Q: What have you been working on lately?

A:   In my current position with La Piana Consulting, I provide management consulting services for nonprofit organizations and foundations across the country.  Most of my work is in the area of Leadership where we offer training programs to executive directors, workshops to build organizational capacity and strengthen nonprofit board governance.  I have been consulting for about 4 years.  Prior to joining the consulting firm, I served as executive director for a high school youth exchange organization, AYUSA that brings about 1,500 teenagers to the United States for an exchange experience.

 

Q: What are you proud to have accomplished?

A:   To be honest, I am really proud to have received the 2010 Dr. Philip C. Johnson Veteran Service Award.  I was truly surprised to be selected to be in the company of previous award winners that have such a legacy with the organization and many have been inspirational to me.  As I assume the position as Chair of the International Board of Directors in January 2011, I am thrilled to be working with our new president, Marty Sinnott who has a tremendous depth of experience working with nonprofit boards.  My vision for my chairship is to create the same kind of transformation in our board structure and practices as we do in the young people in our program.  We have exceptional resources in our current board members and to be able to leverage those resources to move AMIGOS to the next stage of its development is something that I strive for as chair.  If I could pay my bills volunteering for AMIGOS I would quit my day job, I love the work we do.

 

 

Q: How did you first become involved in AMIGOS? 

A:   I participated in AMIGOS after my Junior year at U.C. Berkeley, I was 21 years old.  A few of my friends had participated and they were in Project Director positions.  I was minoring in Spanish and majoring in Political Science and Economics and had an interest in service work since I was in elementary school.  When I arrived in country I was a little surprised to be the second oldest person on the project, even older than the Project Director.  As the summer progressed, I began to appreciate the powerful leadership development model that AMIGOS had perfected over the previous 22 years and the impact the experience was having on the volunteers as much as the communities. 

 

Q: How has AMIGOS affected your life?

A:     After my experience, I pursued my Masters degree at the University of New Mexico (UNM), receiving a MA in Latin American Studies and an MBA in International Management.  My intention was to always work in the nonprofit sector either internationally or with community based organizations working with youth and families.  While I was at UNM, I saw an article in the newspaper about AMIGOS and that is when I connected to the Albuquerque Chapter.  While in New Mexico, I served as executive director of several child welfare organizations focusing on abuse and neglect and homelessness.  From New Mexico, I moved to a position with the International Youth Foundation (IYF) as a Grant Manager and later as Director of Programs for Education and Youth Leadership.