On July 7th, 2010 the La Paz General Assembly ushered in a new era by nominating and voting in one new board member.  The board of directors is forever indebted to the contributions of our recent departing board members Dr. Jim Cramer, Dr. Carlos Hernandez, and Caroline Lemaire as well as other previous board members Dr. Lisa Porter and Laura Cascante for the integral part that they played in the realization of the dream of La Paz during their two year terms.

Ashley Javogue (Vocal): A graduate of Stanford University with a B.A. in design, Ashley’s unique world view has been cultivated throughout her entire life beginning with her first 18 years in Brazil.  After a brief time in the US to attend university, Ashley then spent extensive time in the fashion and jewelry business in Milan, New York and France where she designed jewelry for Chanel and Mademoiselle fashion shoots as well as for a myriad of design studios.  As a parent of two children at the school, Ashley’s fluency in French, Portuguese, Spanish, and English maker her an ideal fit for the board of directors.  She is committed to the culturally sensitive and progressive educational philosophies of La Paz and will be a key player in the next phase of school expansion on the new site.

Abel McClennen (President): Mr. McClennen is the administrative representative on the board and visionary behind the project.  A bilingual, certified secondary school physics teacher, Mr. McClennen graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine, USA with a degree in Physics.  Mr. McClennen’s teaching experiences began at Souhegan Public High School in New Hampshire, renowned for its pioneering work with the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES); a progressive educational movement initiated by former Dean of Harvard University School of Education, Ted Sizer.  After  three years in New Hampshire working as an AP Physics teacher and faculty representative on the Personnel Policy Committee, Mr. McClennen and his wife Kerry spent time away from the United States teaching at CNA language schools in Brazil and Colegio Interamericano in Guatemala, before arriving in Costa Rica to fulfill their vision of starting a non-profit community school.

Jose Gerardo Brenes (Vice President):  Mr. Brenes comes to us as an active community member in the coastal communities of Guanacaste.  He is the President of the Cycling Association of Guanacaste, Founder and President of the Foundation for the Development of Guanacaste, Director of Community Relations for the Do It Center, Manager of Catalina Cove, and Director of the Federation of World Peace.  He is also one of the founders and board members of CEPIA, a non-profit association out of Huacas, CR that is devoted to the cultural, educational and psychological development of infants through adolescents.

Gregory Casillas (Treasurer): Mr. Casillas is presently the part owner and manager of the popular RipJack Inn and Restaurant at Playa Grande, CR.  A native of Oklahoma, Gregory brings an unprecedented amount of non-profit and fundraising knowledge to the table.  With a masters in psychology, he has worked with and/or helped found several philanthropic endeavors in California including SuperFriends-San Francisco and the Shanti Project.

Xinia Estela Reyes Valerín (Secretary)
Born in Guácimo on the Carribean slope of Costa Rica Ms. Reyes has actually lived in Potrero, Guanacaste for the majority of her life.  She is an active community member in the Potrero, Surfside, and Flamingo area.  With a graduate diploma in business administration from the Latin University of Costa Rica, Ms. Reyes presently works as a second partner and property manager at House of Rentals in Flamingo.

Christian Fautz (Vocal):
Mr. Fautz is an active member of the Matapalo community through his work as a volunteer at CEPIA, an elder at the Beach Community Church, and the developer of Punta Playa Vistas in Bahia de los Piratas.  A graduate of St. John’s Law School, Christian has worked in New York City as a Financial Advisor for the past 15 years assisting his clients with managing their wealth.

Dr. Jose Ma. Garita Monge (Vocal): A native of Costa Rica, Dr. Monge is a licensed pharmacist and owner of the well-known Farmacia Cruce in Huacas, CR.  He has been integral in the process of bringing in and improving the medical services in the coastal Guanacaste region.  Before coming to Guanacaste, Dr. Monge previously worked with Pfizer Central America as a marketing executive.

Brian Crites (Vocal): Mr. Crites is a founding educator of La Paz who is the teacher representative on the board and acts as the general chair of the non-profit program of the school.  Also, a board member on the US non-profit La Paz Community School based out of Portland Oregon, Mr. Crites has been integral in cultivating the relationships between foreign entities and La Paz in order to bolster the foreign donor base of the institution.

Board Vice Fiscal:  Lic. Ignacio Esquivel
A partner in Facio Law Firm out of San Jose, Mr. Esquivel graduated from the University of Costa Rica in Law as well as from the INCAE/Georgetown University school of international relations in Nicaragua.  He is a founding member of the Costa Rican Association for Energy Production as well as the Director of the Costa Rican Union for Private Enterprise (UCCAEP) from 1992-1995.  At present, Mr. Esquivel works in the Facio Law Offices in Tamarindo and San Jose in the areas of real estate, environmental affairs, and renewable energies.