Executive Staff
Edward L. Kadunc, MPH
Executive Director
Mr. Edward Kadunc serves as the executive director of the Pan American Health and Education Foundation. He is a highly experienced international manager with a successful career in Latin America and Eastern Europe as a senior U.S. government official. Skilled in policy formulation and strategic planning, he has successfully negotiated with private and public decision makers at the highest levels to achieve priority corporate and political goals.
Mr. Kadunc is recognized widely for his leadership. In January 2008, he received the Outstanding Career Achievement Award from Ambassador Henrietta H. Fore, the Deputy Secretary of State for Foreign Assistance and Administrator for the US Agency for International Development (AID). Previously, Mr. Kadunc was honored with the Presidential Meritorious Honor Award—an award honoring high-performing professionals who are strong, effective leaders committed to excellence.
In the health area, Mr. Kadunc has advised governments and the private sector on prevention and education issues regarding tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS as well as planning and management of public health and primary health care programs. He also has worked with the private sector on corporate social responsibility programs, particularly in the areas of health and education. Additionally, he has led a major program of university partnerships between some 90 U.S. and Mexican universities. He has also been involved in government reform and modernization activities and post-war reconstruction programs.
Edward Kadunc holds an MPH from the University of Michigan, School of Public Health. A native English speaker, he is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. He has lived and worked in Bolivia, Brazil, Bosnia Herzegovina, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru.
He joined the foundation in 2008.
Richard Salvatierra
Director of Development
Richard is originally from Arizona and grew up in Latin America as a son of a U.S. diplomat. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in government and international relations. Upon graduation, Richard entered the Navy and received a commendation for leadership. He began his professional career in Washington, D.C. working for consulting firms and later completed a master’s degree in public administration and urban affairs from the University of Maryland. He expects to earn a master’s degree in education from Trinity University in 2009.
He has successful management, development, and marketing experience as a senior executive with non-profit associations, organizations, and service firms with manufacturing and technology corporations, federal government contracting, information dissemination, customer support services, and information clearinghouses, and Internet startups.
As the director of field operations for the National Education Service Centers in Washington, D.C., Richard raised over $2 million. He directed field operations for this non-profit association (13 offices) which promoted/developed educational opportunities for Hispanic American students in professional schools. He also was responsible for the initial activities in fundraising for National Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
This was followed as President of the National Economic Development Association in Washington, D.C. This organization provided management, financial, and marketing assistance to small- and medium-size companies. He grew this non-profit business association to 11 offices and annual revenues of $90 million (federally funded grant base).
Over the last 10 years, Richard has been an entrepreneur and his activities have included: consulting for non-profit and for-profit organizations; raising funds for federal grants and contracts; directing management, marketing, fundraising, and business development.
Pilar Torres
Director of Programs
Born in Puerto Rico, Ms. Torres holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in accounting from the University of Puerto Rico. Additionally, she has completed graduate studies in the same field.
In 1985, after an internship at Drexel, Burnham, Lambert PR, an investment broker firm, she was offered a position as an accountant in the Institutional Operations Department. In 1991, she joined Johnson & Johnson in Puerto Rico as payroll accountant where she managed payroll and related benefits for over 200 employees in the executive, manufacturing, and administrative areas. Three years later, she was promoted to senior accountant where she was responsible for the company’s intercompany activities with its affiliates, administration of fixed assets, expatriate program, insurance program, and internal financial statements.
Her leadership initiatives in the workplace and community involvement through corporate committees won her an invitation by its director to belong to the Johnson & Johnson Corporate Contributions Committee.
In 2005, Ms. Torres joined the Pan American Health and Education Foundation (PAHEF) as coordinator of grants and finance. Significant contributions and support of these two key areas of the foundation led to the position of grants administrator where she successfully implemented the newly established Small Grants Program. She put in place procedures to effectively bring the granting function of the foundation on par with current regulations, industry trends, and foundation policies. She is currently director of programs where she oversees the foundation’s grants and awards programs.
Eduardo Castro-Conroy
PALTEX Regional Administrator
Mr. Castro, a national of Peru, earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of the District of Colombia in 1982 and completed his master’s in business administration from the same institution in 1985.
As PALTEX regional administrator, Mr. Castro is responsible for the overall operation of the program. This includes supervising/training field staff, purchasing, overseeing all inventory issues, negotiating and preparing contracts, pricing, developing and managing approved budgets, maintaining and enhancing the TIMS computerized inventory management system, and training PALTEX country administrators in its use and related operational issues at headquarters and in the field.
His professional career has been with PAHO and PAHEF in the PALTEX program. Since 2003, Mr. Castro has been managing the PALTEX program assuming overall operation of the program, supervising/training PALTEX field staff, establishing new procedures, and controlling the approved budget.
William Golden
Chief Financial Officer
Originally from California, Mr.Golden earned his bachelor’s in economics from California State University at Hayward in 1972 and completed his master’s in accounting, finance, and computer science in 1973.
Prior to PAHEF, Mr. Golden worked at Bioscan Inc., located in Washington DC. There he led the conversion of financial systems, as well as directed budgets and implemented processes aimed to increase efficiency.
His professional career includes more than twenty years of experience as chief financial officer, vice president, and controller. He has contributed to multimillion dollar revenue and profit growth expertise in cost reduction, organizational development, technology enhancement, and financial leadership.
As PAHEF’s chief financial officer, Mr. Golden is responsible for finance and administration within the foundation. This includes reporting financial results, planning of organizational activities, and the safeguarding of assets. He also assists the regional administrator in shared responsibilities in inventory issues as well as assisting in developing and managing approved budgets for PAHEF and PALTEX.
