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OUR TEAM

Meet The Team

We know how to get things done and we love what we do!

We are fortunate to have a team of highly dedicated and experienced individuals with deep expertise in international education, community development, operations, and strategy.

ConnectED Team

Isa LaPorte

Isa LaPorte

Chief Executive Officer
Sooni Gillett

Sooni Gillett

Founder, Senior Advisor
Bio Photo Laura Dell

Laura Dell

Development & Communications Manager
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Selvin Lutín

Financial Manager
ConnectED_Claudia

Claudia Meneses

Program Specialist

Our Board of Directors

Anya Spears

Anya Spear

President
Ann Endris

Ann Endris

Secretary
ConnectED_Nick Board Member

Nick Wedeman

Board Member
Cally Houck

Cally Houck

Treasurer & Co-Founder
Roberto Matus

Roberto Matus

Vice President
scott_pulizzi

Scott Pulizzi

Board Member
ConnectED_Omi Board Member-84

Omi Chandiramani

Board Member

Our Advisory Council

Margarita Machado-Casas

Margarita Machado-Casas

Advisor, Teacher Training & Support
Steve Fisher

Steve Fisher

Advisor, Scaling Social Impact
Nik Strong-Cvetich

Nik Strong-Cvetich

Advisor, Strategic Planning
Farima Pour-Khorshid

Farima Pour-Khorshid

Advisor, Teacher Training & Support
Sarah Otterstrom

Sarah Otterstrom

Advisor, Operations and Development
We love our partners

ConnectED is proud to have collaborative partnerships with public and private organizations, academic universities, and government institutions. Together, we accelerate our education impact in areas where we work.

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How can you make a difference?

Give.

You can make the transformative power of education possible through a simple donation.

Volunteer.

Your talents and skills can help support our organization and the work of our Fellows.

Collaborate.

You can join us in improving education outcomes in Central America.

Isa LaPorte

Chief Executive Officer

Isa joined ConnectED in 2018 and in 2021 transitioned to the Chief Executive Officer role to support ConnectED’s growth and operations throughout the Central America region. She holds a Masters Degree in International Affairs from the Ohio University Center for International Studies and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the Central American University in Nicaragua. She has experience training and mentoring at-risk youth and over 20 years of expertise designing and implementing social impact programs throughout Latin America. Prior to joining ConnectED, Isa worked as an Advisor to the Ministry of Health, an Information and Evaluation Specialist with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a Public Relations Director for USAID and US Forest Service funded projects, and a Program Manager designing and managing a Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, among others. Isa’s passion for making a difference in the lives of vulnerable populations through education, leadership development, and locally-led solutions led her to work with ConnectED. She is most excited about ConnectEDs bottom-up, human-centered way of working and thinking.

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Sooni Gillett

Founder, Senior Advisor

As a Founder, Sooni has worked with ConnectED for over 9 years, dedicating herself to improving education opportunities in Central America, one community at a time. In 2021, in efforts to localize the organizations leadership, she transitioned from the Chief Executive Officer role to support the organization in strategy, finance, and operations. She holds a Master’s Degree in Ecology and International Development from the University of California, Davis and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Chapman University. Before founding ConnectED, she worked as a Manager at the Resource Conservation District and as a Research Analyst at the Postharvest Technology Research Center where she supported farming communities throughout Santa Cruz County, Asia, and Africa. Working with communities abroad gave her insight into the magnitude of challenges that start from deficiencies in education. This realization led her start ConnectED to support local and collaborative education solutions and to honor her two close friends Raechel and Jaqueline Houck.

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Laura Dell

Development & Communications Manager

Laura is a non-profit professional with a passion for youth empowerment and quality education. She joined ConnectED in April 2023 after spending nine months in Antigua, Guatemala, where she provided strategic support in communications and engagement to two local education non-profits.

Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Health from Tulane University, a master’s of Educational Studies from Johns Hopkins University, and a GenderPro Credential from the Global Women’s Institute at George Washington University.

Her experience includes working as a Special Education Teacher through Teach for America, a Leadership Resident with the Harpswell Foundation in Cambodia, a Manager of a Teen Dating Violence Prevention program, and as a Volunteer Coordinator with the International Rescue Committee.

Laura is excited to be a member of ConnectEd’s team and eager to take on the role of leading communication efforts to further increase engagement. She is thrilled to live in Guatemala and to learn more about its beautiful culture while contributing to ConnectED’s mission to improve access, quality, and relevance of education for youth in Central America.

 

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Selvin Lutín

FINANCE Specialist

Selvin, a seasoned Public Accountant and Auditor with a postgraduate degree in International Accounting and Auditing, joined ConnectED in April 2023. With over 14 years of experience advising both non-profit and for-profit organizations, he excels in conducting comprehensive financial and project audits. Selvin’s dedication to precision and fostering financial excellence makes him a vital asset to ConnectED.

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Claudia Meneses

Program Specialist

Meet Claudia Meneses, a dynamic change catalyst with a proven track record in nonprofit growth. Claudia holds certificates in nonprofit essentials from Indiana University and a Project Manager certification, complemented by a BA in Advertising and Graphic Design in Italy. Her leadership roles range from being the General Coordinator at Poulias Foundation’s littleGIANTS to her position as General Manager in the private real estate sector. Claudia shines with strategic prowess and innovative approaches.

Fueled by a deep passion for education as the key to unlocking the potential of rural communities, Claudia’s volunteer work reflects her unwavering commitment to community service. This dedication seamlessly aligns with her role at ConnectED, where she is poised to lead positive change in local development initiatives. Along her educational journey, Claudia earned an ontological coaching certification, adding a human-centered touch to her approach and firmly establishing herself as a transformative leader making a lively impact on global communities.

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Anya Spear
President
Anya supports ConnectED strategy development and ensures that board directives and policies are met. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and Latin American Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a Master’s Degree in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. She spent time in over 25 countries, studying and living in Belize, Mexico, Nicaragua, and others. She currently serves as Senior Campus Planner at California State University where she incorporates sustainability into redevelopment challenges and supports students and faculty on sustainability grants, research, and class projects. ConnectED helps her to unite her passions for education, sustainability and international development.
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Ann Endris
Vice President
Ann supports ConnectED strategy development and ensures that the organization’s vision and directives are carried out. She is a Fullbright Scholar with over 15 years’ experience developing and managing complex educational programs focused on supporting underrepresented student populations. During her Scholarship, Ann conducted youth development workshops for immigrant youth and led a research initiative to identify causes and solutions of transit migration. She currently serves as Program Director at Cabrillo College where she oversees the Academy for College Excellence, is an instructor for leadership courses, and provides mentorship for high risk students. She is excited to be a part of ConnectED’s mission in using the power of education to create social change and empower individuals.
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Nick Wedeman
Board Member

Nick supports ConnectED in strategy and general governance. He is a Senior Technical Advisor for Environment and Climate Change at FHI 360. He brings over 30 years of experience in environment and natural resource management programming, climate change adaptation, sustainable and regenerative tourism, water use efficiency, and research and information services. Nick’s work is currently focused on the mainstreaming and integration of environment and climate change across global development sectors. He holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Earth Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University, a Master’s Degree in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the College of Wooster.

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Cally Houck
Treasurer/Secretary & Co-Founder

Cally supports ConnectED strategy development and financial and legal operations. She is a lawyer by profession with over 20 years experience as a trial and transactional attorney. Cally is a firm believer in advocacy and although semi retired works diligently to engage in legislative advocacy for highway. She has testified at hearings before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, the California State Senate, and the California State Assembly and appeared on CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC and the Anderson Cooper Show. She also serves as a board member of Consumers For Auto Reliability and Safety Foundation. As a Founder of ConnectED and mother of Raechel & Jacqueline Houck, Cally enjoys seeing education seeds planted throughout rural communities in Central America in loving memory of her two daughters.

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Roberto Matus

Board Member

Roberto supports ConnectED strategy development, program design and evaluation, and fundraising. He brings over 20 years of experience from across the U.S., Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe designing, proposing, managing, and implementing economic development programs centered on the principles of shared value, innovation, and sustainability. Roberto holds a Master of Business Administration from the Haas School of Business at University of California, Berkeley, a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish language and literature, and a Bachelor of Science in international business from the University of Maryland.

Scott Pulizzi
Advisor, Education Program Design & Evaluation
Scott gives guidance to ConnectED’s education program design and evaluation. He has a Master’s Degree in International Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) and a Doctorate Degree in Development Studies and Sociology from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. For more than 20 years, he collaborated with learners, teachers, and policy makers to promote education and sustainable development in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Today, he is Principle Education and Health Specialist at the American Institute for Research and a Professor at MIIS. He enjoys developing life skills-based education, creating safe school environments, increasing access to services, and making education more inclusive.
Omi Chandiramani

Board Member

Omi supports ConnectED on strategy, technology, and cohort community relations. He is passionate about using technology to solve real-world problems via practical, elegant and impactful user-facing solutions. He is currently the CEO at Good Talk. He has 27 years in software development in Silicon Valley at various companies including Google and Amazon. He has expertise in various domains including computer security, SaaS, E-Commerce, FinTech, and mobile app development. He has helped form and grow cross-functional teams to scale internationally, building systems and mechanisms which helped serve millions of customers worldwide. He is excited to apply his experience in innovative ways to increase the impact of Fellows and their projects, and to help ConnectED scale further.

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Margarita Machado-Casas
Advisor, Teacher Training & Support
Dr. Margarita provides guidance for ConnectED’s teacher training and support initiatives. She is an Associate Professor at The University of Texas at San Antonio College of Education and Human Development, where she works closely with assessment methods in bilingual and multilingual settings, particularly around teacher education and minority student populations in the US. She is also the co-creator of the very first multilingual and multiethnic language master’s program at Bluefield’s Indian and Caribbean University in Nicaragua. She is the co-director of the National Education Latino Network that provides educational links around the world.
Steve Fisher
Advisor, Scaling Social Impact
Steve supports ConnectED in strategic planning and scaling impact. He is currently Director for Spring Impact and for Community Works, where he focuses on social franchising and helping organizations scale innovative social impact solutions. He has a technical degree and post-graduate qualifications in engineering, international development, and management. He worked throughout Peru and Columbia, gaining years of experience in international development, scaling social impact, monitoring and evaluation, and community development. He has held directorships and chief positions for international organizations including Practical Action, an international NGO addressing poverty through technology; Appropriate Technology, a national Indigenous organization; and Asia Director of BasicNeeds, an international organisation focusing on mental health and development.
Nik Strong-Cvetich
Advisor, Strategic Planning
Nik is vital in helping guide ConnectED’s strategic planning efforts. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Lewis and Clark College and a Master’s in Public Administration from the Monterey Institute of International Studies, with a focus in Nonprofit Management. Nik has founded professional training programs in conservation project management, worked as a consultant in ecotourism development in communities worldwide, and built innovative programs focused on water resource issues in the Monterey Bay. With years’ of experience leading innovative international projects, Nik’s mission is to help provide communities with the tools they need to be effective in valuing, protecting, and managing their own natural resources.
Farima Pour-Khorshid
Advisor, Teacher Training & Support
Farima brings her education and teaching expertise to ConnectED. A proud Hayward native, she earned her Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degrees and her teaching credential all in her home community. She has taught university courses, supervised pre-service teachers, and facilitated teacher development workshops throughout the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua, where her family emigrated from. She is a part-time bilingual teacher who has been teaching Dual Language and Sheltered English Immersion to kindergarten students since 2007, and is a third year PhD student. Farima is committed to public education and teacher development through a social justice lens. She works with underserved teachers, students, and communities to transform public education.
Sarah Otterstrom
Advisor, Nonprofit Operations & Development
With over 17 years’ experience in protecting Central America’s biodiversity, Sarah provides a key advisory role in ConnectED’s program development. Sarah has a Ph.D. in Ecology with emphasis on Human Ecology from the University of California, Davis, and has served the Association for Fire Ecology and the Sociedad Mesoamericana para la Biología y Conservación. A conservation scientist, she serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Biotropica and is Executive Director of Paso Pacifico. She is most excited about ConnectED’s work in improving education outcomes in Central America.