We are a faith-forward team dedicated to making a difference in the world.
Dr. Gicheru and his close friend Dr. Olatunji founded GCO with the initial intent of supporting international medical mission teams. What started as a simple venture has blossomed into a robust faith-based organization that serves those in greatest need in the United States and overseas.
Through a series of divine alignments and the dedication of friends, volunteers and donors, GCO has grown into an organization that truly strives to fulfill the Great Commission.
Leadership
Eugene Gicheru, MD, MBA, FACEP | Founder
Dr. Gicheru is a board-certified emergency physician and CEO of CareCulture Health Partners. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas in 2005 and holds a master’s degree in business administration with a focus in healthcare administration from the University of Texas at Dallas.
Dr. Gicheru is known for his dedication to servant leadership and his ability to help emergency departments improve by positively impacting department culture.
Dr. Gicheru and his wife Laura have two amazing boys, Alex and Adam who are learning the joy of serving as a family and showing the love of Christ to the world. Dr. Gicheru can be reached at EGicheru@greatcommissionoutreach.org.
Lawrence Bean, MD, MBA, FACEP | Board Member
Dr. Bean is a board-certified emergency physician, healthcare executive, entrepreneur, and leadership consultant. He has a MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas, attended medical school at UT Southwestern and completed an emergency medicine residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas.
In 2008 Dr. Bean began his journey into faith-based medical missions, serving with Baptist Medical Missions in the Dominican Republic. Since that time he has served on numerous missions with multiple organizations and has worked to develop GCO.
He has been blessed to share this passion for missions and work side-by-side with his wife Erinn and their children in this ministry.
Javier R. Caldera-Nieves, MD, FACEP | Board Member
Dr. Javier Caldera is a board-certified emergency physician and healthcare leader. He received his BS in Biology from University of Puerto Rico and his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine.
Dr. Caldera has served on numerous faith-based mission trips with multiple organizations and has traveled extensively to countries such as Haiti, Uganda, Ethiopia, Brazil and Guatemala. He is on the board of Great Commission Outreach and has played an integral role in developing and leading the nonprofit organization. Dr. Caldera, his wife Itza, and two daughters Sofia and Elena love to go on mission trips together to experience the joy of serving those in need.
Betsy Dawson | Board Member and Executive Director
Betsy Dawson is a corporate controller in the Dallas area, an active member of Elevate Life Church in Frisco, Texas, and serves on the board for Julia's Clinic, a free resource for the indigent population of Plano, Texas.
Betsy was first called to mission work after traveling to Uganda in 2012. Since that time, she has dedicated her life to spreading the message of healing and hope to the underserved people of the world.
Betsy oversees operations of GCO and Clinic for the Cities. She and her husband, Todd, have 5 beautiful children. Betsy can be reached at Betsy.Dawson@clinic4cities.org.
Debra Schrader | Director of Strategic Partnerships
Debra Schrader has over 10 years of experience as a physician recruiter and business development manager. She has worked with medical directors and leadership teams to determine hospital facility needs and negotiated contracts for hospitals and large practice management groups. Debra is very passionate about helping others and knows that God has called her to be a part of the Great Commission Outreach ministry. As Director of Strategic Partnerships, Debra is responsible for cultivating partnerships and recruiting volunteers for GCO. She loves to encourage others to join the journey because she knows that it is all about putting faith in action. Living with a greater awareness of the part we all play in the lives of others pushes her to always strive to make each moment matter. Debra believes that nothing is more important than to glorify God and to share the love of Christ to those in need. Debra has three wonderful kids and six amazing grandchildren.