Janeen brings a breadth of experience that will support the overall operations as well as contribute to the achievement of SHI’s Million Farm Transformation scaling up initiative. Time in the Peace Corps in the northern highlands of Guatemala sparked a life-long passion for protecting the environment while helping rural communities thrive. Throughout her 3+ decades of living and working in Guatemala, Janeen worked as a field technician, program director, country director, executive director, and more, and was involved in nearly all facets of sustainable community development. Also throughout that time, Janeen was the owner/manager of a 360-acre sustainable coffee farm in one of the most biodiverse cloud forests of Guatemala. She currently lives on Flat Top Mountain in Tennessee and shares her tiny home and wooded property with horses, her rescue dog, and an abundance of wildlife.

Extra credit: Janeen once rode a bucking bronco in a rodeo in a town near her farm in Guatemala. She was billed as the star attraction to draw a larger audience in hopes of raising money that the town needed to maintain and improve their beloved rodeo grounds. She didn’t fall off!

Marie-Ève brings a wealth of experience working alongside Indigenous and local communities in Bolivia, Peru, and other countries around the world. She holds a deep appreciation for traditional ecological knowledge, and is eager to advance SHI’s Million Farm Transformation initiative through community-centered development approaches. As a passionate advocate for community empowerment, she currently sits on the board of The People's Nonprofit Accelerator, serves as an active member of the U.S. Legal Empowerment Network, and works as a fundraising coach at Auxilia, connecting individuals and organizations with the tools, resources, and networks they need to empower themselves and their communities. She lives in Oregon with her husband, daughter, and dog, where she supports the local farmers of Wapato/Sauvie Island, and enjoys hiking with friends.

Extra credit: In 2017, Marie-Ève completed a Certificate in Screenwriting at the Escuela Andina de Cinematografía in La Paz, Bolivia, and has taken both Aymara and Quechua courses for beginners. 

Walter strengthens the quality of our programs and monitors their impact. He ensures farming methods are along project guidelines and supports the development of technical capacities through continuous evaluation. Walter is an Agricultural Engineer with more than fifteen years of experience, and has a Master’s degree in Economy and Local Development. He has obtained international certifications in project management. Currently, he’s studying for an Executive Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) through the Organization of American States (OEA).

Extra Credit: Walter spends his free time praying, learning new skills, listening to music, playing basketball, getting to know new places and cultures, and spending time in nature.

Arielle is overseeing and expanding our grants program. She brings over 11 years of experience in the nonprofit world, securing funds for and driving impactful programs addressing food security and public health. Arielle has always been passionate about the need for sustainable food systems, but it was her Master’s program focused on food and agriculture studies, where she spent a lot of time on a 400-acre farm, that gave a hands-on look at the interconnections between sustainable farming, soil health, and climate change. After working on community health affecting New York City over the past decade, Arielle was ready to tackle issues of social equity and environmental justice on a global scale. She lives with her husband and their Chocolate Lab in Brooklyn, New York. She loves exploring the city and new places around the world.

Extra Credit: Arielle met her now-husband when they got stuck in an elevator together until a maintenance person arrived almost an hour later!

Tania manages our social media platforms and website, and coordinates content creation. She graduated from Tufts University with a Master of Science in Animals and Public Policy. She now emphasizes the interconnections between human, animal, and planet health. Tania writes articles on environmental justice where she discusses the relationship between ecological breakdown and social inequities. She has presented at multiple conferences, including TEDx Boston with her talk “How to Protect People and Planet.”

Extra Credit: Tania’s parents immigrated to California from Colombia, and Tania enjoys exploring the different ecosystems both places have to offer.

Karen supports our regional programs by preparing financial reports, revising financial statements, conducting internal evaluations, and developing budgets. She ensures each regional office is within budget, including wages and program costs. She tracks costs and audits each country program, streamlining financial information. Karen is from Nicaragua, and has more than twenty years of experience with financial administration. She received a certification from NIFF - Pymes, an international financial institution and specialized in labor law.

Extra Credit: Karen enjoys reading, singing, and dancing - especially to salsa music.

Lindsey manages SHI’s donor database and is a witness to the incredible impact SHI’s supporters have on the mission every day. She got her start in the nonprofit world at Girl Scouts of Maine, where she built a strong foundation and discovered how much she enjoys connecting people to purpose. A self-proclaimed data nerd with a big heart for sustainability, Lindsey feels right at home in a role that blends her technical skills with her personal commitment to environmental stewardship. She lives in a small coastal Maine town with her husband and a thriving collection of houseplants.

Extra Credit: Lindsey and her husband are currently building a passive house—an energy-efficient home made with sustainable materials and powered by passive solar heat. She’s looking forward to planting their first garden and continuing their journey toward living gently on the planet.