Turner Appointed VP of International Programs for Outreach, Inc.

Iowa-based nonprofit Outreach, Inc. welcomes famed Iowa surgeon to lead international missions.

DES MOINES, IA – Dr. Deborah Ann Turner of Des Moines joined Outreach, Inc. as VP of International Programs.  Dr. Turner will provide leadership for international programs including Medical Missions, Outreach Children’s Centers, the 8,000 acre Shallom Farm, and the Kid’s Care Child Sponsorship Program.

Dr. Turner said, “I have been involved with Outreach and their work in Tanzania, East Africa, for several years. I am impressed with the vision and impact of Outreach founders, Floyd Hammer and Kathy Hamilton. The scope of Outreach’s achievement in Africa is astonishing; we are poised to expand the reach and create greater impact in the lives of some of the most impoverished people in the world through collaborative partnerships with the people of Tanzania and other regions.”

Outreach founder Floyd Hammer said, “We are excited Dr. Turner has joined Outreach to lead our International Missions.  Dr. Turner has led several of our Medical Mission trips to Tanzania and is involved in all Outreach activities in Tanzania. We currently provide mid day meals, each school day and provide school uniforms for nearly 1,000 street children in the cities of Singida and Manyoni. We have taken over 1,200 medical professionals and staff on Medical Mission trips to Tanzania. We are developing our 8,000 acre Shallom Farm which will be a research-based demonstration farm that will serve as a nucleus farm to provide agricultural training and business opportunities.”

Dr. Turner, a Gynecologic/Oncologist and surgeon is a native of Mason City, Iowa, was inducted in 2013 into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame. Dr. Turner was the first African-American woman to integrate a sorority at Iowa State University, be certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the specialty of gynecologic/oncology and be hired as a gynecological oncologist at the University of Nebraska, University of Iowa, and Medical College of Wisconsin. She is a graduate of Iowa State University, University of Iowa Medical College, and Drake University Law School.

She serves currently as vice president of the League of Women Voters of Iowa and president of the Metropolitan Des Moines League of Women Voters. She currently serves on the boards of the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center and Iowa Care for Yourself Program IDPH.

Dr. Turner served on the State of Iowa Board of Regents (1999-2004) and served as its president pro-tempore. Her awards include: Outstanding Educator & Mentor, National Medical Student Association, University of Iowa College of Medicine (1990); the Committee on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology (CREOG) Educator of the Year award from the Medical College of Wisconsin (1993); and Teacher of the Year Nominee from Mercy Health Center-North Iowa, Family Medicine residency Program (1999-2000). She will be receiving the Gertrude Rush Award from the National Bar Association in March 2015.

Please contact Dr. Turner for more information or to invite her as guest speaker:

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About Outreach 

Outreach, Inc. was started by Floyd Hammer and Kathy Hamilton in 2004 with the promise to deliver food, water, medical care, and education to those in need at home and abroad.  A non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, Outreach has helped to packaged more than 260 million meals that have been distributed across the United States and around the world.  Outreach meal packaging events are set up across the United States to engage businesses, religious and civic organizations, schools, and volunteers of all ages to package nutritious meals for the hungry.  Floyd Hammer and Kathy Hamilton were recently invited to a White House ceremony by President Barack Obama and former President H.W. Bush.  They were honored to receive the prestigious National 5,000^th Point of Light Award.  As a recipient of the top “Four Star” rating from Charity Navigator and GuideStar’s Exchange Seal for transparency, Outreach is committed to improving the lives of disadvantaged individuals. For more information, visit www.outreachprogram.org.