Our Board Members are amazing! For over a decade, they have committed whole-heartedly to providing access to clean water for the people of Burundi. We want you to get to know the people who make the mission possible.
Peter Rauch is the co-founder of the Gazelle Foundation and has served as President of the Board of Directors for 16 years and counting. He has selflessly given his time, talents, and financial support to not just the Gazelle Foundation, but several other charitable causes, all while raising twin daughters with his wife of 29 years! Peter truly believes clean water has the power to transform lives. Learn more about Peter and why if you look up in the sky, you might just see Peter zooming by!
How did you get connected to the Gazelle Foundation?
The concept of starting a charitable organization came on March 25th, 2006 while Gilbert, Paul Pugh and I went for a long run. Over the course of 23 miles, we talked about a lot of things, but one of them was a challenge Gilbert had during public speaking events. Audience members would often ask “How can I help?” We also knew that Gilbert’s book This Voice in My Heart would be published in the coming months, and this would inspire more people to ponder this question. As the miles went by, we discussed starting a charity focused on helping people in Burundi. In the following months we worked on identifying needs we could address and how we might structure the charity. Based on my previous experience in tech start-ups, I drafted a business plan and financial model for the entity. We agreed to call it the Gazelle Foundation and went through the process of donating the initial capital, registering in the State of Texas and applying to become a 501(c)3 organization. We started with a three-person board consisting of Gilbert, DK Reynolds, and myself. Gilbert insisted that I had to serve as president, and I agreed to do it for one year. That was over 16 years ago….
What motivated you to establish (other BOD provide why they join) the Gazelle Foundation Board?
When we first started, Gilbert, DK and I sought out smart individuals with a true connection to our cause who were willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work. As we’ve matured as an organization, we still seek commitment to the cause, but work to engage a broad range of perspectives and expertise. We’ve avoided those who are kind-minded, but only desire a financial involvement. We welcome those folks as donors but need our board members to actively engage in our efforts to build clean water systems in Burundi.
How does your unique background and perspective help move the mission forward?
First of all, we’ve managed to surround ourselves with some exceptional people, both on our board and on our staff. I’ve been here since day zero and provide some consistency, historical perspective, and core messaging for the team. I concentrate mostly on analysis and longer-term planning, and ensuring we remain singularly focused on our mission.
What accomplishments or projects keep you motivated and engaged in the Gazelle Foundation mission?
For every unique individual that we provide clean water, we are fundamentally changing the world. I’m motivated by excellence and operating as efficiently as we can. As years go by and I continually threaten to retire my board seat, I’m motivated by messages and photos we get from our contractor in Burundi showing the results of our efforts.
On the lighter side: what do you like to do in your (limited!) spare time?
My kids are in college, and I love traveling with my wife. My other volunteer life is as a sou’s chef for St. David’s Episcopal Church’s Food Ministry. I love cooking and working in a professional kitchen keeps my skills sharp. After thousands of miles, my knees limit my running, but I love riding the bike, snow skiing and fly fishing. I’m also an instrument rated pilot and using the plane to get between Austin and Taos, NM. Finally, as anyone who’s had a Zoom meeting with me knows, I keep a guitar within reach behind my desk.
What book is on your nightstand currently? And recent favorite movies, music, or podcasts?
I read a mix of non-fiction and action novels. Right now, I’m rereading a book on wilderness emergency medicine and I’ve been listening to ‘Ask the A&P’s’ aviation podcast.
Anything else you'd like to share about yourself or the Gazelle Foundation?
We work hard to minimize the distance between your donation and someone in Burundi getting clean water. While we are a business and have overhead, we work to be as efficient as possible. In closing – Gilbert is a great reason to get involved with what we do. But we want you to stay involved over the long term because of your part in bringing clean water to people in Burundi. We can’t do this without you.
