USA

Darcey Donovan
Founder / C.E.O.

Since February 2006, Darcey has committed herself to adapting, teaching and promoting straw bale and other appropriate building methods in the earthquake affected region of northern Pakistan. Darcey has been practicing engineering since 1986, and has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno, and is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer. She also has substantial hands-on residential construction experience, from foundation through finish work. In 2000 Darcey established EcoEngineering, a Truckee, CA based structural engineering practice specializing in ecologically oriented residential design, with an emphasis on straw bale, passive solar and green building. She is a founder of the Sierra Green Building Association and sits on the California Straw Building Association Advisory Board. Darcey’s varied PAKSBAB activities include design and engineering, training, strategic planning, securing projects, fundraising and presentations. She is also the Principal Investigator for PAKSBAB’s seismic research project.

Shannon Whitnack
Donor / Public Relations Manager

In the Spring of 2007, Shannon joined Darcey in Pakistan for 10 weeks to assist in the training and construction of the Hillkot and Salamat-e-Hazara Qalandarabad straw bale house projects. Shannon is a green building designer from Grass Valley, CA, with a B.A. in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. She is the Co-Director for the Smith International Foundation. She has attended numerous straw bale construction workshops and conferences and is a member of the California Straw Building Association. Shannon’s PAKSBAB responsibilities include fundraising and grant writing, interacting with the public, project reports, facilitating website updates, and strategic planning. She is also a Research Associate for our seismic research project at the University of Nevada, Reno, and has played a major role in specimen construction and conducting the tests.

Pakistan

Surkhab Khan
Director

Surkhab’s varied background and social interests have been invaluable to the establishment of PAKSBAB. Surkhab earned a Bachelor of Law from Justice Law College ATD, an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Peshawar, and a Bachelor of Education from Allama Iqbal Open University in Islamabad. He worked as an Advocate for 4 years, founded two English medium schools in his village of Kakul near Abbottabad, and has been very active in community service. Following the 2005 earthquake, Surkhab worked in disaster relief for the organization BEST/UNHCR as a Social Mobilizer and subsequently for Dosti Welfare Organization as an Assistant Program Officer, where he assisted with the first straw bale construction projects. As PAKSBAB’s Director, he has financial responsibility for our operations in Pakistan and helps disseminate information to the team, determine and provide organizational direction, solicit projects and establish relationships with partner organizations.

Zamurad Khan
Logistics Coordinator / Driver

Zamurad, a driver with Dosti Welfare Organization in Mansehra, was Darcey’s assistant during her first visit to Pakistan in May 2006, and helped with the construction of a straw bale women’s community center in the earthquake devastated village of Jabori. Zamurad lives in Kakul Village, northeast of Abbottabad in the NWFP of Pakistan. He previously worked for 7 years as a Transport Foreman in Saudi Arabia and 10 years as a driver in Pakistan. He was PAKSBAB’s first employee and has been a strong advocate for straw bale construction in Pakistan. Zamurad’s reponsibilities include logistics, purchasing, assistance with straw bale construction and training, and driving.

Gul Khan
Natural Builder

Gul participated in PAKSBAB’s Qalandarabad straw bale house construction and training course in the spring of 2007, and was subsequently hired as a Natural Builder. He is originally from the Alai Valley and relocated to Qalandarabad with his family after the 2005 earthquake. Gul’s work experience includes 1 year at a sugar mill in Peshawar, 6 years as a laborer with a concrete construction company in Karachi, 3 years as a laborer in Saudi Arabia, and 4 years as a mason with a construction firm in Karachi. He lived in a tent with his family for 2 years following the earthquake and is a recent beneficiary of a straw bale house and rocket stove through PAKSBAB’s Community Participation Program.

Sarfraz
Natural Builder

Sarfraz is a skilled mason hired by PAKSBAB as a Natural Builder in September 2008, during the construction of Gul Khan’s straw bale house. His work experience includes 6 years as a laborer and 4 years as a mason with a concrete construction company in Karachi, and 5 years as a general contractor in Battagram and Qalandarabad. Originally from the Alai Valley in Pakistan, he now lives in Qalandarabad with his family. In addition to his masonry expertise, Sarfraz has excellent carpentry skills and can handle basic plumbing and electrical work. He also serves as a construction mentor for the team.

Gulzar
Laborer

Gulzar joined PAKSBAB in August of 2008 as a laborer on Gul Khan's straw bale house project. His prior work experience includes 2 years at a sugar mill in Peshawar and 4 years as a laborer with a concrete construction company in Karachi. He also worked for 3 years in agriculture for his landlord in the Alai Valley. After the earthquake Gulzar relocated to Qalandarabad where he was able to borrow money and buy land on which he hopes to build a home for his family.

Nake Mohammad
Laborer

Nake Mohammad's introduction to straw bale construction was in September 2007 as a laborer on the Salamat-e-Hazara 3-House Project. His work experience includes 4 years as a laborer with a concrete construction company in Karachi, 3 years as a laborer in Saudi Arabia, and 4 years as a laborer with various local construction firms and general contractors. He is originally from the Alai Valley and is now living in Qalandarabad with his family.

Core Volunteers:

Bill Donovan

Bill is a major contributor to PAKSBAB’s seismic research project at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he is the primary builder and material procurer for our wall and building specimens. Bill is a licensed General Contractor living in Truckee, CA, and has been building since 1972. He is an avid environmentalist and became involved in green building and straw bale construction in the late 90s. Some of his recent projects include a passive solar high performance residence, a two story non-loadbearing straw bale house, a structural insulated panel house, and assistance on numerous straw bale buildings. In addition, Bill has been an advisor on the design and construction of PAKSBAB’s straw bale projects in Pakistan.

Martin Hammer

Martin was a key contributor and advisor during the start-up phase of PAKSBAB. An architect from Berkeley, CA, he has been in private practice since 1986 and has designed over 200 residential, commercial, and institutional projects. Since 1995, Martin has been involved with the design, testing, engineering, and construction of straw bale and natural buildings and is the lead author of the proposed CA straw bale building code. In October 2006, he joined Darcey in Pakistan and assisted with the training and construction of the Hillkot Residence. He returned to Pakistan in October 2007 to help with Hillkot’s finishing touches, the initial construction of Hamid Ullah’s straw bale house in Battal, and a prototype hot water heater. He is a member of PAKSBAB’s seismic research project Advisory Committee.

Caroline Meyer White

In June of 2006, Caroline oversaw the completion of the Jabori Women’s Community Center and then managed a livestock shelter project with Dosti Development Foundation, constructing 3000 cob shelters in Balakot and Bana, Pakistan. Caroline was educated in organic gardening, but since 2000 has worked in natural building, predominately masonry oven and straw bale construction. She taught a natural building and applied ecology course for 2½ years at a folk high school in Denmark, and was a board member of the Danish National Organization of Natural Building for 2 years. Caroline is presently studying Architectural Engineering at the Engineering College of Aarhus, Denmark, and lives with her husband, Tahir, in their straw bale duplex in the eco-village Friland. Caroline has returned to Pakistan on multiple occasions, during which she has facilitated the construction of two PAKSBAB rocket stoves.