Mark Sternfeld, MD, PHD
Board Member
Dr. Sternfeld was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. His undergraduate studies were done at the University of Colorado, Boulder where he received a BS in Biology and went on to obtain his Ph.D. in Cell Biology from Oregon Health Sciences University. After his post-doctoral work, he went on to earn his M.D. from Oregon Health Sciences University and spent the next 30 years practicing Internal Medicine in rural Oregon.
Not long after moving his practice to Central Oregon in 2003 he met Dr. Koning as a colleague at the hospital. They shared care of patients and became fast friends. Upon Dr. Koning’s return from Ethiopia he learned about the plight of Ethiopian children from his good friend and was drawn to join Dr. Koning in the formation of an organization to improve the care of the children stricken with hydrocephalus and spina bifida.
It was an easy decision and natural progression to join Dr. Koning and his efforts in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian children’s needs were immense and the cause just. The children with hydrocephalus and their parents suffer great clinical and social consequences because of hydrocephalus when, in truth, it can be effectively treated and prevented. And moreover, in this case, the costs are relatively low and the benefits tremendous. So naturally, Dr. Sternfeld attended the very first organizational ReachAnother Foundation meeting in 2010 and never looked back.
“Working with Drs. Koning and O’Neill on the Reach Another Foundation Board has been both rewarding and gratifying. The work has led to amazing changes for these children and to the Ethiopian healthcare infrastructure. These changes will produce progress in treating hydrocephalus and spina bifida and will carry over to the treatment of pediatric care in general long after our work is finished. Truly a win-win for all Ethiopians and citizens of the world!”