In a candid and revealing interview, Dr. Ralph S. Watts - the longest-serving president of ADRA - talks to Spectrum about how his experience shaped him for the job, how he tackled ADRA's debt and changed its board, and the advice he would offer new president Jonathan Duffy.

Norma Nashed is the brains and energy behind a charity helping vulnerable children around the world. Born in Palestine, Nashed grew up poor in Jordan amid many challenges. She went on to work for the founder of Jordanian Airlines, hobnobbing with the country’s king and queen – but gave up a career and salary to give everything to her charity.

Virginia-Gene Rittenhouse fell asleep in Jesus (the beautiful phrase Paul used when writing to the Thessalonians) early on the morning of August 30, 2011. She was just shy of her 89^th birthday. Dr. Rittenhouse was an Adventist musician, performer and conductor who led an orchestra of young people on tours around the world with the mission of bringing people together through great music. She was still working up until her death. Last summer she conducted her New England Youth Ensemble at the General Conference session in Atlanta, Georgia.

Allan Buller joined Worthington Foods as a young ex-soldier right after World War II and served as an executive at the legendary Adventist food company for more than 50 years, until he retired as president and CEO in 1986.

Marianne Thieme is a Dutch politician, animal activist and publicist. She is the chair and political leader of the first animal rights party in history that is represented in a national parliament. She is also a Seventh-day Adventist.