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We all deserve access to good health care.

The Lao Health Initiative (LAOHI) is dedicated to ensuring that the people of Northern Laos have great health care. We are proud partners of Project C.U.R.E., Friends Without A Border & Mandalao Elephant Sanctuary.

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Lao Health Initiative LAOHI Laos Medical Equipment Non Profit Charity Laos Landscape Map

We all deserve access to good health care.

The Lao Health Initiative (LAOHI) is dedicated to ensuring that the people of Northern Laos have great health care. We are proud partners of Project C.U.R.E., Friends Without A Border & Mandalao Elephant Sanctuary.

Lao Health Initiative LAOHI Laos Medical Equipment Non Profit Charity Laos Landscape Map

What We Do

We serve as a critical link between Project C.U.R.E and the people of Luang Prabang by providing medical supplies and equipment to local hospitals.

We train people in nearby villages in basic first aid and assessment and provide them with needed first aid tools.

We work with local ambulance services to improve the quality of care.

What We Do

We serve as a critical link between Project C.U.R.E and the people of Luang Prabang by providing medical supplies and equipment to local hospitals.

We train people in nearby villages in basic first aid and assessment and provide them with needed first aid tools.

We work with local ambulance services to improve the quality of care.

Why Laos?

Laos did not participate in the Vietnam War, but the country is still recovering from its people having been used as pawns in the conflict. It lacks the booming economy of its neighbors China, Vietnam or Thailand, but it does have a very rich culture built on decency and honesty.   They deserve access to good health care, and LAOHI hopes to help make this a reality with empathy, humility and dedication.

Why Laos?

Laos did not participate in the Vietnam War, but the country is still recovering from its people having been used as pawns in the conflict. It lacks the booming economy of its neighbors China, Vietnam or Thailand, but it does have a very rich culture built on decency and honesty.   They deserve access to good health care, and LAOHI hopes to help make this a reality with empathy, humility and dedication.

Our Story

Michael Vogler, the son of LAOHI’s founder Ray Vogler, established MandaLao Elephant Conservation in Luang Prabang, Laos in 2015. Interested in supporting his son’s work, Ray visited and fell in love with the region’s magnificent beauty and genuine, kind-hearted people. Driven by a desire to learn more about the local culture, Ray visited the two main hospitals in Luang Prabang – the Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital and the Laos Friends Hospital for Children – and recognized the enormous need for medical equipment and supplies. He immediately founded LAO Health Initiative before connecting and partnering with Project C.U.R.E.

Our Story

Michael Vogler, the son of LAOHI’s founder Ray Vogler, established MandaLao Elephant Conservation in Luang Prabang, Laos in 2015. Interested in supporting his son’s work, Ray visited and fell in love with the region’s magnificent beauty and genuine, kind-hearted people. Driven by a desire to learn more about the local culture, Ray visited the two main hospitals in Luang Prabang – the Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital and the Laos Friends Hospital for Children – and recognized the enormous need for medical equipment and supplies. He immediately founded LAO Health Initiative before connecting and partnering with Project C.U.R.E.

Who We Are

Ray Vogler | Executive Director & Founder

Ray has been a geophysicist since 1981. His interest in medicine developed in 2005 when he joined the Indian Hills (Colorado) First Rescue as a firefighter/first responder. He became an Emergency Medical Technician two years later and has been actively involved since then in the rescue and care of patients with medical emergencies. Ray recently moved to Laos, where his son Michel is co-owner of an elephant conservation business in Luang Prabang. After frequent trips to Laos, Ray saw the emergency medical support was lacking, and decided it was time to try to help.

Paul Scott, MD | President

Paul earned his MD degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1972. He later attended the University of Denver College of Law, where he earned a JD degree in 1977. Paul went on to defend physicians from malpractice suits in his medical law practice until 2016. Now retired, Paul is Counsel at Childs McCune in Denver, Colorado.  Paul is also volunteer for Project CURE, for which he travels with teams of primary care providers.

Steve Lauterbach, MD | 1st Vice President

Steve obtained his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He interned at University of California, Davis, and completed his general surgery residency at the United State Public Health Hospital in San Francisco. He obtained his boards in general surgery and emergency medicine and spent his professional career serving for several decades in a large urban emergency department. After retiring from the active practice of medicine, he volunteered in the public school system for five years and more recently has served as the chairperson of the Arnold Rim Trail Association, a community non-profit dedicated to promoting health and appreciation of the outdoors.

Susan Kweskin | 2nd Vice President

Susan has been a medical writer and editor for over 30 years. She recently retired from her role as Editorial Director of the Medica Division of UBM (United Business Media), where she and colleagues served as the editorial conduit for physician and staff written articles published in a variety of journals and websites for physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in a variety of specialties– including primary care, rheumatology, neurology, and psychiatry. As such, she has been an avid student of medicine for decades. Once upon a time, she was an EMT in Connecticut, where she currently lives.

Lt. Patricia Sears | Secretary & Treasurer

Pat has been a member on the Indian Hills Fire Rescue department for 19 years.  She is currently the Rescue Lieutenant for the department.  Pat has worked in healthcare for 36 years in various settings including hospitals, outpatient clinics, pediatrics, and crisis centers. Patricia has experience in providing education for elementary and middle school students, for hospital employees, and patients, and in training emergency medical technicians.  She is also an AHA Certified Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) instructor, and has begun teaching First AID for the residents of Indian Hills.  Pat was also the first person in Colorado to obtain the EMT – Advanced (EMT-A) level of certification under the National Registry’s new guidelines.

Who We Are

Ray Vogler | Executive Director & Founder

Ray has been a geophysicist since 1981. His interest in medicine developed in 2005 when he joined the Indian Hills (Colorado) First Rescue as a firefighter/first responder. He became an Emergency Medical Technician two years later and has been actively involved since then in the rescue and care of patients with medical emergencies. Ray recently moved to Laos, where his son Michel is co-owner of an elephant conservation business in Luang Prabang. After frequent trips to Laos, Ray saw the emergency medical support was lacking, and decided it was time to try to help.

Paul Scott, MD | President

Paul earned his MD degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1972. He later attended the University of Denver College of Law, where he earned a JD degree in 1977. Paul went on to defend physicians from malpractice suits in his medical law practice until 2016. Now retired, Paul is Counsel at Childs McCune in Denver, Colorado.  Paul is also volunteer for Project CURE, for which he travels with teams of primary care providers.

Steve Lauterbach, MD | 1st Vice President

Steve obtained his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He interned at University of California, Davis, and completed his general surgery residency at the United State Public Health Hospital in San Francisco. He obtained his boards in general surgery and emergency medicine and spent his professional career in the emergency department at Kaiser Hospital in San Francisco. He retired from the active practice of medicine and moved with his family to the Sierra foothills where he volunteered in the public school system for five years and more recently has served as the chairperson of the Arnold Rim Trail Association, a community non-profit dedicated to promoting health and appreciation of the outdoors.

Susan Kweskin | 2nd Vice President

Susan has been a medical writer and editor for over 30 years. She recently retired from her role as Editorial Director of the Medica Division of UBM (United Business Media), where she and colleagues served as the editorial conduit for physician and staff written articles published in a variety of journals and websites for physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in a variety of specialties– including primary care, rheumatology, neurology, and psychiatry. As such, she has been an avid student of medicine for decades. Once upon a time, she was an EMT in Connecticut, where she currently lives.

Lt. Patricia Sears | Secretary & Treasurer

Pat has been a member on the Indian Hills Fire Rescue department for 19 years.  She is currently the Rescue Lieutenant for the department.  Pat has worked in healthcare for 36 years in various settings including hospitals, outpatient clinics, pediatrics, and crisis centers. Patricia has experience in providing education for elementary and middle school students, for hospital employees, and patients, and in training emergency medical technicians.  She is also an AHA Certified Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) instructor, and has begun teaching First AID for the residents of Indian Hills.  Pat was also the first person in Colorado to obtain the EMT – Advanced (EMT-A) level of certification under the National Registry’s new guidelines.

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