Transform International

Board Chair, Robert (Bob) Wubbena

Bob was the International President of the Association of Boards of Certification of Water and Wastewater Operators (ABC) in 1975 and the International President of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) in 1995. He served on the board of Water for People for many years, and was Vice-Chair of WASRAG for 6 years.  During his professional career Bob worked for the Washington State drinking water program and as a consultant to local and state governments throughout North America. During this time he worked directly with the National Rural Water Association and state governments in providing circuit rider and training programs for rural systems throughout North America. Bob is a member of the Rotary Club of Olympia, WA, and has instigated, nurtured and supported large WASH programs in Malawi, Papua New Guinea and elsewhere.

Vice-Chair, Pennye Nixon

In 2003, Pennye Nixon founded Etta Projects, a US and Bolivian non-profit organization working in Bolivia with rural villages to provide access to clean water, sanitation and improved village health.  Prior to founding Etta Projects Pennye practiced as a child, family and marriage therapist.  She holds an M.A. in Psychology from Pacific Lutheran University and a B.A. in Human Services from the University of Tennessee. Ms. Nixon was awarded the RESULTS Kitsap Peninsula Global Humanitarian Award for her work with global poverty and the International Woman of the Year Award by the city of Montero, Bolivia.

Dave Fox, Director

Served as WASRAG (Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group) Team Leader for development of the Program Planning and Performance Evaluation process (PPP). Dave worked with The Rotary Foundation (TRF) to implement the Wasrag Model for improved project delivery through the Project Enhancement Process with TRF as part of the Future Vision program around the world.

Dave received his degree in Environmental Engineering from Iowa State University in 1965 and was involved in planning, design and construction of water and wastewater treatment facilities for 45 years. He retired from active practice with FOX Engineering in Ames, Iowa in 2008.

Dave is active in the Ames, Iowa Noon Rotary Club (District 6000). He is an active member of the World Service and Global Grants Committee and recently spent two weeks in Tanzania helping implement the initial water project in Kigogo village and training water operators and the Village Water Committee. He is married to Marilla and they have two sons and two grandsons.

Jim McGill, Director

Jim was a coordinator for WaSH Programmes with the Presbyterian Church (USA) for the past 25 years in partnership with the Church of Central Africa, Presbyterian (CCAP) Synod of Livingstonia, Mzuzu, Malawi.   Jim has now shifted to work with the Presbyterian Church Of South Sudan (PCOSS) and the Eglise Evangelique de la Republique du Niger (EERN).   In Malawi, Jim managed hand-dug well and ecological sanitation programs, managed the implementation and management of the Livingstonia Gravity-fed Piped Water Scheme with Rotary International, and helped start up the CCAP Smart Centre for technical and business training the local private sector in low-cost water and sanitation options including Household Water Treatment (HWTS), latrines and slab construction, hand and mechanical drilling, Rope and piston pump manufacture.  Previously Jim worked five years with Project PROBE (Proto-Rift and Oceanic Basin Evolution) collecting geophysical data on the R/V Nyanja on the East Africa rift lakes. 

Nancy Gilbert, Executive Director

Nancy, a lawyer by profession, was formerly the Manager, Appropriate Technology Enabled Development program for PIND, an NGO in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. She earned doctorate from Royal Roads University researching  sustainable sanitation in Niger Delta (Nigeria) riverine communities.

Nancy practiced law for 8 years in Ontario and 2 years in New Brunswick before starting an advertising agency with her husband Paul. Subsequently she worked in marketing communications and brand strategy consulting until settling into her real passion – water, sanitation, and hygiene development. Having joined Rotary in 1994, Nancy served as District Governor of Rotary District 7810 in 2003-2004. She was the inaugural Rotary Coordinator for Zone 24 east in 2008. She also served as a member of the WASRAG board.

Nancy and her husband Paul live in Victoria, British Columbia (Canada), have a blended family of seven children and nine delightful grandchildren.