Originally from Washington, D.C., Jessie holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of Arizona, and an MA in International Relations from the London School of Economics. She has over 10 years of experience managing programs for international and local NGOs, including two years as In-Country Director for Amigos de Santa Cruz before assuming her current position. Jessie enjoys practicing yoga in her free time, and she is the proud mother of her little rescue dog, Lola.

Manuela is an energetic member of the Amigos Education Team who loves working with children. She joined Amigos in 2015 as a teacher in the Women’s Program Education Center in Tzununa. With the help of an Amigos scholarship, Manuela has finished her teaching diploma and is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Education Administration. Her dream is to utilize the education techniques used in private schools to improve education in Santa Cruz’s public schools. Outside of work, Manuela loves to dance, play with her children Flor and Domingo, and make handicrafts from used materials.

Estela studied on an Amigos middle school scholarship all the way through to a university degree in Communications. She is the first woman in Santa Cruz history to earn her college diploma. Estela worked with Amigos in 2009 as the office assistant and returned in 2012 to work in our Manos Cruceñas store. In 2016 she took over as the Co-Director of CECAP and is now the Director of CECAP. She is also an excellent photographer and video maker and puts those skills to good use at CECAP. In the little free time that she has she plays with her five dogs, cat, and turtle and “records herself singing.”

Carlos loves teaching and has dedicated his career toward improving education in Santa Cruz. He studied Pedagogy and Education in Guatemala’s public San Carlos University before becoming Director of Santa Cruz Middle School and Amigos’ computer lab instructor. Carlos’ dream is to give fun, engaging classes to help the 200 students he teaches each year love getting an education. Outside of work Carlos loves to play football, organize local football tournaments and leads a local youth organization dedicated to organizing sporting activities for local youth. Carlos has two children.

Felix teaches his students how to make everything from bags to napkins to huipiles (traditional blouses). Felix has done many things in his life besides sewing, including making and selling ice cream, driving as a chauffeur, and playing drums in a marimba band. Now, though he is content teaching CECAP students a skill he knows will help them earn more money and help lift Santa Cruz out of poverty.

Judith joins Amigos from the mountain community of San Andrés Semetabaj in the hills above Panajachel. She studied Early Education and Pedagogy at university in Sololá and is now continuing with a Business Administration Degree. Judith is a passionate about improving sex education and family planning in Guatemala and has worked to empower young women in San Andrés before starting at Amigos in 2018. Her dream is to lower the early pregnancy rates among young women in Guatemala through education so that young women can decide what they want to do in life and realize their dreams. In her spare time, Judith loves reading and spending time with her family.

Elizabeth joins the Amigos team from San Juan La Laguna bringing a wealth of experience in small business. Elizabeth studied Tourism Business Administration at UVG University in Sololá and has worked with several business projects around the lake. One of her favorites was working with the Heart of the Forest Eco-Park in Santa Lucia. In her spare time, Elizabeth volunteers with the San Juan Library’s Business Center to help foment local small businesses. She also has her own small business making hand painted bird necklaces from coconut shells.

Cristina started in 2015 cutting fabric for our Manos Cruceñas Artisan Store but excelled and moved quickly into helping with administration and managing our books. She did well and in 2016 she was hired on full-time. She has now taken on even more responsibilities managing parts of our Model Classroom Program. Cristina has one son, Eduardo, whom she is very proud of and who is an active participant in our Model Classrooms Program. Cristina used to work in the local health center and now volunteers her free time treating her neighbors. Her dream is to improve education standards in Santa Cruz.

Dominga began with Amigos when she received a scholarship to pursue middle and high school studies. In 2011, Dominga started working for Amigos in our Nutrition Program. Due to her excellent high school performance, Dominga won a chance to spend two years studying English and Environmental Studies in Portland, Oregon. When she returned in 2014 she began working in our Manos Cruceñas Artisan Store supervising our production and retail sales. Dominga is “a woman capable of anything,” and she loves that Amigos promotes this attitude.

Santiago hails from Chuitzanchaj, high in the mountains of Santa Cruz and often walks down the mountain to work at Café Sabor Cruceño. Santiago graduated the CECAP Culinary Program in 2012 and took over as Restaurant Manager in 2017. In his free time Santiago likes to practice his English and play with his daughter Lorena. He looks forward to seeing the change in Santa Cruz he is starting to see grow and fully develop. He also wants to make sure everyone in Santa Cruz appreciates the art of gastronomy.