Board of Directors
"Meet the Visionaries Behind the Mission"
A dedicated team of professionals guiding the foundation's efforts to support, educate, and empower those affected by multiple myeloma.
Ms. Judith Ngozi Obodougo
President
Judith Ngozi Obodougo, MPH, CPH
Founder & Executive Director, Calistus Multiple Myeloma Foundation
Judith Ngozi Obodougo is a passionate public health professional, certified substitute teacher, mental health advocate, and community leader originally from Nigeria, West Africa. She brings a deep commitment to health equity, education, and advocacy, particularly in underserved communities.
Judith holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in Health Promotion and a Certificate in Public Health from the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). Her capstone project focused on multiple myeloma, inspired by the life and legacy of her late father. She also earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where her passion for community service and healthcare began.
She previously served as a Senior Health Educator with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, where she led outreach, education, and quality improvement initiatives. Judith is currently enhancing her expertise through a leadership and project management program while actively working in early childhood education and community engagement.
She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Calistus Multiple Myeloma Foundation (CMMF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting patients, caregivers, and families affected by multiple myeloma. Through CMMF, Judith leads health education, community outreach, and support programming focused on improving outcomes and quality of life.
Judith is actively involved in leadership roles across various community organizations. She is a longtime member and current Secretary of the Regional Sector for the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Omaha Section, a former board member of Bridge to Care at UNMC, and a proud member of the Young Alumni Academy at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Her work is guided by empathy, integrity, and a belief in the power of education and advocacy to drive meaningful change.
Mr. Steven Abraham
Board Chair
Mr. Steven Abraham is a highly experienced individual with a rich history of improving the quality of life within the City of Omaha and the State of Nebraska. He has worked as a Community Health Worker Consultant with CHW Collaborative and as a Molina Healthcare SUD Case Manager. He is a Licensed Alcohol Drug Counselor and has completed his Associate in Chemical Dependency Counseling from Metropolitan Community College and his Bachelor’s in Behavioral Science from Bellevue University. Additionally, Mr. Abraham is the Sarpy County Personnel Board Chair and a Certified Medication Aide. Mr. Abraham also currently serves as University of Nebraska Medical Center Community Health Worker Advisor. In the past, Mr. Abraham has served as a Public Housing Community Health Worker at Charles Drew Health Center, Day House Manager at Siena Francis House, Omaha Project Homeless Connect Board Member, Resident Commissioner of Omaha Housing Authority, Point In Time Team Member (Federally Funded Program), and Vice Chair of Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative Policy Council. He has also worked as the 2020 Census Field Manager for Burt, Dodge, Douglas, and Washington Counties. Mr. Abraham’s notable achievements include securing a $25M Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant during his tenure as a Commissioner of Omaha Housing Authority from 2015 to 2019. He also oversaw the agency’s operations, helped create policies, and adjusted essential programs, including the Housing Choice Voucher and Moderate Rehabilitation Program. Mr. Abraham also currently serves as one of the University of Nebraska Medical Center Community Health Worker Advisor where they secured a $3M grant to provide a CHW Cohort. Mr. Abraham is a native of Omaha and has been married for 17 years with eight children. He aims to empower individuals with knowledge on Multiple Myeloma, Social Determinants of Health, and other community issues.
Mr. Lawrence Danquah
Acting Vice President
Served in the Army in Ghana. Chairman Omaha Ghana Men’s Club.
Lawrence has a passion for community improvement and advocacy for Multiple myeloma. His interest is in health disparity, and the socio-economic well-being of the community, especially for the cancer patients we serve at Calistus Multiple Myeloma Foundation
Mr. Richard Ngaya
Community Outreach & Engagement Coordinator
Richard: Ph.D. Candidate: Department of Department of Biostatistics
The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)-USA
Assistant Lecturer: Department of Mathematics and Statistics Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA)-Tanzania. Born in Tanzania, I attended school in Tanzania and the US. I am passionate about Community-based health-related projects apart from my professional life. I advocate for athleticism at the individual level for those who can not compete professionally as part of healthy living. My passion and view on healthy living are my key motives for helping others through my involvement in Non-governmental organizations like CMMF. Research Interest: Bayesian Statistical Analysis, Clinical Trials, and Design of Experiments, Longitudinal Data Analysis, Correlated Data Analysis, Survival Data Analysis, Cancer Epidemiological Data Analysis, Climate Change Data Analysis, and Survey Data Design Implementation, and Analysis. Software: R, Rstan, SAS, SPSS, JMP, Arc GIS Applications in Mapping Teaching: Teaching is my calling, and I have been teaching since 2010, from Secondary school through High School to College level, which is my current job at Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania.
Mr. Timothy Moore
Development Strategist
Timothy Moore is a native of Omaha, Nebraska, and has traveled extensively, visiting countries such as; Germany, The Netherlands, Paris, and Italy. Timothy discovered his calling after his father died, then realized that blaming his father’s absence during childhood was not the key to living a successful and fulfilled life.
Seeing his father in the casket prompted a series of revelations that completely changed his entire life. One such revelation that Timothy shares with his audiences is that; “Without a vision, we will not remain truly inspired” He invests his time in helping others transition from blaming to blooming and from excuses to execution through a discovery of their compelling vision statement.
Emmanuel (Jnr.) Obodougo
Photography Specialist & Youth Ambassador
Emmanuel is an election Door Knocker Volunteer● Walk around in neighborhoods to knock on doors to help get supporters
● Leave flyers at the doors for more information about
Leadership, Volunteer, Community, Experience
TEEN FAITH, Papillion, NE August 2021 – Present
● Talk about being a better person physically and mentally
● Learn more about our religion and have to connect with it
● Talk with each other to build bonds. AVENUE SCHOLARS August 2022 – Present
● Learn about applying for internships
● Gain experience in the industry and knowledge of yourself
METRO BOOT CAMP June 2022 – June 2022
● Obtained OSHA certification
● Learned about the trade companies in Nebraska
● Worked with wood and power tools
CAREER AWARENESS: BOYD JONES December 2022
● Followed the instructor as he showed the students the work environment and what each room should look like and contain ● Analyzed workers as they completed tasks on the job
● Observed plumbing and electrical wiring for the building
Activities
● PLHS Soccer March 2022 – Present
● Taekwondo June 2022 – Present
● Skills USA September 2021 – March 2022
Skills/Strengths
GALLUP STRENGTHS
● Deliberative, Harmony, Adaptability, Analytical, Individualization.