Argentina

Program Director

María Alegre is FSD’s Program Director in Argentina. Born and raised in La Plata, she graduated in International Studies from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella. In 2008 she was awarded a British Chevening Scholarship and moved to London, where she obtained a Diploma in Democracy and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and interned with a parliamentary and public affairs consultancy in Westminster.

María has project management experience in the non-profit and public sectors, and her areas of specific knowledge include Development Management, Youth, and Human Trafficking. Prior to joining FSD, she was senior advisor for the Ministry of Social Development of the City of Buenos Aires, assistant-director for the Development Agency of the Province of Buenos Aires, policy analyst at the Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth, and academic coordinator at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella.

María has traveled throughout Latin America, Europe and Africa. In her free time, she plays soccer with friends and attends concerts and plays. She is inspired and motivated by social change and sustainable development, and she looks forward to contributing to FSD’s mission and objectives.

Program Coordinators

Fabián Almendros is originally from General Alvear, a small town in the province of Buenos Aires, where he gained extensive experience in the field of social communication working for local media. In 1998, Fabian moved to La Plata and began his studies in English translation. He volunteered for six years with Campus Crusade for Christ, a non-profit organization based in the United States, and this experience sparked Fabian’s interest in development. He was part of the leadership team of the organization and participated in a variety of social activities and mission projects in several communities in northern Argentina. Fabian also has experience in the fields of education and translation, serving as an English/Spanish teacher in recent years. Understanding that there was so much to do in the development of his community, Fabian decided to join FSD’s team. His time in the field has been rewarding and challenging. He loves supporting FSD interns and enjoys the learning experience that this opportunity provides.

Nancy Andrade, from Seekonk, MA, recently graduated summa cum laude from Providence College with degrees in Global Studies and Spanish. As the daughter of Portuguese immigrants, she has always been intrigued by different cultures and languages. In college, she was involved in multicultural clubs, volunteered with immigrants and refugees in Providence, and interned with an indigenous rights organization in Cambridge, MA. She had the opportunity to study abroad in Salamanca, Spain, an experience that piqued her interest in travel and allowed her to see much of Western Europe and a bit of Northern Africa. For her senior thesis, she used a participatory action research paradigm and collaborated with indigenous community radio stations in Guatemala to research health issues important to their listeners.

Following graduation, she had an amazing experience as an FSD intern in Nicaragua. As an intern she worked with Ixchen, a women's organization in Ciudad Sandino. There she worked with the center on a project in which victims of domestic violence participated in workshops to develop skills that encouraged their economic independence. After Nicaragua she ventured to Peru, where she interned with an NGO supporting women artisans and teaching environmental education to children. These experiences furthered her interest in Latin America and solidified her commitment to sustainable development and social justice. Nancy is thrilled to have the opportunity to explore South America again, be part of the FSD international team, and support its program in Argentina.

Bolivia

Program Director

Mauricio Ramirez Parra has served as the Director of FSD's Bolivia program since it was initiated in 2000. A native Bolivian, Mauricio has extensive experience with the international community. He has been involved with various agricultural and environmental projects and has served as the coordinator for Farmer to Farmer, financed by USAID since 1996, in Cochabamba. In this capacity he supported projects that provided agricultural producers with technical assistance in the areas of beekeeping, livestock, and the production of fruits and vegetables. He is currently the President of Partners of the Americas in Bolivia, an organization that incorporates volunteers from North Carolina and Bolivia. Together, volunteers address the areas of health, agriculture, art and culture, search and rescue, women’s issues, rehabilitation, and justice. Mauricio has experience working with volunteers since 1995.

Program Coordinators

Daniel Carvallo, born and raised in Cochabamba, spent one year in Belgium as an exchange student, an experience that strengthened his approach to and understanding of the social and economic issues in Bolivia. In Belgium he volunteered at a center for the elderly and learned to speak French. He studied Economy with a focus on Development at La Universidad Mayor de San Simon, and is currently getting his postgraduate degree in Project Development and Evaluation with an emphasis on Social Development. In 2008 he became involved with a Tourism Cooperative called “Destino Bolivia,” where he remains part of the project team. At “Destino Bolivia,” he helps develop new ideas for tourism in Bolivia like Ecotourism and Community-Cultural Tourism. In 2008 he also volunteered at the Archdiocesan Foundation for the Disabled, “Padre Ignacio Zalles.” Daniel loves to spend his free time traveling, reading books, going to concerts and the theater, playing fulbito and racketball, and spending time with his friends and family. He feels that his new experience with FSD will help him grow and understand new ideas about development, and he is eager to contribute to the organization.

Julianne Chandler graduated with honors from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University in 2007 with a BA in Anthropology and Latin American Studies. Her interest in multi-cultural exchange, and Latin America in particular, sparked as a young girl when she would accompany her mother in her efforts as a midwife and public health advocate for low-income communities in Central America. Since that time, Julianne has lived, worked, and studied in several parts of Latin America, including Chile, Mexico, and Bolivia, where she worked as an intern with FSD in the fall of 2007. In September Julianne completed an MA in Poverty and Development at the Institute of Development Studies in the United Kingdom. For her Masters Dissertation, she received a grant to carry out field work on the livelihood options and aspirations of women in fishing communities in the south of Sri Lanka, a country emerging from the trauma of a protracted civil war. Raised in the Colorado mountains, Julianne is passionate about hiking, spending time with her three nephews, travel, and playing capoeira, a Brazilian dance/martial art.

India - Jodhpur

Program Director

Smita Sawant worked in the field of economic development and women for 10 years prior to joining FSD. She began her career working with Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP), a development organization that works with women collectives and rural communities in India. Through SSP, Smita was afforded her first opportunity to work with volunteers from the US and UK. While working in different parts of India, Asia, and Europe, Smita gained experience in international and community development, cross-cultural issues, and the art of facilitating. She has also managed different community development programs in the areas of water and sanitation, microfinance, disaster, health, and education. Smita has received many awards for her achievements working on sex workers projects in Mumbai, India. She holds a post-graduate degree in Sociology and is pursuing a post graduate degree in Human Resource Management from Mumbai University. Smita loves to travel, meet new people, discover new cultures, and indulge in adventure sports.

Program Coordinators

Gabriel Garfinkle, originally from Philadelphia, has been privileged to travel extensively in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and South America. He spent the last few years in Washington D.C. preparing himself for a career in the fields of international development and education, but some things can only be learned through experience. Gabriel lived in Germany for a year while earning his B.A. in Government and Philosophy from Connecticut College. After graduating in 2004, he moved to Brazil to study culture and teach languages as another 12-month stint. Having honed skills in the fields of community outreach and youth development, he is ready to further broaden his horizons and utilize his expertise in cross-cultural communication to help coordinate the valuable work being done by FSD and its partners in Jodhpur.

India - Udaipur

Program Director

Roma Bhardwaj is the Program Director of FSD’s Udaipur program. Before joining FSD, Roma was Urban Block Coordinator with the renowned NGO Seva Mandir where she focused on women and children's education, health, and other issues. She has a Masters degree in Human Resource Management from Udaipur University (Mohan Lal Sukhadia University). Roma is originally from Udaipur and has great contacts throughout the city, including within the Allied System (government and NGOs alike). She has one seven year old son, and she enjoys social work, working with interns, talking to people, building relationships, and helping the local community.

Program Coordinators

Ashutosh Rawat, originally from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, has worked in the field of Sales and Marketing for eleven years. Before joining FSD, Ashutosh worked as a Branch Manager with India Infoline Limited, a brokerage firm in Guna, Madhya Pradesh. His interest in development flourished through his wife, who has been involved in this field for eight years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree and is currently pursuing his MBA. He is very excited to join the FSD team and utilize the relationship-building and mediation skills he has developed in his previous jobs. Ashutosh is looking forward to meeting people from different backgrounds, sharing his experiences with them, and making them feel at home in his country.

Cheryl Finell’s interest in development work and wanderlust sparked in 2002, when she left the U.S. for the first time to volunteer as an English teacher in China. Since then she has had the good fortune to travel and work in a number of different countries and develop her understanding of cultures all around the world. In 2004 she earned her Bachelor’s from Clark University, where she majored in Sociology with a concentration in Peace Studies. She has worked in a variety of non-profits serving people of diverse backgrounds, such as survivors of domestic violence, young mothers, people with disabilities, and formerly incarcerated individuals. She came to Udaipur, India for the first time in 2008 as an FSD intern. She had an incredible time researching women’s and children’s health and subsequently creating a two day training workshop to address some of the prevailing issues. She is excited to join the FSD Udaipur team again as the International Program Coordinator, practice speaking Hindi, learn more about the culture, and help interns have the amazing experience she did.

Kenya - Kakamega

Program Director

Peter Khamusali Ingosi has a long and demonstrated commitment to community development, with over 10 years’ experience working with communities at the grassroots level, including public, private, and NGO sectors. Peter is a native to the Shikokho, Kakamega community and currently serves as the volunteer Organizational Development Advisor to the Shikokho Community Development Projects. He holds a B.S. in Animal Husbandry, a diploma in Sustainable Development, a Masters degree in Community Development, and benefits from years of fieldwork and hands-on development training utilizing a number of participatory development approaches. Due to his experience and familiarity with the community, Peter often serves as a volunteer consultant and supervisor for various community development projects implemented by outside agencies. Examples include the management of community income-generating initiatives and the establishment and supervision of community groups supporting widows and orphans. Peter is married with three sons and a daughter.

Program Coordinators

Damaris Gitau is driven by a desire to improve peoples’ lives while positively contributing to effective solutions on sustainable development issues and challenges. During the recent post-election violence in Kenya, she worked with the Red Cross helping internally displaced persons. She worked towards ensuring all people understood that, despite their differences in religion, tribe, and political affiliations, they are all equal. As a volunteer with youth affairs, she realized the strength in working with people living with HIV/AIDS and she worked with the communities that were both affected and infected by the disease. In addition, she facilitated the design, implementation, and monitoring for both strategic and action plans in the community. Damaris loves cooking, swimming, listening to music, traveling, meeting different people, and watching movies. She has a five year old son named Donnel, who is the joy of her life.

Kirsten McConnell graduated in 2008 from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada with a B.A. in Global Development Studies. She first came to Kenya in the summer of 2007. At that time she was an FSD intern with FIDA (Woman Lawyers Federation of Kenya). At FIDA, her responsibilities were varied but her main project was starting a child therapy center for young girls who were victims of sexual violence. While in Kenya she also worked on an art therapy project directed at those affected by HIV /AIDS and was asked to give leadership training to a local youth group. Upon returning to Canada she served as a peer mentor for Queen’s counseling and disability services and treasurer for the Global Development Studies department student council.

Kenya - Mombasa

Program Director

George Agarn is FSD’s Program Director in Mombasa. After attaining his diploma in Community Development and Project Management, George has worked over 12 years with numerous community-based organizations and NGOs to facilitate development solutions and social empowerment. His efforts have made a substantial impact in Mombasa on poverty-related issues brought about by social injustices, among other causes. As a community trainer and counselor, George mobilized people living with HIV to become involved in community-based prevention, care, and support. These initiatives serve to reduce stigma levels and empower vulnerable groups to engage in microenterprise for secure livelihoods. George also volunteers and supervises various community development projects implemented by the Kenya Red Cross Society and Pathfinder International. These projects include HIV & AIDS management, women’s empowerment, and microenterprise development – especially savings mobilization and income generating activities. George is a member of Behavior Change Communication team in Mombasa district where he works closely with youth. He is a strong advocate for human rights and a member of resource tracing team MOHAANET (Mombasa HIV/AIDS Advocacy Network). George is married with two children, a son and a daughter. He also fosters two orphaned children.

Program Coordinators

Jerusa M. K. Bosire is the Program Coordinator for the Mombasa Program. She is driven by the desire to apply skills and competence acquired through college training and previous volunteering experiences to improve the lives of people while positively contributing to the organization’s mission of finding effective solutions to development issues. She is a Sociology graduate who completed her undergraduate studies in December 2004. Upon graduation, she worked with the Kenya Red Cross Society as a volunteer in the Action Team for four months, then joined WOFAK (Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya) as a volunteer counselor and social worker. She has also worked as a part-time lecturer in a local college where she taught an evening Community Development class to diploma students.

Mary Paul spent the first 18 years of her life in Chelsea, Michigan with her parents and four sisters. She then attended the University of Michigan, where she received a BFA in Community Based Arts and Printmaking with a minor in African Studies. In May of 2003 Mary studied abroad through the School for International Training in Ghana, where she conducted research on bead making and traditional government. After graduating in May of 2005, Mary worked with the Women’s Business Development Center in Chicago where she was involved with event planning, fundraising, marketing, and strategic planning. Mary moved on to do more event planning and marketing for various Chicago women’s health and domestic violence organizations on a consulting basis. In 2008, Mary decided to combine her interests in international development, economic empowerment, and women’s issues and participated in FSD’s Mombasa program. She worked with the Likoni Community Development Programme to strengthen their microcredit initiative through business planning and client tracking. After completing her internship, Mary stayed in Mombasa where she worked with a professor from UCSF on a programmatic and microcredit intervention study designed to improve the health of young orphaned girls. Mary’s many other interests include making and looking at art, yoga, cooking, singing, continuing to learn Swahili, and reading. She is thrilled to be back in Mombasa as part of the site team!

Nicaragua - Ciudad Sandino

Program Director

Maria de Jesus Zepeda, licensed social worker and psychologist, has been the Program Director in Nicaragua since 1998. She is also responsible for the Department of Social Work in the Hospital Ciudad Sandino. One of her functions is increasing attention to and working to prevent domestic violence. She develops projects in the areas of public health and community health, holding workshops in the community of Ciudad Sandino for people such as health educators, midwives, and volunteers that work with projects to prevent diarrhea and malaria. With FSD she is developing projects involving training others on the prevention and attention to domestic violence to health workers in Ciudad Sandino. With the help of FSD volunteers, she is working to help organizations improve the quality of life in Nicaragua.

Program Coordinators

Clarence Soza is FSD Nicaragua Ciudad Sandino’s local Program Coordinator. Clarence was born in Nicaragua and raised in the United States in California. He returned to Nicaragua at the age of 12 and finished his high school education in Ciudad Sandino. He then spent 3 years in college majoring in computer sciences, and also spent another year taking graphic design courses. Clarence started his professional experience with the Rainbow Network, a non-profit organization focused on rural community development. While at Rainbow Network, Clarence worked with community leaders in health, education, microfinance and housing programs, which gave him a greater understanding of rural development issues in Nicaragua. After gaining this experience, Clarence began work with FSD as the Local Program Coordinator and is excited to help support the sustainable initiatives of FSD’s many partner organizations and interns in Nicaragua.

Jonathan Rollins recently graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with a double major in Mathematics and Economics. His interest in sustainable development stems from a service-learning trip in Nicaragua in 2002 with Bridges to Community, a community development organization in Nicaragua. Since then, he has been an active volunteer with Bridges to Community, allowing him to further his understanding of Nicaraguan culture, people, and development issues. This inspired him to become an intern for FSD in Nicaragua in the fall of 2008 as he worked on microfinance issues for the Rainbow Network, a rural community development organization. Through these experiences, Jonathan learned of the struggles and rewards of development work and was motivated to continue his time with FSD as Program Coordinator, a role that will afford him the opportunity to support FSD interns through their sustainable development experiences.

Nicaragua - Tola

Program Coordinators

Eliseo Garay, a Managua native, has been active in his community for as long as he can remember. When Eliseo was younger he danced for six years with a local dance group, which inspired him to co-found VARIDANCE, another dance group. He played with a community basketball team for three years and volunteered in several camp sites around Nicaragua. Since 1998, Eliseo has been working with various NGOs including Doctors without Borders, Movimiento Comunal, and Save the Children doing research on HIV/AIDS, women’s rights, human rights, teen pregnancy, drug use, public policy, and community development. Eliseo also worked at a textile company where he was the instructor of the weaving room. These experiences showed him the value of teamwork and sharing knowledge in an effective way and helped him understand development issues through a different light. Eliseo enjoys learning about new cultures and knowing many different people. He also loves learning new languages, which motivated him to study English and Portuguese. Working with FSD is a huge and welcomed challenge that will help him develop his skills in community development and English. Eliseo is 26 years old and has two young children and a wife named Karen.

Cynthia Goitia joined FSD as a Program Coordinator after an intensive year of development work in India combined with several months of travel throughout the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. This unparalleled experience began with an internship at FSD's then fledgling program in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. This initial exposure and commitment to the principles of FSD, along with her background as a Bolivian-American and seasoned explorer of Latin America, make her an energetic addition to the Nicaragua team. Cynthia is a California native and graduated with honors from UC Davis, earning BAs in Economics and International Relations. Her passion for economic development and the unlimited horizons of cross-cultural exchange began with her pursuit of undergraduate study abroad programs in Germany, Sweden, and Chile. She is excited to facilitate these opportunities for others like herself while in Nicaragua.

Uganda - Jinja

Program Director

Margaret Nassozi Amanyire is a development worker with more than a decade’s experience working with communities on social development. She began her career as a Government Civil Servant with the Ministry of Gender and Community Development in Uganda, where she worked with Culture, Women, and Youth. She later worked as District Community Development Officer in Western Uganda. She has since been working as Coordinator for a Civil Society network organization and has done consultancy work with the European Union and CARE International. She has facilitated the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of both strategic and action plans for Civil Society Organizations. Margaret is the holder of a Bachelor of Development Studies, the Commonwealth Diploma in Youth and Development, and a Diploma in Music Dance and Drama. She is married to Dr. Gideon Amanyire and has two sons aged 17 and 15 as well as several adopted children.

Program Coordinators

Jonan Nandolo majored in Public Administration and Management at Nkumba University Uganda and holds a Bachelor’s in Social Sciences. Before becoming a Program Coordinator, Jonan worked with Apas consultancy firm as a Research Assistant in health insurance policies, youth, and education before joining Plan International as a volunteer in human resource management. Through Plan International, Jonan developed a love for children by meeting kids from different backgrounds within the local communities. Jonan also worked with VEDCO (Volunteer Effort for Development Concerns) as a Research Assistant in sustainable agriculture farming and produce. He loves entrepreneurship, meeting people from different lifestyles, listening to music, traveling, cooking, and watching movies.

Mary Polizzotti hails from Boston, MA and has lived in San Francisco, CA for the past six years. While attending Boston College, Mary volunteered as a mentor and tutor and participated in a service-learning trip to the US/Mexico border. One year studying abroad in Australia and Italy ensured that Mary’s wanderlust would not fade. After graduating in 2001 with a B.A. in English, Mary spent 10 months traveling and working in Central America. In Honduras, she managed a café and ran overnight tours to an isolated palm-fringed caye while improving her Spanish. Back in the States, Mary began her career in publishing in Denver, CO and eventually relocated to California to work for an alternative weekly newspaper. She later joined travel guidebook publisher Lonely Planet as one of their US sales managers; she served on the Lonely Planet Foundation committee and contributed photos and highlights to six guidebooks. A 2007 volunteer stint in Jodhpur, India led Mary to Sambhali Trust, where she wrote their first annual report and subsequently served on their advisory board. The experience inspired her to switch gears from a corporate career to a focus on international development. Mary has traveled to 40 countries and other interests include music, cooking, snowboarding, yoga, softball, and golf.

Uganda - Masaka

Program Director

Anita Sempa holds a Masters of Science Degree in Extension for Natural Resource Based Livelihoods from Reading University in UK and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Makerere University, Kampala Uganda. She is a linguist, speaking majority of the languages spoken in Uganda while also speaking and writing English, French Kiswahili, and Russian. Anita has experience in Rural and International Development since 1992 working with grassroots communities. She also has extensive experience in communication and management skills for Rural Development, with strong mobilization skills. Over the course of her career, she has been involved in various media activities geared towards reaching rural communities through appropriate media. Anita has engaged in various projects dealing with environmental conservation, water and sanitation improvement, and agro-business, and was active in HIV/AIDS education regarding prevention and stigma reduction. She enjoys working with people from varied cultural backgrounds, and she has a keen interest in governance policy development, women emancipation and equity. Anita was a Board Member of several organizations, including the Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA) and Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association (UWEAL), and she is a Life Member of the Uganda Red Cross Society. Additionally, she was the Founder of the Rural Integrated Development Organization (RIDO). Anita’s hobbies include dancing, cooking and gardening.

Program Coordinators

Sarah Namutebi is a qualified social worker with experience working with various community- based organizations. She holds a second class degree in social sciences from Makerere University, Kampala where she majored in Social Administration. In addition to working with a bank in Masaka, her previous work includes volunteering with local youth groups, particular focusing on child development and the empowerment of youth with disibilities. Sarah is excited to join FSD's team, as she believes that the work of international volunteers can be a motivating force in community development. In her free time, she loves traveling with friends, reading novels, and praying.

Jordan Stone is the new International Programs Coordinator for Masaka. He is from Mendocino, CA and has one brother and one sister. He recently graduated from University of California, Berkeley with degrees in Political Science and History with concentrations in African History and International Relations. Jordan has been working with FSD since September 2008 as an international programs intern and as a contracted worker since February 2009. Jordan’s interest in development was piqued by his time studying abroad and traveling in South Africa, Mozambique, Lesotho, and Swaziland. While in South Africa, Jordan imparted his love for ultimate frisbee to South African youth by coaching two teams in an effort to bridge racial and social divides. Jordan’s interests include traveling, playing soccer and ultimate, hiking, and meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. Jordan is very excited about his work as a program coordinator in Masaka!