinity RC Church (Ligonier, PA).
Dr. Richard A. Gosser,co-founder, Executive Director, and Board President, has more than 30 years of experience working in Haiti. He has a doctorate in mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA) and honorary doctorates from Saint Vincent College (Latrobe, PA) and Marywood University (Scranton, PA). He is professor emeritus at St. Vincent where he taught mathematics and engineering from 1975 until 2005. Since 2014 he has taught a “service learning” course titled “Haiti: Window on Our Worlds” as an adjunct professor of history at St. Vincent.
Rich and his wife, Daneen, first visited Haiti in 1987.