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Meet Our Team

Agua Viva’s work is guided by our sincere belief that, paraphrasing John Wesley, we must do all we can, for as many people as we can, in as many places we can, for as long as we can. Agua Viva’s leadership team believes it is our moral responsibility to restore health through purified water, along with promoting social justice, to poor and isolated communities in need. During each of our water purification system installation projects, our work has resulted in enumerable blessings to the communities we serve and to our team.

Agua Viva’s work could not be realized without donors who contribute their time, talents and dollars or without the “sweat equity” of volunteers who participate in trips. More than 50 committed volunteers manage Agua Viva International, allowing us to operate without any paid U.S. staff.

Leadership

Ricky Ogden

Ricky Ogden

Chairman of the Board

Ricky Ogden received his Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy in 2007. He subsequently completed a PGY-1 residency with an emphasis in pediatrics at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics and now serves as Director of Ambulatory Pharmacy Services at Children’s Mercy. He completed an Executive MBA from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Bloch School of Management in 2016, is board certified in pharmacotherapy and is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Ricky served in the Boy Scouts of America for more than 20 years, including three as Troop Scoutmaster. He joined the Agua Viva board of directors in February 2019 and became chair in 2024. Ricky’s passion for cross-team collaboration while maintaining a focus on diversity and mission-driven results aligns with Agua Viva’s strategic goals. Ricky is supported, motivated and guided by his two phenomenal daughters and wonderful wife of more than 16 years.

Phone: (913) 645-7589
Email: ricky@aguavivainternational.org

Jerry Johnson

Jerry Johnson

Chief Executive Officer

Jerry Johnson is a retired professional engineer, having been a Principal at the consulting firm of Shafer, Kline and Warren, serving public and private clients throughout the Midwest. Jerry was both curious and envious of his colleagues and mountain hiking friends Daryl Taylor and Dale Bain for their trips with Agua Viva building purified water systems in Central and South America – but was always too busy to join them. Not having the time excuse changed with retirement in December 2015. In the summer of 2016, Jerry volunteered to join another engineering colleague, Curt Mader, one of Agua Viva’s founders, and his team for an installation in Pomachaca, Ecuador. This trip was a game changer — the fellowship of the Agua Viva team; the need for purified water to enhance the community’s health; the ability to deliver purified water at a cost the community could afford; how the team was received in the community; the community efforts to be a partner on the installation and education; the happiness on the students’ faces; and the scenery all made for a very rewarding trip. Since that first trip, Jerry has been on 16 others to Central and South America, assisting on installation and education of systems; conducting site investigations for future installations; and operating partner follow-up visits. Jerry attended the Living Waters for the World Clean Water U 103 for Water System Installation, Operation and Maintenance. He resides in Lee’s Summit with his wife Barbara, spending their “retirement” time with their two sons and daughters-in-law and five grandchildren.

Founders

Jim Allen

Jim Allen

Chairman of the Board & President, Retired

James C. Allen (Jim) is the retired Chairman of Agua Viva International. He first visited Guatemala in 2005, where he learned about the lack of purified drinking water in developing countries. With his accountability group, Jim researched water purification methods for these remote rural communities and discovered the “Living Waters for the World” solution, which Agua Viva typically installs today “with improvements.” Jim has developed countless friendships serving these communities. In addition, with over 300 volunteers from the United States serving within our organization, Agua Viva has grown rapidly. Jim was honored with the Greg Graves Community Leadership Award 2020. This incredible honor was introduced “to honor an outstanding individual who goes above and beyond to volunteer time, donate funds and contribute in-kind gifts to support worthy causes in the communities in which we live and work.” Jim has been married more than 40 years to Nancy Allen (also serving in the organization), and they have two children and four grandchildren. Jim is retired from Burns & McDonnell, where he was an Associate and Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, providing project management services for NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy and other clients.

Curt Mader

Curt Mader

CEO, Retired

Curt Mader retired as CEO of Agua Viva International at the end of 2019. In 2009, Curt visited Guatemala three times. Along with Jim Allen and two volunteers, he traveled to Living Waters for the World’s “Clean Water University” for project administration, health and hygiene and system installation training in preparation for Agua Viva’s first installation.

Board of Directors

Jim Burger

Jim Burger

Phone: (816) 830-2655
Email: jimdburger@sbcglobal.net

Len Danaher

Len Danaher

Phone: (816) 718-1284
Email: ldanahe@burnsmcd.com

Amy Clement

Amy Clement

Phone: (816) 516-2555
Email: aclement@burnsmcd.com

Sofia Isabel

Sofia Isabel

Phone: (214) 681-3040
Email: sofiaisabel.chb@gmail.com

Steve Jackson

Steve Jackson

Phone: (913) 940-4383
Email: steve@aguavivainternational.org

Noelle Mware

Noelle Mware

Phone: (803) 636-3547
Email: noelleatieno@gmail.com

Jeff Noland

Jeff Noland

Email: jnoland@eecpinc.com

Isaac Rempe

Isaac Rempe

Phone: (515) 689-6411
Email: irempe@burnsmcd.com

Ryan Schweiger

Ryan Schweiger

Phone: (913) 710-3356
Email: ryan.schweiger@empower.com