Meet Our Team
Executive Advisory Board
Dr. Adam Beckett – Founder and President
Founder & President
Dr. Adam Beckett is a Board Certified physician in Emergency Medicine and has been in active practice at the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia since completing his residency at Resurrection Hospital in Chicago in 2006. He is a 1995 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia with a BS degree in biology.
Following his undergraduate studies he spent 4 years in the United States Marine Corps as an infantry platoon commander in the First Marine Division. He was honorably discharged in 1999 and then attended medical school at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.
Today he continues to work at the University of Missouri Hospital and at Truman Veterans Administration Hospital also located in Columbia. In 2011 Dr. Beckett organized Global First Responder LLC and personally funded all of its operations until 2014 when he founded Global First Responder Foundation (GFR) as a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt and all volunteer non-profit organization. GFR focuses its operations on providing medical and community infrastructure development missions across the globe.
Dr. Sarath Gangisetty – Oral Surgeon
Executive Advisory Board - Dentistry
Dr. Sarath Gangisetty is a Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgeon, specializing in trauma, facial aesthetics, dental implants, oral pathologies, and complex jaw surgeries. He is the founder of the SmileGuard Initiative, a transformative initiative dedicated to making dental care accessible and affordable for all age groups. Focused on the principle that prevention is better than cure, Dr.Gangisetty emphasizes the importance of proactive dental hygiene and regular check-ups. Through community outreach programs, dental health camps, and educational workshops, the initiative aims to enhance oral health awareness and empower individuals with the knowledge to maintain their smiles. Committed to fostering a culture of preventive care, SmileGuard strives to ensure that quality dental services are within reach for everyone.
Dr. Gangisetty lives and works in Hyderabad, India. In addition to his dental surgery practice and his focus on providing free dental care through dental camps, Dr. Gangisetty is currently working to establish the first Oral Cancer Screening Program in India and was recently honored with the Bharat Visionary Award in 2024. Dr. Gangisetty also volunteers with Global First Responder and recently completed a camp in Puttaparthi, India where, as a solo dentist, he completed 30+ extractions and 20+ restorations, in addition to creating a positive experience with dentistry for more than 100 patients in remote villages, most of whom had never seen a dentist. Oral cancer screenings were completely and documented for all appropriate patients.
Kristen Hubbard, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES – Registered Dietitian
Kristen Hubbard is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education
Specialist with a passion for using food as medicine to help people improve their health and quality of life. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and her Master’s degree from Louisiana Tech University.
With extensive experience in nutrition, diabetes management, health education, and population health, Kristen believes that nutrition should be both evidence-based and practical – empowering individuals to make meaningful changes that align with their personal journeys.
As an advisor to GFR, Kristen is committed to bringing her expertise to help advance initiatives that address nutrition education, chronic disease prevention, and sustainable wellness.
Micah Anderson – Construction Lead
Executive Advisory Board - Construction
Micah Anderson attended the University of Missouri where he graduated with a degree in Architectural studies and construction management. While in school he had the privilege of joining GFR on a construction/medical trip to the Peruvian Amazon. Since then he has been a regular on the GFR construction team.
Micah has experience in multiple construction fields including framing, concrete, electrical, exterior finishes and trim carpentry and currently works as a finish carpenter in Salt Lake City, UT.
Michael Flammang – Security
Executive Advisory Board - Safety and Security
Michael Flammang spent four years in the United States Marine Corps, where he completed two combat deployments in Afghanistan. Upon his Honorable Discharge from service, he pursued a B.S. degree in Criminology from the University of Missouri, Saint Louis. After completing his degree, Michael went back overseas as a Private Military Contractor working for the Department of Defense. He spent almost a decade in near constant rotation through various combat zones across the Middle East and Africa.
Michael now shares his unique security perspectives with GFR to ensure GFR teams can provide aid and complete their missions without putting themselves in undue danger. He has participated in multiple GFR missions, taking on organizational and construction tasks to ensure medical personnel can focus on their specialized expertise.
Kara Goddard, Pharm.D. – Pharmacy
Executive Advisory Board - Pharmacy
Dr. Kara Goddard is a Clinical Pharmacist specializing in Emergency Medicine and a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy and completed her residency at Grady Health System in Atlanta, Georgia. Since 2012, she has worked at University of Missouri Health Care, serving as an Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialist.
In her role, Dr. Goddard is integral to high-acuity patient care, ensuring rapid and evidence-based pharmacologic interventions in emergency settings. She collaborates closely with physicians, nurses, and trainees to improve outcomes, develop clinical protocols, and train the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Her dedication extends beyond the hospital. Dr. Goddard has previously traveled and worked with Global First Responder, delivering medical and pharmaceutical care to underserved populations worldwide. These experiences underscore her commitment to advancing health equity and expanding access to life-saving care in both local and global contexts.
Dr. Goddard lives in Columbia, Missouri, with her husband, JD, and their three dogs. Outside of her clinical work, she enjoys community outreach, mentoring young pharmacists, and exploring new opportunities to strengthen the role of pharmacy in emergency medicine.
Suzie Lee – Health Education
Volunteer & Community Health Education Programming
Suzie Lee is life-long educator and long-time medical team volunteer and team leader.
Suzie joined GFR in 2021 and led the Zambia team in 2022. She has led medical teams for the last 12 years around the globe and she loves seeing her teams excel and gel while in the field.
Suzie has been a public and charter school educator for more than 25 years, certified in both general and special education. She joined GFR because of our focus on community sustainability. With her expertise in adult and child education, Suzie focuses her efforts at GFR on building our community health education program.
In joining the board, Suzie stated that having the opportunity to dedicate a GFR water treatment facility in Zambia was one of the most impactful days of her life. She wants to continue to help GFR move forward in sustainability while serving as a board member.
Suzie lives in in Hawaii with her husband, dog, and cat. In addition to a career as a full time teacher, she also runs an Air BnB that she literally built from the ground up. Her husband, Scott, is an acupuncturist and has served on many medical trips, where his work is always in high demand.
Joseph D. Rich, O.D. – Optometry
Optometry
Dr. Joseph D. Rich is an Optometrist and owner of Family Focus Eyecare and Retuva Medical Spa, specializing in comprehensive vision care, ocular disease management, contact lens fittings, and surgical co-management. A Warrensburg, Missouri native, Dr. Rich earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee. Since 2012, he has lived and practiced in Columbia, Missouri, where he has established a reputation for delivering personalized and innovative care.
Through Family Focus Eyecare, Dr. Rich is dedicated to improving patients’ vision and long-term eye health using the latest diagnostic technology and treatments. At Retuva Medical Spa, he has expanded his scope to integrate medical aesthetics, dry eye, and wellness services, reflecting his passion for helping patients not only see better, but also look and feel their best.
Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Rich is actively engaged in community outreach and professional development, with a strong focus on preventive care and patient education. He and his team emphasize a culture of compassionate service, making advanced care accessible in mid-Missouri.
Dr. Rich lives in Columbia with his wife, Kara, and their three dogs. Together, they enjoy traveling, outdoor adventures, and contributing to local organizations that support health and wellness.
Donna Beckett
Executive Advisory Board - Fundraising & Development
Donna Beckett is Dr. Adam Beckett’s mother. She is a 1969 graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in Education. She raised 4 sons, all of whom served in the Marine Corps.
She has worked in the airline, travel and clothing sales businesses and in 1992 she founded a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization, Assistance League of Mid-Missouri (ALMM). ALMM has grown into a successful philanthropic NGO with 315 members. ALMM is operated entirely by volunteers and has provided millions of dollars in assistance to schools, women and children in central Missouri.
Amy Jordheim
International Logistics & Field Operations
Amy Jordheim has a Master’s in Public Health from Benedictine University and has worked all over the world in public health for 2 decades. She has authored numerous continuing education courses designed to help medical personnel improve and provide more culturally balanced education for their patients. These courses include both infectious and chronic diseases and diseases that are well known around the world but rare in the United States.
Amy most recently developed a course designed to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID. This course has been published in more than 10 languages. She has led more than 75 medical and dental teams into the field during disasters, for post-disaster recovery, and to improve the health and health education in many communities around the world.
In her spare time, Amy is a dedicated volunteer with Global First Responder and Team Rubicon, a Nationally Registered Advanced EMT working on an ambulance and in a busy Emergency Department in rural Colorado, a photographer, a weaver, and most importantly, with her husband of 43 years, a parent and grandparent to a bunch of above-average children (in their own minds) and a wonderful cat named Fiona.