Build Cambodia is a U.S. based not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping Cambodians build their lives and society and ensuring that this corner of the world is not forgotten. Our unique contribution is creating awareness, facilitating exposure, and encouraging commitment among Americans and individuals from other nations to provide the valued assistance that can make such a difference in this needy land. We advocate for Cambodian organizations in the U.S., facilitate individual projects that Americans are undertaking, and lead regular Fact-Finding Trips where committed adults tour Cambodia and visit unique places that few foreigners ever see. Our goal is to provide a steady flow of attention and resources for worthwhile efforts in Cambodia.

Our Activities

We Support Worthwhile Organizations - We provide on-going financial support to those organizations that we have visited, scrutinized, and found worthy of our continued assistance.

We Help Others Contribute - Build Cambodia does not solicit or accept donations for its self but will help you contribute to any of the organizations we deem worthwhile.

We Build Awareness of Cambodia in the Untied States - We regularly talk to individuals and groups through out the U.S. telling the Cambodia story and making people aware of this unique land and the opportunity to help. We host get-togethers for Cambodians who are leaders in all walks of life when they visit the U. S. so that we can make lasting friends and friendships.

We Lead Regular Fact Finding Trips - The best way to learn about Cambodia is to go there and see the country for yourself. Our trips are not typical tours. We go behind the scenes and into the countryside to spend time with Cambodians, understand their challenges, and meet with the organizations and leaders that have committed to helping them.

We Help Committed Supporters Conceive of and Develop their Projects

About Us

Ed Bachrach, Founder and Board Member - Ed Bachrach is the former chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Bachrach Clothing Inc., a national retailer of men's fashions.

Ed founded Build Cambodia after visiting the country as a tourist in 2002. He travels frequently to Cambodia to provide continuing support to the many vital and effective organizations that are helping to rebuild the society and the lives of the people.

Ed earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Northwestern University and has a masters of public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He resides in Chicago, Illinois.



Kathryn Lucatelli, Executive Director - Kathryn Lucatelli works to match interested individuals possessing time, talent or treasure with existing needs and innovative projects in Cambodia.

She became involved in Cambodia during her first visit in 2001 with a group of friends who together founded Digital Divide Data (DDD). She has filled a number of roles with DDD since its founding: served in the early phases of the organization as the only foreigner with Khmer language skills, proposed and implemented a pilot project to train victims of trafficking for jobs with DDD and managed the change process as the organization grew from a staff of 20 to over 200.

The hallmark of her work with DDD is characterized by her efforts to build a positive work environment among DDD's beneficiaries who come from a variety of disadvantaged situations to obtain a first job experience. DDD has been recognized globally for its groundbreaking economic development model.

Kathryn loves immersing herself in other cultures and writing about it. She has her bachelor's degree in sociology and anthropology from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana. In 2006 she attended the South East Asian Summer Study Institute for Khmer Language at the University of Madison. Kathryn currently resides in Chicago, Illinois and travels to Cambodia frequently.



David Prichard, Board Member - David Pritchard is managing partner at Salvi, Schostok and Prichard, P.C. in Chicago. For over 25-years, David has represented physicians, hospitals and victims of negligence in medical malpractice cases. Specializing in catastrophic injury, David was given the "Highest Rating for Legal Ability and General Recommendation" by Martindale Hubbell American Law Directory and was named by Law Bulletin Publishing Company's Leading Lawyer Network as one of the "Top Five Percent of all Lawyers in Illinois."

David is co-founder of The Young Scholars Program of Chicago, a program that provides summer jobs in the legal profession to inner-city high school seniors. He serves as a medical ethicist on the Ethics Advisory Board of Children's Memorial Hospital and on the boards of the United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Chicago and Friends Without A Border, which founded and runs Angkor Children's Hospital in Siem Reap, Cambodia. In his spare time, David co-produced the first international rock concert in Far East Russia and circumambulated Mount Kailash at 18,000 feet in remote Western Tibet.

David attended college at Loyola University-New Orleans and earned his JD from DePaul University Law School. David also received his master's of arts in theology from Loyola University- Chicago with a specialization in medical and professional ethics.



Kheang Un, Board Member - Kheang Un is currently Assistant Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies and adjunct Professor of Political Science at Northern Illinois University.

Dr. Un grew up and was educated in Cambodia before he left the country for higher education in the United States in 1992. When the country opened up, after over twenty years of isolation from the outside world, he received a grant from the Social Science Research Council and a work-study scholarship from Berea College, Berea, Kentucky, to pursue an undergraduate study in political science. He then transferred to the University of Hawaii where he received his BA in political science and economics in 1996 and was from 1996-97 a Graduate Fellow at the East West Center. Dr. Un completed his masters and doctoral degrees in political science with a concentration in Southeast Asian Studies at Northern Illinois University.

Although based in the United States, Dr. Un has spent considerable of time in Cambodia conducting research and working, including interning at the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in 1997. Dr. Un has served as consultant to the World Bank, the Department for International Development, the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI), and the US State Department. Dr. Un's research interests are democracy, human rights, and non-governmental organizations. He has published on contemporary Cambodian politics dealing with issues of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law and civil society.



Sophally Showalter, Board Member - Sophally Showalter is the associate director of MBA admissions at the University of Washington. In this position, she oversees diversity recruiting and marketing efforts.

Previously, Sophally was the associate director of entrepreneurship programs at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. She has served as executive assistant to the Cambodian Ambassador to the United States His Excellency Roland Eng and oversaw operations at the Royal Embassy of Cambodia. She worked closely with the Ambassador to re-establish Cambodian relations with the foreign diplomatic community, including key US Senate and Congressional members, the State Department and White House officials while also working to promote peace, good governance and economic growth for the Cambodian people.

In addition to serving as a member of Build Cambodia's board of directors, Sophally is a trustee at the Fund for Cambodian Culture and former executive committee member of the Women's Association of Southeast Asian Nations. She has worked with the International Justice Mission to fight child trafficking in Cambodia and supports cultural preservation initiatives in the country as well.

Sophally received a bachelor's of science degree in cellular and molecular biology from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. In 2006 she studied humanitarian law and refugee policy at the University of Oxford's Refugee Centre in England.

Sophally is fluent in Khmer and looks forward to increasing awareness and interest in Cambodia. She currently resides in Seattle, Washington.



Lori Jackson, Board Member - Lori is currently a medical resident at Southern Illinois University Decatur Family Practice. In addition to day-to-day clinical responsibilities, she has served on the ACGME/RCC Neurology Residency Recertification Review Committee and the Decatur Memorial Hospital Perinatal Committee. She continues on the Clinical Implementation Team for the school's transition to electronic medical records and the hospital's Bioethics Committee. Her research topics include teen pregnancy prevention and non-emergency utilization of hospital emergency departments.

Prior to attending medical school, Lori spent 15 years in marketing and product development for apparel companies including L.L. Bean. During this time, she traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean Basin.

Lori traveled to Cambodia for the first time in June of 2006 with Build Cambodia's inaugural trip.

In addition to an M.D. from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Lori holds a B.S. in Accountancy from the University of Illinois.



Laurie Bachrach, Board Member - Laurie Bachrach is a medical student at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine (SSOM) in Chicago and has a background in health care, information technology, and engineering.

Laurie currently serves on the Steering Committee for a free student-run clinic at the Community Health Clinic that serves the uninsured of Chicago. She has traveled extensively, including a medical mission in the Peten region of Guatemala and a year-long study abroad in Beijing that focused on language and the anthropology of minority groups in China.

Before entering medical school, Laurie worked as a bioinformatics consultant for a tropical diseases research consortium at the University of Washington. Previous to that, she was scientific programmer for a small biotechnology company in Seattle.

Laurie received a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Washington and is conversant in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.



Susan Axelrod, Board Member - Susan Axelrod is President and founding member of Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE). Susan and two other Chicago-area mothers launched this grassroots, non-profit organization in 1998, establishing a national and international presence in epilepsy funding and research.

At the time, Susan was director and vice-chair of the Board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago, but chose to turn her focus exclusively on research to find a permanent solution to this devastating disorder. She reached out to key political figures, while also working to raise private funds and public awareness.

Since then, CURE has raised more than $5 million for research and has awarded over 50 cutting-edge research grants.

Recognized for her dedication to this cause, Susan was selected in 1996 as a United Way "Community Hero" and carried the Olympic torch in the relay to Atlanta. In 1998, she also received the "Volunteer of the Year" award from the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago and the Outstanding Advocate Award from Community Support Services, Inc. in 2000. She is the 2007 recipient of Washington, DC-based Research!America's Gordon and Llura Gund Volunteer Leadership Award in recognition of her work with CURE, and has been recently appointed to serve a four year term on the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council.

Susan received a Masters in Business Administration/Health Service Administration from the University of Chicago Business School in Chicago, IL after earning a bachelor's degree in humanities at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, CO. Susan resides in Chicago, Illinois and joined the Build Cambodia after participating in the inaugural Build Cambodia trip in June 2006. Since that visit, Susan and her family have sponsored a child through The Cambodian Children's Fund.