PATH's Shared Services divisions provide the infrastructure and cross-program services that support our program staff in doing their best work. Our Shared Services directors are experienced professionals in the fields of business development, communications, finance, fundraising, human resources, information technology, law, public health advocacy, and publishing.

Erik Arnold
Chief Information Officer

Mr. Arnold is an information technology professional with more than 14 years' experience in information technology leadership, project management, and systems integration. Mr. Arnold is responsible for PATH’s global information systems—including library services, records management, software development, and the global network and computer services teams.

Prior to PATH, Mr. Arnold spent a number of years working on designing and implementing large digital asset–management systems, with a robust cataloging interface and rich controlled vocabulary. He also has extensive experience with ERP implementations utilizing complex data integration platforms and reporting. He has experience with financial audits, forecasting, budgeting, contracts, HRIS, intranet design, data warehousing, and web-based dashboards. More recently, Mr. Arnold implemented program portfolio management to track relative project priorities, interdependencies, and costs—and fully implemented both Lean Agile and Scrum software development practices at a large, global e-commerce company. His approach focuses on transparency, communication, and collaboration.

Mr. Arnold holds a MA from Brown University.

Michele Burns, MA
Director, Communications

Ms. Burns oversees PATH’s corporate and programmatic communications. Her division includes online communications, media communications, graphic design, outreach, and editing and content development. She previously directed PATH's editorial and graphic design teams and developed many of PATH’s highest-visibility documents.

Prior to joining PATH in 1999, Ms. Burns held positions with several groups in the publishing industry, including HarperCollins Publishers in New York and Encore Media Group in Seattle. As a senior editor at Harbour Communications in Seattle, she wrote and edited a range of medical communications materials.

Ms. Burns holds an MA from the University of Washington and a BA from New York University.

Ellen Cole
Director, Outreach

Ms. Cole is responsible for informing, inspiring, and engaging people to support and partner with PATH to improve the health of people in developing countries. She is charged with representing PATH, engaging with key audiences, and fostering partnerships with other organizations and institutions in the nonprofit, global health, and development arena.

Before joining PATH in 2003, Ms. Cole served as director of development and communications for Global Partnerships, a Seattle-based nonprofit supporting microfinance institutions in Central America. She also has many years of experience in communications, marketing, sales, and management in the publishing and newspaper industries.

Janet (Jan) Aldrich Jacobs, CFRE
Director, Donor Relations

Ms. Jacobs is responsible for developing relationships with individuals, foundations, and corporations that support PATH with unrestricted and loosely restricted charitable contributions. She has more than 20 years of experience in establishing and expanding fundraising programs for nonprofit organizations.

Prior to joining PATH in 2004, Ms. Jacobs held development positions with the Seattle Symphony in Seattle, Washington; The Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia; and the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings, Montana. She also served in an executive role with The Bentz Group, a national fundraising consulting firm.

A certified fundraising executive, Ms. Jacobs holds a BA from Montana State University-Billings.

Marlow Kee, MBA
Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Kee oversees the organization’s financial operations, grant and contract services, budget and analysis, investments, and audit. He has 25 years of financial and management experience in nonprofit organizations, medical research institutions, and health care organizations.

Mr. Kee’s areas of expertise include financial accounting and systems, budgeting, financial analysis, auditing, management of research grants, sponsored project and fund accounting, and physician practice management. In addition, he has served on the boards and board committees of numerous nonprofit and community service organizations, including Health Alliance International, Lifelong AIDS Alliance, and Village Reach.

Mr. Kee is a certified public accountant who earned his BA and MBA from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Daniel Laster, JD
General Counsel, Legal Affairs

Mr. Laster is responsible for directing PATH’s Legal Affairs Division and providing strategic legal counsel to PATH locally and internationally.  Mr. Laster has extensive expertise in intellectual property law. Currently, Mr. Laster is an affiliate professor of law for the University of Washington and is a frequent speaker on intellectual property matters. 

Before joining PATH, Mr. Laster was an associate professor of law for the University of Washington and acted as an intellectual property expert witness as well as provided independent counsel to various Fortune 500 companies. Mr. Laster’s career also includes serving as associate general counsel for the Microsoft Corporation, and working in private practice at the law firms of Stokes Lawrence and Perkins Coie.

Mr. Laster has served on the boards of the YMCA Metrocenter of Seattle and ACLU of Washington and currently is on the board of the Digital Learning Commons. He received his BA in Economics from Penn State University and his JD from University of Michigan School of Law, and he was a visiting student at Harvard Law School.

Doug Palm
Director, Global Facilities

Mr. Palm oversees PATH’s global facilities operations. These include office and facilities management, new office design and construction, safety, and emergency preparedness. He has 30 years of experience in information technology and facilities management, specializing in identifying organizational requirements and partnering with experts in design and construction to achieve optimal results.

Prior to joining PATH in 1989, Mr. Palm worked as a computer consultant providing training and advice regarding computer productivity, electronic communications, and project management software to a variety of government and corporate entities. He is an active volunteer with the Boy and Girl Scouts of America and the Kayaking Committee of the Everett Mountaineers, and he is a founding member and former chair of the Nonprofit Organizations Knowledge Initiative and a member of NetHope.

Mr. Palm received BS degrees in microbiology and food science technology from Oregon State University. He has also completed several certificate courses: an introduction to the US Green Building Council’s LEED program, microcomputer management from the University of Washington, Microsoft systems engineering, and systems analysis from Boeing Computer Services.

Eric Walker
Interim Chief Human Resources Officer

Eric Walker is Vice President of Corporate Services and Interim Chief Human Resources Officer.

Rachel Wilson, MPH
Director, Policy and Advocacy

As director of Policy and Advocacy, Rachel Wilson is responsible for the development, management, and evaluation of the organization’s advocacy and public policy initiatives. With more than 15 years of experience in public health advocacy, research, and communications both in the United States and globally, Ms. Wilson has held numerous public policy leadership roles in global and women’s health, health disparities, and infectious diseases.

Before joining PATH in 2006, Ms. Wilson served as director of policy communications at the Global Health Council. Previously, she served as the director of women’s health policy and advocacy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and director of policy and advocacy at the Massachusetts Public Health Association. Prior to her work in public policy, she coordinated epidemiologic research on women and children’s health at the Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine.

Ms. Wilson earned her MPH from Boston University.