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ProWorld Staff
ProWorld Directors and Project Coordinators are experienced, capable, veteran travelers, and dedicated community leaders. Staff teams are composed of local and international development workers and range in size from 3 to 12 staff members per site. Local staff provide invaluable insight into their country and communities, while international staff relate to the cross-cultural challenges that participants face. For every eight program participants there is at least one in-country ProWorld staff member.

ProWorld staff members are part of every aspect of the program experience, encouraging cultural immersion, providing support, and often becoming friends as well as guides for the volunteer’s journey.

Richard Webb - Founder and President
Born in Lima, Richard holds a BA in History from Vassar College and a MBA from Oxford University with a focus on social enterprise.  Following his undergraduate studies Richard enjoyed a brief career as a professional soccer player (Hong Kong) after which he began to pursue his interest in grass roots development work with Visions Service Adventures. Visions’ model utilizes volunteers to meet development needs of poverty-stricken communities. This experience helped to shape the vision and model upon which ProPeru Service Corps was first incorporated in 1998.

ProPeru expanded in 2002 to include ProBelize and again in 2004 with ProMexico - the combination that forms the core of the new umbrella company, ProWorld Service Corps today. ProWorld Service Corps focuses on integrating Fair Trade into its projects, capturing volunteer-added value and utilizing a sustainable revenue model.

Having recently finished his MBA course as a Skoll Scholar sponsored by the Skoll Center for Social Enterprise, he is excited to further develop and perfect ProWorld’s social enterprise model through multi sector collaboration. Specifically, Richard is currently interested in applying Fair Trade standards to general tourism in Peru, Belize and Mexico.

Keenly interested in the potential for effective development work with volunteer participation, Richard has served on the executive committee of the International Volunteer Programs Association (IVPA) and is currently the legal representative of the Municipality of Urubamba, Peru in the United States. As the co-founder of The ProWorld Fund, a non profit organization positioned to work in conjunction with the existing ProWorld alliance, he also seeks to push the bounds of what is possible through the current volunteer funded model of ProWorld.

Still learning every day, Richard enjoys being inspired by the ProWorld team and the individuals of the communities in which it operates. Spending between two and five months a year on the project sites, Richard enjoys the additional perks of his work such as the opportunity to practice photography and getting his hands dirty at the work sites.

Nick Bryngelson - Director of Operations
Nick Bryngelson was born and raised in a family dedicated to public service and helping others achieve their maximum potential. These commitments to excellence and community service form the foundation of Nick's core values and his role as the Director of ProWorld Operations.

Nick holds a Masters Degree in Business and Engineering Management from the University of Colorado as well as a degree in Civil and Architectural Engineering. During his graduate program, Nick was awarded the National Science Foundation fellowship in Community Education and Outreach. Nick has taught engineering, physics, economics and business classes to graduate, undergraduate, and high school students. Individuals in the US and in South America have benefited from Nick's commitment to experiential education.

Seeking to serve our global community Nick and his wife, Precious, sold their possessions and bought one way tickets to Peru in 2000 searching for meaningful volunteer work. Working with multiple international development agencies Nick directed major infrastructure and sustainable development projects in small communities in Ecuador and Peru.

While in Peru, Nick was introduced to Richard Webb and the meaningful community development projects of ProPeru. Recognizing the sustainable positive impact the ProPeru programs have on local citizens and program participants, Nick joined forces with Richard to form the ProWorld Service Corps.

Nick and his family currently reside in Bellingham, Washington splitting their time between the US offices and each of the program locations.

Diane Gale, is a Montana native who along with her husband, Mark, manage the administrative offices of ProWorld. Diane’s services to ProWorld include, but are not limited to: answering incoming calls to ProWorld, responding to questions and forwarding messages to the appropriate staff member; processing and responding to incoming and outgoing mail; maintaining records; and providing support to participants, prospective participants, and their families by gathering and dispersing information to encourage the continued growth of ProWorld.

Her formal studies include literature, history, philosophy, psychology, and applied business skills. Her interests and passions center around learning and creating understanding of various cultures, helping others attain a better life, exploring the wonders life has to offer, and, of course, her family.

Adam was born and raised in Northwest New Jersey. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Latin American Studies and East Asian History from Brown University. His senior project was a human rights film series focusing on Latin American cinema and portrayals of social justice. After graduating from Brown, Adam worked as a broadcast journalist in New Jersey.

In the summer of 2002 he volunteered with ProPeru in Urubamba working at Radio La Salle and reconstructing a playground at a government-funded school and since leaving wanted to find a way back to Peru.  He got that chance in 2006 when he joined ProWorld as a full-time staff member and moved to the ProPeru Cusco site where he helped with marketing and recruitment.  In 2008 he moved to the ProMexico site in Oaxaca to help lead the team of program and placement advisors. Adam now directs ProWorld marketing and customized group programs and recently moved to Colorado. He enjoys reading, writing, movies, hiking and good food.

Katherine McConnell – Program and Placement Advisor
Kate, a Nor'Eastern native turned global nomad, received her B.A. in Advertising/Mass Communications from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.  However, the world beat streets of the Big Apple finally curbed her wanderlust, and she took a post as a copywriter for Green Team Advertising in NYC.  Inspired by the international staff, five years promoting the proactive projects of her clients (WWF, Conservation Internationa, Sierra Club, etc.), and a fit of idealist fervor, she was possessed to give sustainable development/conflict resolution a first-hand go and joined the Peace Corps.  She served two years as an environment volunteer in rural Morocco, drinking mint tea, speaking in Berber tongues, digging wells, planting trees, sustaining a mountain high in Toubkal National Park, and helping establish income generating crafts projects with the women.

After her service, she joined the NGO Morocco Exchange to lead intercultural immersion experiences that encouraged interfaith dialogue and peace building between U.S. students and their Moroccan peers.  Kate then returned to the U.S. to pursue her M.A. in International Education/Social Justice at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, VT.  She joined ProWorld's marketing team in 2008 with the hope to encourage more students to partake in the transformative international service experiences guided by a spirit of collaboration, community, and solidarity.  In her spare time, she waxes poetic, rides bikes, cooks food with no central nervous system, talks to strangers, and sends custom crafted collages/fan mail to her global family.

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Jonny grew up in southern Connecticut and later attended Temple University in Philadelphia. Nurturing a desire to travel, Jonny taught English for a year in Andalucia, Spain (2000 - 2001).

Upon returning to the States he attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Thought and Political Economy (STPEC). His love of the Spanish language and his desire to explore more of the world led him to a ProPeru internship in September and October of 2004.

He fell in love with the highlands of Peru and became interested in development work. When a staff intern position with ProPeru opened the next summer he jumped at the chance.

He then progressed to the full-time position of Student Affairs & Project Coordinator for the Cusco semester and NGO internship programs. In December of 2006 he moved to the same position with ProBelize and in April of 2007 he became ProBelize Country Director.  Recently departing Belize, Jonny returned to Peru as Country Director and Regional Director of Latin America in February 2009.

Eliza Wethey – Cusco Site Director

Eliza was born and raised in Columbia, SC.  She holds a B.A. in Latin American Studies and Anthropology from Tulane University as well as a Master's in Anthropology and Development from the London School of Economics.

While at Tulane, Eliza studied abroad with ProPeru in Urubamba and fell in love with Peruvian culture.  During her study abroad with ProPeru, she participated in the cleaner burning stoves project, studied women's and men's roles in the community of Chicón, and worked at a women's shelter in Urubamba.  After finding her passion for Latin American culture, she has returned to Peru at every opportunity, completing research for her senior thesis in Chinchero and working in Cusco for 18 months with the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco and the Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano after finishing college.

After working at Oxfam American in Boston for a year for their programs in South America, Eliza hoped to return to Latin America and was excited to find a position at ProPeru in the fall of 2008.  She now works as the Cusco Site Coordinator.

Milagro was born in Cusco, Peru in 1965 where she completed her primary and secondary studies and pursued a degree in Economics at the Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco.  Although she did not graduate from San Antonio Abad, she later completed her studies at the Universidad Particular Andina del Cusco, graduating with the title Certified Public Accountant.

After graduating, she began working for a variety of public and private institutions including serving as the director of the Charity Pharmacies of Cusco.  Additionally, she worked for many different municipalities as a supplies and logistics specialist, and held the post of Administrative Director for the Municipality of Urubamba, before joining ProPeru as the accountant in 2005.  In May 2009, Milagro assumed the post of Administrative Director of ProPeru.

Currently, she is pursuing a Master's degree in Administration with a focus on Tourism at La Universidad San Antonio Abad del Cusco.

Javier Saldivar Durand – Director of Projects
Javier Saldivar Durand was born in Cusco, Peru in 1967. Javier, Manager of Projects and Professor of the Universidad Peruano de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC), holds a degree in Biology from the Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco where he also studied English.

Since the 1990s he has dedicated his time traveling to remote communities in Peru to educate the local populations and introduce sustainable development. Collaborating with his father they wrote two books: "Runi Simi de Chumbivilcas" and "Mitos Cuentos y Leyendas de Chumbivilcas". In 2002 Javier began working with ProPeru.

Jaime was born and raised in Urubamba where he still lives with his wife, three daughters and a son. Jaime’s been working with ProPeru since 2002 where he began as a maintenance man and night watchman.

Over time Jaime's responsibilities have evolved, working first as the Agrotourism Project Coordinator and running ProPeru's mini projects.  He now leads the Cleaner Burning Stoves project, one of ProPeru's most successful projects, as well as all Infrastructural Development/Construction projects. 

Prior to working with ProPeru, Jaime worked in tourism at a famous local hotel, primarily as a waiter, but he also worked with horses and performed other odd jobs.

Emily Button - Cusco Volunteer Affairs and Group Coordinator
Emily Button is from North Western New Jersey. She studied at the New School University: Eugene Lang College in NYC and earned her bachelor's degree in creative writing there.

In 2007 she studied abroad with ProPeru and fell in love with the country. She also cultivated an interest in sustainable development. She returned to Peru the following summer to teach English, and returned again in January 2009 after graduating. She eventually landed a job with ProPeru as a Volunteer Affairs Coordinator in April 2009. Emily likes reading, writing, cooking and learning new things.

Lisbeth Nina P. - Portfolio Manager - Health Projects
Lisbeth Nina P. is trained as a Dental Surgeon. She was born in Cusco and graduated from the Unversidad Andina del Cusco. She also completed a course in Public Health at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima and worked in the Peruvian Ministry of Health’s San Jeronimo Comunidades Locales de Administración de Salud (CLAS) in Cusco in 2007.

She started in January 2008 as ProPeru’s Health Project Coordinator in Urubamba and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. She enjoys improving the health of the Andean communities where she serves. Her research has included the oral health of communities in San Jeronimo and the confidence of patients compared with the attention of health providers.

Mercedes is in charge of ProPeru's "Eco-Water Filter" project.  Born in the province of Urubamba, she completed her secondary studies in Urubamba, and received her bachelor's degree in Anthropology from La Universidad San Antonio Abad del Cusco.  Upon graduating, she began working at a home for abandoned children which was run by a German association.  She also worked as a Social Science teacher at secondary schools in Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes, and was the Director of "Integrando," a pre-university school where she also taught social sciences in 2007.  Additionally, she worked as an Area Director during the 2007 Peruvian national census.  In May of 2008 she began working with ProPeru as the water filter project coordinator and has continued her role since then.

Eduardo was born in the province of Calca, located in the Sacred Valley of Cusco.  He completed his secondary school studies in Calca and his superior studies in Cusco at the CETCOI Institute where he received certification as a computer technician.  Currently he is studying tourism at ESITUR INTERNACIONAL an institute in Cusco .  Eduardo worked as a program coordinator for a state-sponsored program that focused on providing support to families from the poorest communities in the Cusco area before joining ProPeru in February 2009 as the Volunteer Affairs and Project Coordinator in Cusco. 

He has held a variety of other jobs including working as a salesman at CARSA, a local electronics store, and working for a tourism agency. 

Anna Welton grew up in Charlotte, NC where she lived until heading off to Quaker boarding school in Philadelphia at the age of 16.  She went on to attend Kenyon College in Gamier, Ohio with a major in International Studies and a minor in japanese language.  During her time in college she spent a semester studying in Tokyo and completing an internship with the Fulbright office there.

After graduating from college, Anna spent a stint of time working in New York City before giving in to a deepening urge to explore South America and learn the Spanish language.  She moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina where she lived for the next year and a half.  During her time in Argentina she worked for an NGO with youth in impoverished villages, taught English, and played in several musical groups.

Anna returned to the U.S. in 2008 to complete a Masters Degree in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management at the School for International Training in Vermont.  Having completed her coursework, she has now taken on a position at ProPeru in Urubamba where she is honoured to have the privilege of working with Princeton Bridge Year participants.

Travis grew up in the Ozark Mountains in northern Arkansas.  There his love for the outdoors was nurtured via canoeing, hiking, and camping.  He attended Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas where he received his BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.  During his undergraduate studies, Travis studied a semester in Argentina where his interest in the Spanish language and Latin American cultures blossomed.

Upon completing his undergraduate studies, Travis wanted to continue to develop his knowledge of Latin American cultures and participate in sustainable service projects in underserved areas.  With a background in construction, love for the outdoors, and the desire to expand his cultural knowledge, the opportunity to work with ProPeru is the perfect environment to foster his interests.

Lara left her hometown of Seneca Falls, NY for Georgetown University's School of Nursing and Health Studies in Washington, DC.  She recently finished her bachelor's degree in International Health with a minor in Spanish. 

Lara's health-related coursework and experiences abroad have had a profound impact on her personal and professional interests. She first fell in love with Latin American history and culture while volunteering at an orphanage in San Jorge-Rivas, Nicaragua.  She later spent a semester studying at Argentina's top public and private universities in Buenos Aires.  The following year, she lived in Navrongo, Ghana where she visited local clinics and completed her own study regarding the content and meaningfulness of patient information at the regional War Memorial Hospital.

Lara has also had the opportunity to work on health issues in development countries by interning at various NGOs and health agencies including the Pan American Health Organization.  With interests that span the entire spectrum of community health, Lara is excited to work with ProPeru on their public health portfolio in Urubamba.

Carmen was born in the city of Cusco, Peru.  She completed her primary and secondary studies at Maria Auxiliadora School in Cusco.  Upon graduation she completed a degree in Hotel Administration at the Instituto Superior Tecnologico Americana del Cusco, while also studying English at the Centro de Idiomas de la Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco.  In 2006, she began working with ProPeru as an administrative assistant and more recently has assumed a project assistant role as well. 

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Adrian Bartley - Country Director
Adrian Bartley was born in Belize City into a family of 12. He grew up in rural communities in the Belize and Cayo districts. From early childhood he enjoyed learning about the way things work and and playing outdoors. He finished high school in 2003 with a technical diploma and went on to Junior College after a break, and is currently working on a degree in Environmental Science.

Prior to joining ProBelize, Adrian worked with the government of Belize under the Ministry of Health as a Public Health Inspector for over a year.  He was trained as a preventative health official as well as an inspector and was responsible for thirteen communities in the Cayo District and half of Belmopan, Belize's capital. His experience has given him a passion for public health and he plans on pursuing further qualifications.

Upon leaving his position in the Ministry of Health, he was hired by ProBelize as the Health Project Coordinator in 2007.  In January of 2009, Adrian became Country Director for ProBelize and currently assumes that position.

Nicole Andrewin - Social & Economic Development Project Coordinator
Nicole grew up in Florida and later attended the University of Cincinnati in Ohio. Nicole was always interested in Belize as a child and at the age of twenty had the opportunity to travel to Belize to work on an organic farm in a remote Kekchi Mayan village. There, she learned about sustainability and the traditional Mayan culture.

After five years in Belize she got married and moved along the coast to the only traditional Creole village left in Belize, Gale’s Point. There her daughter Indira was born. In the village, Nicole was a very active member of the local conservation team, which worked to protect the hawksbill turtles and the manatees abundant in that region. She also volunteered countless hours assisting with the village council, and helped run a drum school which helped the culture continue to thrive.

In 2005 she left Gale’s Point and moved to San Ignacio in search of better education for her daughter. Nicole has worked with many medical teams and volunteer groups over the past 15 years in Belize. In 2006 she joined ProBelize as a project coordinator.

Michael Martin - Environmental & Construction Projects Coordinator
Michael Martin has been working with ProBelize for nearly 4 years. He worked as an environmental advocate in Northern California and had traveled to Belize on numerous occasions over the last 11 years before permanently moving there 4 years ago.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Michael brings over 30 years of experience in environmental conservation, permaculture technology, organic farming, and construction development to the ProBelize team. His skills in group management and team building have contributed to the on-going success of many of ProBelize's projects.

Yesenia Yacab - Accountant & Office Manager
Yesenia was born in San Ignacio, Belize to a united and God-fearing family that helped her grow spiritually and morally. As a child she enjoyed studying and dancing which helped her find a unique place in the community.

In 2001, Yesenia graduated from Sacred Heart High School. She continued her education specializing in accounting at the University of Belize and now holds a degree in business administration.

After graduating, she was hired at a local non-governmental humanitarian organization holding the post of Office Manager. There she enjoyed working with the accounts but most of all she loved helping out in humanitarian activities.

After a year with the organization, she found out about ProBelize. Yesenia believes ProBelize is just the right place for her love and passion for accounting and humanitarian services.

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Kacki Kammann- Mexico Country Director
Kacki was raised in East Tennessee in the Smoky Mountains. She went to Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina and received a degree in Intercultural Studies for Business with Spanish.

Upon graduating, she completed a summer internship in Puntarenas, Costa Rica working at an all-inclusive resort. Afterwards, she worked in Atlanta, Georgia for two years in the banking and health insurance business.

She missed being abroad, so became TEFL-certified and went to teach business English in Santiago, Chile to executives. She lived in Chile for a year and half. During this time she was able to experience many different Latin American countries- Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru.

Kacki has recently received her Masters in International Education from the School of International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. She is fluent in Spanish and is attempting to learn Arabic. Kacki is happy that while working with ProMexico, she is able to combine her interests of intercultural immersion and development work.

Agustin Escobar – Project Coordinator
Agustin was born and raised in Oaxaca, Mexico. He spent five years traveling and working throughout the United States where he learned to speak English fluently.

On his return home to Oaxaca, he worked with Manos de Ayuda for seven years, which is an organization that brings medical groups to Oaxaca to volunteer their services in small villages throughout the state of Oaxaca. Agustin started working with ProMexico in March 2006 as the Project Coordinator.

He has many contacts in local NGO’s to provide a wealth of project options for volunteers. He enjoys spending time with his son and driving his black VW bug.

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Bharat Bhushan Sharma - Country Director
Bharat, nicknamed Monty, was born in the small town of Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, in northwest India.  At 18 he moved to the capital of the state, Shimla, where he finished his schooling.  Monty received a Bachelor’s degree from the JSS School of Pharmacy in Mysore in 2006.  Before joining ProWorld, Monty worked as a Medical Representative with Cipla Ltd. Influenced by Mysore´s strong heritage of yoga, he has also finished Ashtanga Yoga Teacher´s Course at Sthalam8, where he presently leads classes attended by yoga students from all over the world.

Monty has throughout his life been exposed to different cultures within India.  Apart from speaking his mother language Mandyali, he also speaks Hindi, English, Urdu, Punjabi and Kannada.  He has traveled throughout India and lived in various spots, ranging from smaller villages to major cities.  Monty has developed a deep understanding of India´s social infrastructure, and has innate knowledge of the many faces of life in India. From early childhood he has had an interest in improving the quality of life for his fellow humans and thus happily joined ProIndia in November of 2008.

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David Jackson - Thailand Country Director
David Jackson was born in the UK but attended college in the US, graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder, with a B.A. in Sociology.  He first came to Thailand in 2003 and loved the country and the people ever since. 

After working as an English teacher in Bangkok for two years, he decided to become a volunteer for Burmese refugees living along the Thai-Burma border.  The volunteering position eventually turned into a full time job working to create higher educational opportunities for Burmese.  He speaks fluent Thai and continues to volunteer for a variety of Thai organizations. 

David enjoys designing websites, reading about culture and history, and learning about Thailand.  He assumed his position as ProThailand Country Director in April of 2009.

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Briana Jones - Country Director
Briana was born and raised in Arizona. She received a BA in Political Science from Arizona State University and a Masters in International Development from the University of Amsterdam.

Her first experience abroad was as an exchange student to Mexico for one year through Rotary International. Her experience in Mexico led to her desire to do development work and work internationally. She speaks Spanish fluently and Dutch at an Intermediate level and is currently working on learning Arabic.

Before arriving in Ghana, she completed research on access to healthcare in Mysore, India. Briana joined ProGhana as site director in July 2009 and is happy to be experiencing Africa. She has traveled throughout Europe, Mexico, parts of Asia, and is looking forward to experiencing more. In addition to traveling and learning new languages, Briana enjoys reading, scuba diving, horseback riding, and hiking.

Lawrence Ekow Arhin - Project and Volunteer Affairs Coordinator
Lawrence is an industrious, determined and humble Ghanaian native of Cape Coast. He studied at St. Teresa’s Seminary for seven years, obtaining both Ordinary and Advance level certificates, before leaving the seminary and pursuing a professional diploma in marketing from Cape Coast Polytechnic.   

He has worked in various capacities including as a classroom teacher, public relations officer, project manager and volunteer coordinator. In 2003 he founded a local community based NGO, CEJOCEP- Center for Job Creation and Environmental Protection (CEJOCEP), for which he remains the executive director. CEJOCEP supports a primary school, a food processing group, a cultural and drama group, and a peer educators club. Lawrence joined the ProGhana team in March of 2009. He is married to Pepertua Howard and blessed with two daughters; Rhodalyn and Clara Arhin.

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Pedro Robson Andrade Almeida - Brazil Site Director
Pedro has always been interested by other cultures and languages, as well as discovering and appreciating the differences and similarities with his owns. Prior to graduating from the Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA) with a Bachelor in Business, Pedro went on an exchange to Sweden, where he learned about the culture, the language and the social security system there. That experience opened his mind and his eyes for the problems existing in his own country of Brazil, such as the high level of inequality and poverty. Those great insights helped him decide which career he would like to pursue and also helped him write his thesis on social issues in Salvador da Bahia.

Before becoming a member of ProWorld, Pedro worked as a Business Consultant for his Business School, as well as an administrative assistant at a local engineering company.  Pedro always had a passion for working with NGOs and when he found ProWorld he thought that it would be a great fit for him.  Pedro joined ProWorld in July 2009 and currently serves as one of the two Brazil Site Directors.
His favorite quote is "Be the change you want to see in the world" by Mahatma Gandhi.

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Seasonal Staff – All Sites
Former ProWorld participants, local professionals, and other dedicated development workers join the ProWorld team during busy seasons. The staff team is an integral part of accomplishing the ProWorld mission and providing rewarding experiences for participants.

Academic Professors
Program courses are taught by local and foreign professors approved and accredited by Jacksonville University in Peru, Galen University in Belize, and Western Washington University in Mexico. Small class sizes enable professors to share in both the student’s course work and their daily projects. Serving as advisors and mentors, professors challenge students to explore new perspectives and achieve their academic potential.