Paul B. Thompson Joins Direct Relief International as Chief of Programs
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Humanitarian medical aid organization Direct Relief International has hired Paul B. Thompson as its Chief of Programs. He will oversee the organization's work with its partners in 59 countries worldwide, including the United States.
During Thompson’s 30-year career in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership, he has worked with some of the world's most significant international humanitarian organizations, including World Vision, MAP International, and Project Concern International.
“Through a truly worldwide search process, Paul emerged as the best candidate,” said President & CEO Thomas Tighe. “He is a tremendous addition to Direct Relief and will help us expand how we fulfill our organization’s humanitarian mission for people who need help. He has done this his entire life, with notable success.”
Prior to joining Direct Relief, Thompson was executive director of BetterWorld Together Foundation, an international philanthropic organization based in Temecula, California, focused on child development, health, and economic development.
Prior to that, Thompson served as principal and senior partner in Global Community Solutions, Inc. (GCS), a firm dedicated to building the corporate citizenship capacity of businesses and effectiveness of domestic and international nonprofit organizations. Thompson held the role of executive director of The Callaway Golf Company Foundation (a private 501(c)3 charitable foundation founded in 1993) and Office of Global Community Affairs, where he managed corporate and philanthropic efforts.
A native of Carlsbad, Thompson has been active in San Diego–area civic affairs. He has served on the boards of directors of San Diego Grantmakers; the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce; the San Diego Better Business Bureau and its foundation; and the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation.
Thompson taught for six years as an adjunct faculty member of the UCSD Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, and was a faculty advisor to the student-run management consulting group. As an adjunct faculty member at the George Fox University Graduate School of Business in Portland Oregon, he instructed MBA students in transformational leadership, a course taught in Curritiba, Brazil.
For five years Thompson chaired the Ethical Standards Committee for the American Council of Voluntary International Action (InterAction), the U.S. trade association for international humanitarian organizations working in disaster relief and sustainable development programs around the world. In 1985, Mr. Thompson was appointed to the U.S. delegation to the first meeting of the World Health Organization’s Global Program on AIDS.
Thompson received a bachelor's degree in sociology with minors in political science and social work from Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a master's degree in management from Pepperdine University in 1977. He has completed postgraduate coursework in management, strategic planning, and risk assessment at USC, UCLA, and the Wharton School of Business.
Thompson and his wife, Konny, have four children.
About Direct Relief International
Founded in 1948, Direct Relief International is a Santa Barbara, California–based nonprofit organization focused on improving the quality of life by bringing critically needed medicines and supplies to local healthcare providers worldwide. Direct Relief works in 59 countries and has delivered more than $1 billion in privately funded humanitarian medical aid to health professionals serving impoverished communities since 2000. Direct Relief is one of two charities ranked by Forbes that has received a perfect fundraising efficiency score for seven consecutive years and is ranked by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as California’s largest international nonprofit organization based on private support. For more information, please visit www.DirectRelief.org.
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