Bios of Members of Board of Directors and volunteers
(Last names in alphabetical order)
Amado, Carlos H. (Seventy Emeritus) Member of the Board of Trustees, was sustained a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1989, and of the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1992. He became Emeritus in 2015. For approximately 25 years of service, he became very familiar with the humanitarian needs of Latin America, having served as president of the Chile Area (Chile,) the South America West Area (Peru and Bolivia,) the South America South Area (Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay,) the Central America Area (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Belize) and Mexico Area (Mexico.) In those positions he cared for the people of those countries and played a significant role in key humanitarian decisions.
Buckley, John W. (J.D.) Member of the Board of Trustees, is man of principle and excellent reputation. He received his JD from Brigham Young University after graduating Summa Cum Laude in Communications at the same university, as a Hinckley and National Scholar. He has been a member of the Utah State Bar since 1983 and has successfully managed his own law firm since then. He has also been a Financial Advisor at Jamestown Wealth Management.
Dargalaye, Noemi. (E. E. Eng.) External International Logistics Advisor. She graduated as an Electronic Engineer at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana in Mexico. She worked with Ericsson Communications supporting their installed base in Mexico City. She then worked for Banca Serfin—one of the leading banks of Mexico-- as Manager for the communication network of the 350 branches in the Northeast of Mexico. She moved to the USA where she did similar work for several technical companies in the area of San Diego and Tijuana. For the last several years she has specialized in the management of logistics for international cargo to Latin America. Bilingual in English and Spanish.
Duval, Gordon, (D.O.) Member of the Advisory Board, received his Bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in Nutritional Science, and his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicines from Lake Erie College, after which he did his residency and Internship in the University of Missouri Women’s and Children’s Hospital. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. At present he is a Pediatrician at the Mountain West Medical Center & Wellsprings Pediatrics. He has served in diverse positions, both professionally and volunteer, always seeking the wellbeing of children. He traveled to Ukraine to help children during the current war.
Elmer, Jeffrey, (M.D.) Member of the Advisory Board, is a pulmonologist in Spokane Valley, WA and has been practicing for 33 years. He graduated from University of Texas medical school in 1982. He is board certified and specializes in pulmonary disease, critical care medicine, and internal medicine. He did his internship and residency in the Bexar County Hospital and a fellowship at the University of Utah. He is affiliated to the Providence Holy Family Hospital and the Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children Hospital. He is fluent in English and Spanish. He served a mission in Argentina and was Mission President in Peru.
Gibbons, Alen (B.A., MBA) Member of the Board of Trustees, has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Brigham Young University and an MBA from the University of Washington. He has been an executive for national banks like Bank of America, and for regional banks, in the areas of corporate finance and financial management, improving business controls, efficiency, and data management. He served a mission in the Argentina Buenos Aires North Mission, and speaks fluent Spanish. He served for over ten years as an Editorial Board Member for Journal of Performance Management , and was awarded as Champion in Operational Excellence Certifications in 2005.
Gubler, Shandon (PhD.) Member of the Advisory Board is well recognized in the field of education. He received his PhD. at Brigham Young University and has dedicated much of his life to academia. As Professor at BYU’s Marriott Business School he received the Excellence in Teaching Award, and at Dixie State University he received the Distinguished Teaching Award. He has founded several ventures as an Angel investor, and was co-founder of Agilix Labs.
Harris, John (B.E.S. Cum Laude, M.E., M.B.A) Executive Director has spent much of his life as an educator, international executive and senior diplomat. He organized educational programs in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, and presided over a religious mission in Argentina in his early thirties. He also lived and served in different capacities in Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and Israel. An Engineer and MBA by profession, he is the father of five children and grandfather of twelve grandchildren. Fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Hawkes, Sharlene Wells, (BA Magna Cum Laude, MS in Communications) Member of the Advisory Board, has distinguished herself as a great humanitarian in aiding the veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and preserving the memories of their devotion; also showing through her achievements that she cares for those who have defended the U.S. A. and its principles, completing over 400 historical projects throughout the military and Veteran Affairs community; and also for her generosity in delivering over one million copies of books and documentaries to veterans across the 50 states of the Union. She has served in the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, in the Miss America Organization Board, and in the AMAR Foundation (International) Board.
Lange, Cynthia Juarez (J.D.) Member of the Board of Trustees, led the Fragomen’s High Tech law practice centered on immigration issues in the heart of Silicon Valley. As the managing partner of the firm’s Northern California practice, she directed the strategic representation of companies ranging from large Fortune 500 companies to small start-up companies in the firm’s “e-group.” She worked with numerous companies to set up and manage worldwide immigration compliance programs. She also offered legal advice to individual investors (i.e., EB-5). She was Adjunct Professor at Southwestern University School of Law and has written numerous articles on business immigration law matters. She graduated from Southwestern University School of Law | J.D., 1985 and Brigham Young University | B.A., 1981, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. She was listed in Best Lawyers in America, from 2006 to 2019, and Who's Who Legal: Corporate Immigration, 2006 to 2019. Fluent in English and Spanish.
Langue, Dennis (M.D.) Member of the Board of Trustees graduated with a medical degree from the Medical School at the University of California, Los Angeles, being chief resident at King/Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, and finishing specialties in Nephrology at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, and Internal Medicine Residency. He also served on the Medical Executive Committees of Beverly Hospital in Montebello, CA; and Community Hospital of Huntington Park, Huntington Park, CA. Chairman of Medicine at Beverly Hospital, Chairman of the Credential Committee Chairman at Beverly Hospital, Chairman of the Physician Well-Being Committee at Community Hospital of Huntington Park. He is presently obtaining a Master’s degree in Public Health. Fluent in English and Spanish.
Martone, Rosaria, (J.D. Argentina) Member of the Advisory Board, a lawyer, geographer, and international consultant born in Argentina of Italian descent, is deeply acquainted with the realities of all countries in Latin America and their governments and institutions. She recognized that children worldwide grow up playing “futbol,” in the USA known as soccer, and seized the opportunity for educational and moral guidance to children and founded and now presides over FUNDACION DEPORTIVA FUTBOL VIRTUAL, organization that helps children learn to respect and compete in a healthy environment, in total universal inclusion, and equality, allowing them to develop skills, and have access to knowledge and technologies.
Mazzawi, Fadoul, Member of the Advisory Board, is the CEO of the Mazzawi Advertising Group, a leading marketing, advertising and digital agency located in Israel and specializing in the Arab speakers in Israel, West Bank, and MENA, he founded in 1995. The group's clients are International companies and NGO's that include the Strauss Group, Mercantile Bank, Samsung, Reckitt Benckiser (health), Ikea, Bezeq, Nestlé, Sano Group, Azrieli Group, The Israeli Ministry of Health and more. He serves as a chairman of the board, director and partner of companies and startups in Israel and the UK and a board member in the AMCHAM- Israel America chamber of commerce. He serves as Chairman of the board of Trustees and a member of the management board of Yezreel Valley Academic College for over 9 years. He has been a director in the management board of the Israeli Advertising Agencies and the President of the Central Office for Art, Advertising and PR in the European Economic Chamber EEIG, Brussels since 2009. He is a Visiting lecturer in several universities for Advertising and marketing to the ME and Arab Markets and a Counselor to leading institutions in marketing to Arab markets. Fadoul is a humanitarian who serves as co-chairman for The Association for Joint Israeli Leadership. He is a well-known calligrapher in Arabic and Hebrew, and since 1995 he has received international awards in Calligraphy and design.
Mournes, William, (BS) Member of the Advisory Board has thirty-one years of experience in energy investments and real estate development both in the USA and internationally. He is an international consultant on global energy policy and transactions as well as related geopolitical issues and government security, and has extensive experience in identifying and acquiring foreign capital for deployment and investment in global energy projects with a specialty currently in Latin America. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from Seton Hall University with emphasis in international commerce and natural resources. His international contact and experience in international matters make his advice crucial for the foundation.
Pereira Gonzalez, Augusto, (M.D., Surgeon, Pediatric Oncology, Medical Admin.) Member of the Advisory Board, is the Head of Pediatric Oncology of the J.M. de los Rios Children’s Hospital of Venezuela, Director of Courses for Pediatric Oncology, and President of the Foundation of the same hospital. Besides and extensive career in Venezuela and internationally, he did a fellowship at the Department of Hematology and Oncology at the St. Jude Hospital in Memphis Tennessee.
Ponce, Claudia, B.S. Family Science -Emphasis in Marriage, Family and Human Development, Brigham Young University, Chief of Staff, has experience with medical organizations zeroing on Spanish speakers. She served as Chief of Staff of Suazo Business Center, an organization dedicated to training ethnic Latin Americans to excel in entrepreneurship in the USA. She has been President of Soroptimist for Latinas in Utah, and in the Advisory Board for Utah State Treasurer in Utah on subjects of literacy and women conferences. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Ponce, Sean Anthony, M.D., Member of the Advisory Board, is a licensed physician and surgeon since 2001, graduated from the Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine in 2000, with a Doctor of Medicine degree. He has board certifications and experience in family medicine, preventive and addiction medicine, and mental health care. Having served a mission in Venezuela, he speaks fluent Spanish and English, enabling him to lecture on medical subjects in both languages. He is also an All-American athlete since his college years, when he excelled in wrestling and American football. He has experience in Sports Medicine and passed the National Athletic Trainers Association certification exam prior to his graduation from Brigham Young University. He has served as a volunteer team physician and coach for a local high school team for many years. He strives to motivate and be an example to youth locally and internationally in athletic, academic, and spiritual pursuits. He provides services pro-bono in humanitarian endeavors.
Sarmiento, Yvonne, Attorney, Representative in Venezuela specialized in civil, criminal, and commercial law, with emphasis on children and adolescents. She graduated from the Catholic University of Táchira (UCAT) in 1988. She works independently since 2012 and is currently registered as advocate in the Institute of Social Welfare. Presently studying a post graduate course on the Organic Law for the Protection of Children and Teenagers at the Juan Vives Suria Human Rights School.
Tenney, Dennis, (MBA) Special assistant to Executive Director was born and raised in Arizona. After serving a mission in Ecuador and Peru, he obtained a Bachelor in Latin American Studies and Political Science, with an emphasis in international business, and a Master’s Degree in International Management, with honors at Thunderbird. Dennis is currently the Executive Director of the Inter-Mountain Chapter of the U.S. Mexico Chamber, and a business consultant to multinational corporations, in areas such as power generation, minerals extraction and nutritional supplements. He has also been active in charitable organizations including Board Chairman of the South Valley Sanctuary, Executive Director for the OG Cares Foundation, and was a Paul Harris Fellow at Rotary International. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Varas, Jeanette, (BS) Social Projects Coordinator, is a successful Peruvian entrepreneur with degrees in business and cosmetology. While still a model and a beauty pageant coach, she has led her own real estate business, and has hosted the “Real Estate Essentials“ on Telemundo and ABC 4, providing guidance to the Latino community and helping them achieve their dreams of homeownership. She is also a bilingual marketing advisor to the “Passionate Wings” Foundation, the non-profit organization that helps women in distress. She has dedicated much of her life to improve the lives of Spanish speakers in the USA and their countries.
In Memoriam
Gordon Duval, J.D., a member of the Board of Directors, passed at the end of January, 2021. He was an attorney with 30 years of experience in the public and private sector with an emphasis in international business, natural resource, government, real estate, and construction. HIs practice included 20 years’ experience as the legal advisor to over 30 state, city, county, university, and school entities in Alaska, Oregon, and Utah. A man of faith, of kindness, and generosity, for whom the Foundation expresses deep gratitude for his efforts.