Board of Directors and Annual Report

Rob has served on the Entreamigos Board of Directors since 2016.  In 2021 he retired as the Director of the Educational Administration Program at the University of Washington, after a 41-year career as an educator. Rob’s dedication to and passion for improving educational opportunities for youth, aligns well with the work and mission of Entreamigos.

 

Rob lives in Kent, Washington with his wife Carol and near their twelve grandchildren.  Supporting students through Entreamigos’ scholarship program has had a tremendous impact on Rob and Carol’s life. “The relationships that have developed over the past few years are truly precious.  To see the incredible impact Entreamigos has on families is inspiring. The connection we feel to EA and San Pancho is unlike any other we’ve experienced.”

John graduated from the University of Wisconsin and Thunderbird Graduate School of International Business.  An entrepreneur and mortgage banker, he currently is retired and shares his time between Chicago and Sayulita.

“Entreamigos has allowed us to do what we like to do, help individuals who, by the lottery of birth, have not had the opportunity to reach their potential. It has been great privilege to participate in and contribute to its success.”

Gail earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education at Roosevelt University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Her career included administration with the Evanston Headstart Program, the Director of Clinic Services for the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago  and Program Director for Gilda’s Club Chicago.

“Entreamigos has grown and changed as has our village. With that growth has come new opportunities and new challenges. But the passion, commitment and creativity that has always been the life force behind Entreamigos, it’s staff, volunteers, donors and community remains as vital as ever.”

I was born in Mexico City; my birth name is Sara Patrícia María del Carmen Silva y Pérez Arce. My U.S. name is Patricia Perez-Arce. My nuclear family moved to the US when I was 13 years old. I received my PhD in Clinical Psychology at Catholic University in Washington, D.C, and became a neuropsychologist, someone who tests for cognitive disorders in children and adults. My primary research interest has been how culture influences perception, attention, and response to one’s environment. I love
reading non-fiction, swimming, walking, and being with people. As an adult I’ve always have been involved with the Latino communities in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. In 2008, my husband Lalo De Avila and I began to live in Mexico; our 3 sons and their families live in the U.S.A. and our daughter works in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve as an environmentalist. In 2020 my husband and I moved permanently to San Pancho because we love every aspect of the town’s life: its people,
its advocacy for protecting the environment, its community activism, and its Mexican coastal cultures. I have been an active member of the San Pancho’s water council since 2018, and I am delighted to have become a member of Entreamigos’ Board of Directors. I continue to be in awe of EA’s diversity of activities that mostly center around the healthy growth and enrichment of children’s lives, environmental justice, and improving the quality of life of San Pancho families. Entreamigos is a loving, supportive and family-oriented community center.

Michele attended University of the Pacific and the Thunderbird Graduate School of International Business.  Michele has been an active school volunteer for over 40 years in Illinois, Mexico & Peru and a volunteer at Entreamigos since 2006.

“From the moment I walked into EA over 10 years ago, the connection was immediate.  The same vibe exists today & just thinking about EA energizes me.  It is such a vibrant community of individuals from little ones to seniors offering a wide variety of activities. It’s a place where people gather & feel connected; a place where people care about one another.  It’s the pulse of San Pancho & I’m proud & honored to be part of it.”

After a successful career in the high tech industry Bill retired early and moved to San Francisco (San Pancho) Nayarit 17 years ago.  Both he and his wife volunteer regularly at Entreamigos and have been a witness and participant in the entire history of the organization.

“What makes Entreamigos so special is the continued contribution to education, art, and environmental awareness for children and adults in the community.  Entreamigos has clearly raised awareness of what it means to “give back”.

Traveling throughout Mexico, on buying trips to bring Mexican Folk Art back to her store or working with volunteer groups, a love of Mexico took deep root in Jill and husband, Lincoln Hampton. In 2005 they found San Pancho and knew this was where they wanted to be. Fast forward, Jill and Linc now own and operate a seasonal coffee shop in San Pancho. 

“I have watched the growth and work of Entreamigos from the time it was a table on the street to present. I am in awe and have great respect for the empowering of the local community that has been generated by the organization and is proud to help contribute.”