Lutheran World Relief
Martha Burdick Piedrasanta is an experienced professional in the nonprofit sector, currently serving as the Senior Manager of Quilt & Kit Ministry at Lutheran World Relief since May 2022. Prior to this role, Martha held the position of Program Director for Migrant Support Services at Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area from February 2020 to May 2022. Martha's extensive background includes serving as Program Manager for the International Programs Department at Lutheran World Relief and as Manager of Post-Discharge Health Programs at Holy Cross Health. Earlier experience includes the role of Development and Volunteer Coordinator at Mobile Medical Care, Inc. and Research Coordinator at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Martha holds a bachelor's degree in Biopsychology from Wheaton College Massachusetts and a Master of Public Health in Clinical Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Lutheran World Relief
Founded by Lutherans in the United States at the end of World War II to serve refugees, Lutheran World Relief has grown into a leading humanitarian assistance and development organization that specializes in analyzing market systems, strengthening agriculture value chains and the capacities of enterprises, and promoting livelihood diversification, rural financing, climate smart and improved agriculture practices, and sustainable water and land management. Lutheran World Relief is a part of the Corus International family, an ensemble of long-serving, global leaders in international development and humanitarian assistance committed to ending poverty and building healthy communities across Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Africa. Founded in 2020 and drawing on a combined heritage of nearly 150 years, Corus connects and catalyzes non-profit and for-profit subsidiaries that include IMA World Health, CGA Technologies, Ground Up Investing and LWR Farmers Market Coffee in addition to Lutheran World Relief. Alongside communities and local partners in fragile settings, our dedicated experts across our organizations integrate disciplines, approaches and resources to overcome global health challenges, develop productive and stable economies, improve resilience in the face of climate change, and respond to natural disasters and humanitarian crises. With the support of our family’s diverse set of partners and funding – from multi- and bilateral institutions and foundations to the private sector and individuals – we invest in solutions that are innovative, scalable, holistic and move the needle towards transformational change.