meet the team
our mission staff
The Mission at Natuvu Creek is founded on service above self. Our dedicated staff & volunteers are the people who make it all possible.
Employing staff members and housing their families on mission property, the Mission employs generations of families.
You’ll meet Siwa, our operations and spiritual director, Vika, his wife and kitchen manager, and the entire staff of 25+ members who maintain the grounds, kitchen, rooms and activities!
Co-Founders, Marta and tom Tooma
Marta Kalbermatter Tooma, DDS, is a graduate from Loma Linda School of Dentistry, ’85. She has been volunteering in Fiji and leading dental student teams since 1997. She and her husband, Tom, established the Mission at Natuvu Creek in 2006. Dr. Tooma is the Dental Director of the Mission and serves as a volunteer dentist and community health awareness leader.
Tom Tooma, MD, is a fellowship trained corneal transplant surgeon currently specializing in refractive and cataract surgery in Newport Beach, California. Dr. Tooma is the Medical Director for the nationwide NVISION Eye Centers.
Denis & Ornella Kalbermatter, resident directors
Denis Kalbermatter, RN, DDS, is a registered nurse as well as a dentist. Dr. Denis is our on-site Clinic Director
Ornella Kalbermatter is our on-site Mission Director, managing the day-to-day workings of the Mission and staff and liaising with our U.S. Team Coordinator to give our volunteers the best possible experience while at the Mission.
Along with their two children, Oliver and Dana, Denis and Ornella are full-time residents at the Mission.
Elizabeth Aguilera, MD & Oscar maier
Dr. Elizabeth Aguilera is a trained emergency room MD and our onsite Medical Director, handling clinic medical management and patient care. Dr. Aguilera is a full-time resident at the Mission along with her husband, Facilities Manager Oscar Maier.
We are so fortunate to have Denis, Ornella, Elizabeth and Oscar live at the Mission full-time to assist our visiting volunteers and manage the clinic and Mission.
janet walker, executive team coordinator
Janet has had a heart for volunteer mission work for over 20 years. Knowing and working with Tom and Marta Tooma since 1999, Janet made her first volunteer mission trip to Fiji in 2015. She assists volunteers with all of their travel arrangements and itinerary. For questions about scheduling a trip to the Mission, or if you have questions about making a donation, contact Janet at janet@natuvu.org
The Tooma Family Foundation
Established and funded in large part by the Tooma Family Foundation, the Mission at Natuvu Creek is blessed with over 300 volunteers each year that come and share in the vision to aid those in need. Your donations mean so much to continue this important work.
“I am a Christian. Christ and Scriptures tell us that we need to help people in need, so we are following our religious beliefs in helping the needy. By sharing Christian principles with the people, we believe that they become better citizens, and better people.”
– Marta Tooma, Founder