Meet the Team

Eugene Yeboah

President & CEO

Eugene is a geneticist and infectious disease specialist making a significant impact in public health. Originally from Ghana, Eugene moved to the United States as a teenager. While his career spans work within the U.S. and various other countries, his heart remains firmly rooted in Ghana, where he continues to feel a deep connection to his homeland.

Over the past few years, Eugene has witnessed a troubling trend in the U.S.—valuable resources being discarded and turned into waste. At the same time, he has been aware of the critical need for such resources in remote villages in Ghana, where they could greatly improve the quality of life. In the fall of 2023, Eugene decided to take action. When he learned that his company, Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) was replacing old laptops with new ones, he saw an opportunity to make a difference. Rather than allowing the laptops to be discarded, Eugene collected them, packed them into boxes, and personally delivered them to remote villages in Ghana, where his family and friends still live.

These laptops were distributed to orphanages, schools, and health centers, and just a few months later, Eugene received a heartfelt thank-you video from the schools. The video showcased how the laptops had a transformative impact on the students, enhancing their educational experience. Seeing the immediate and positive effects of his efforts, Eugene was inspired to create a system to prevent excess, reusable resources from becoming waste in the U.S. and instead, repurpose them for communities in need, like those in rural villages in Ghana.

Having worked extensively in healthcare, Eugene was well aware of the staggering amounts of medical supplies being thrown away, despite the fact that they could be reused to address shortages in healthcare facilities in remote parts of Ghana. With this knowledge in hand, Eugene began to recruit like-minded individuals who share his passion for creating change. This led to the creation of Resource Together in the summer of 2024.

Heidi hopkins

Educational Supply Coordinator

Heidi is a mental health therapist who has been significantly impacted by her experiences with African communities over the last 25 years. The aliveness, vibrancy, embodiment, groundedness, energy, movement, music, food, connectedness, togetherness, present moment focus, spiritual awareness, and prioritization of relationships and helping one another that exists within African cultures is incredibly attractive and precious to Heidi. It is a particular balm for our productivity-obsessed and isolated existence in the west.

When Heidi visited a remote village in Malawi by boat in 2000, her first trip to the continent, she was greeted by the whole village in their best clothes singing and dancing on the beach. Overcome with weeping, this remains one of the most significant experiences of Heidi’s life. In light of western colonization, enslavement, and ongoing exploitation and stealing of resources across the African continent, it is a wonder a white woman from the west would receive such a welcome. Indeed, we know the reverse would not be true even though it would be much more deserved.

After supporting 6 young Kenyan men with their school fees for almost 20 years via a friend’s non-profit organization, Heidi was able to travel to Turkana, Kenya in 2018 to meet them and their families. She also spent time during this visit in a village near Kisumu learning and serving in local schools.

In 2021, Heidi discovered Kizomba/Semba, an Angolan music genre and partner dance. The diversity of the pacific northwest kizomba community in an otherwise very white area of the US, the energy of kizomba/semba music, and the dance itself have become a central source of joy and mental health in Heidi’s life. She traveled to Angola in 2024 for an historical/cultural learning experience that included live semba music and dancing with local Angolans daily.

In June of 2024, Heidi made her first trip to Ghana as Resource Together was forming, hand carrying suitcases of books and educational materials to Akroso Islamic School, compiling a list of needs in Danquah Village’s school and orphanage, and interviewing medical staff in Volta region clinics. Heidi received much more than she gave, smitten by the people she spent time with during 2 of the most delightful weeks of her life.

Heidi’s intention with Resource Together is to participate in reversing the tide of stolen wealth from the African continent and promote the embodiment, connection, and healing available in Ghanian and African ways of life.

Naoko Kawaguchi

Medical Supply Coordinator

Naoko is a dedicated registered nurse in Oregon, specializing in pediatric oncology since 2005. Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Naoko’s passion for becoming bilingual and speaking English fluently began in her teenage years. Driven by this dream, she moved to the United States in her mid-20s, embarking on a journey to master English and pursue a nursing career. After enrolling in an ESL (English as a Second Language) program, Naoko worked tirelessly for seven years to complete her nursing education and ultimately become a registered nurse.

Throughout her academic and professional journey, Naoko harbored another ambition - to utilize her medical background in international settings, providing healthcare support in foreign countries. Although the timing for this dream remained unclear for many years, Naoko’s path took a significant turn when she met Eugene, the president of Resource Together, through their shared passion for salsa dancing. This connection led to an invitation to join the Resource Together team, marking a pivotal moment in her journey.

In January 2025, Naoko had the opportunity to visit Ghana for the first time, where she experienced firsthand the urgent healthcare needs in remote villages. This trip deepened her resolve to invest her time and expertise into transforming excess resources into life-saving opportunities in regions like Ghana. Alongside her colleagues at Resource Together, Naoko is committed to expanding the organization’s work to other areas of Ghana and beyond, aiming to make a long-lasting impact on communities in need.