Janeen Simon, Executive Director
Janeen Simon recently joined the SHI team and 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.
Janeen 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!
Florence Reed, Founder + Director of Strategic Growth
As SHI's chief visionary and networker, Florence Reed is leading SHI's Million Farm Transformation scaling up initiative. She got her start in nonprofit work and serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama, before founding Sustainable Harvest International in 1997. Florence is passionate about finding better ways to help the world’s farmers live better while regenerating the planet. This passion and acuity continually revitalize the staff, board, participants, and donors alike. In addition to zipping around the world spreading the good word about what we do and making connections, Florence lives with her family in an environmentally-friendly house on 30 acres of gardens and forest in Surry, Maine.
Extra credit: Florence once crewed on a sailboat delivery from Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Portsmouth, England, working as the cook.
Read more about Florence here.
Kate Herndon, Director of Development
Kate Herndon joined our team in March 2020 and serves as our point person for donor engagement. Kate began her career in marketing, branding, and editing, but then shifted to nonprofit work after a series of deeply impactful volunteer experiences. Inspired to use her career as a catalyst for good, Kate spent the next 14 years as an educator and fundraiser for Heifer International. Sustainable Harvest International was an essential next step because it speaks to the causes she is most passionate about: community, intergenerational equity, migration, human rights, and the environment. Kate has learned first-hand from farmers in Peru, Tanzania, Armenia, Belize, Panama, and the Delta region of the U.S.
Kate and her husband and son live in a northern suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, with their pittie and cats.
Extra credit: Kate fuels her creativity by throwing ceramics on the pottery wheel and painting her favorite photographs. She recently painted an agroforestry parcel in Belize and a rice paddy in Panama.
Jenniffer Zapata, Director of Programs + Partnerships
Jenniffer Zapata brings over 15 years of experience in international development and 25 years of experience in the agricultural sector to her role managing SHI's programs. Jenniffer prides herself on bringing people and resources together to build transformative alliances for social change. In particular, she's passionate about empowering smallholder farmers to improve their livelihoods while restoring landscapes and building sustainable local food systems through regenerative agriculture. Jenniffer is currently based out of Nicaragua where she lives with her beloved husband and children.
Extra credit: Jenniffer enjoys spending her free time listening to traditional Colombian Vallenato tunes, visiting her family's coffee farms, exploring new markets, and teaching her children how to grow vegetables in their own garden.
Walter Quintana Pérez, Program Impact Manager
Walter Quintana Pérez strengthens the quality of SHI’s 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).
Walter enjoys sharing the vast amount of knowledge he has accrued over the years.
Extra Credit: He 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.
Tania Roa, Communications + Outreach Coordinator
Tania Roa manages SHI’s 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.
Victor Arboleda, Program Data + Technology Coordinator
Victor Arboleda has been working with SHI since he served as an intern with the SHI program in Honduras in 2016. During that internship, he measured the impact of SHI’s improved cookstoves in the communities where we work. Victor’s research findings have since been presented at an international agriculture conference in Germany and published in an edited collection. Since his internship, he has worn many different hats, including working with program data and communications. In 2021, Victor was the recipient of a scholarship from the Organization of American States (OAS) to pursue an Executive MBA at the Business School "Formato Educativo" in Madrid, Spain.
Victor lives in Esmeraldas, Ecuador with his wife Sara.
Extra credit: Despite having a twin brother, Victor reports that two couldn’t be more different.
Sandra Keagle, Development + Finance Coordinator
Sandra Keagle is SHI’s Development + Finance Coordinator. Born in Michigan and educated at Western Michigan University, Sandra has been employed in the nonprofit sector for over 25 years. Her career has included the Arts, Animal Welfare, Higher Education and Human Rights. Most recently she worked with Trinity Cafe, a program of Feeding Tampa Bay with the mission that no one should go hungry.
Extra credit: After living in 5 states and 10 cities, Sandra has settled in Lakeland, FL with her husband, Derryle, and a rescue dog, Gracie.
Jessica Hurtado, Administrative Assistant
As SHI’s part-time administrative assistant, Jessica provides administrative support to the US headquarters and overall international operations. She is excited to learn more about SHI from “behind-the-scenes,” working directly with SHI’s Executive Director to support day-to-day operations. Jessica is currently pursuing a certification in project management and hopes to establish a non-profit of her own one day. With twenty years of professional and artistic experience, she brings a wealth of logistics expertise to SHI, as well as creativity, humor, and compassion in spades. Jessica is passionate about impacting change and is honored to be a part of the SHI team.
Extra credit: For Jessica, a day well spent is one where she shared a hearty laugh, helped someone, or created...something. And the best day is when she can combine all three!
Karen Madrigal Bermúdez, Regional Administrative and Finance Officer
Karen Madrigal supports SHI regional programs in Honduras, Panama, and Belize. She prepares financial reports, revises financial statements, conducts internal evaluations, and develops budgets. Karen ensures each regional office is within budget, including wages and program costs. Each fiscal year, she ensures SHI has the funds and resources to expand programs and organizational impact. By tracking costs and auditing each country program, she streamlines financial information across offices to SHI supporters. 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. Her accounting experience, which has mostly been with nonprofits, is essential for SHI logistics and personnel.
Extra Credit: Karen enjoys learning, teaching, and listening to others. She likes giving advice, reading, singing, and dancing - especially to salsa music.
Sarah Henshaw, Grant Writer
Sarah brings over 20 years designing programs and writing grants, proposals and reports for both international and domestic organizations, including Global Communities, Partners for the Americas, UN World Food Programme, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and Lutheran World Relief. Sarah began her career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua, where her commitment to resilience building, communities and nonprofits was sparked. Sarah is excited to support SHI, as it brings together her undergraduate degree in Environmental Biology, her 20 years of working with nonprofits, and her love of writing.
Extra credit: After living and/or working in over 30 countries, Sarah happily lives with her family in a small town in northern Vermont where she spends as much time outdoors as possible without losing fingers or toes to the cold.
Leonardo Pech, Belize Country Director
Leonardo Pech became the first agronomist from his village in the Orange Walk district of Belize in 1995 when he graduated from Costa Rica’s EARTH University. He has over 20 years of agriculture experience providing technical expertise and guidance to small-scale farmers. He has developed environmentally-friendly crop management programs and implemented fertilizer and integrated pest management programs for a wide range of crops. Leonardo loves that the Sustainable Harvest International model empowers low-income farming families to improve their livelihoods while helping the environment. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Maria, son, Dwayne, and daughters, Jaileen and Shanelle. He’s also been known to listen to a little Spanish music!
Sharla Garay, Field Administrator
Growing up on a livestock farm, Sharla experienced the importance of helping farmers firsthand and was drawn to working as a field trainer for this reason. Now in her current role as an administrator, she demonstrates her knack for transparency and accountability and particularly enjoys doing QuickBooks. She hopes to see Sustainable Harvest International expand further into northern Belize and plant millions of more trees.
Indira Patt, Program + Partnerships Coordinator
Indira was raised by her grandmother in San Narciso village in the district of Corozal. She graduated with a degree in Agricultural Engineering. She is a lover of nature and farming. Her passion for agriculture was sparked when she began farming as a high schooler. Indira loves helping and sharing her technical knowledge with the people around her. Some day Indira hopes to become a sustainable organic farmer herself. No matter what she does, she will continue to help the people that need it most.
Extra credit: In her spare time, she enjoys reading and getting involved in community activities.
Emmanuel Hall, Field Trainer
Emmanuel grew up with a single mother since his father died when he was 6 years old. He lives and was born in Ranchito Village, Corozal District. He started working on a farm when he was 13 years old in order to pay for his education. Then he became passionate in farming and completed his Associate Degree in Agribusiness. He worked for 7 years at the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association as an Extension Officer, where his job was assisting small scale cane farmers with technical advice in improving cane quality. He was also involved in social projects such as monitoring child labor with the International Labor Organization (ILO). He hopes to continue helping farmers while protecting the environment.
Extra Credit: Emmanuel is a team player, and believes that by working together as a team big things can be accomplished.
William Tuyub, Field Trainer
William is responsible for the community of Santa Martha in the district of Orange Walk. William grew up in a family that was always involved in agriculture, either in the sugar cane industry or the cattle raising industry. It’s where his love for agriculture came from. He spent weekends either in the fields or on horseback herding his grandfather’s cattle. William earned his associates degree in Agriculture Business at Centro Escolar Mexico Junior College, and worked as a cable and internet technician for six years. He is passionate about his work and enjoys assisting people in the agricultural sector, especially since farming is something he believes most people take for granted.
Extra Credit: William loves traveling, seeing new places, and meeting new people.
Saul Alonzo Vasquez, Field Trainer
Saul learned about agriculture from his father. His passion for agriculture grew as he grew up. When he finished his Associate degree in Agriculture Business, he joined the Belize Sugar Cane Farmer Association where he worked as an environmental field officer for five years. His job was to prevent sugarcane producers from using agrochemicals restricted in the sugar industry under fair trade standards. He later joined the Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute as a field officer for research and training under the Farmer Field School program for seven years. Afterwards, he went back to school for an Agricultural Engineering degree from The "Instituto Tecnológico de la Zona Maya.” Saul values the importance of uniting as a team and showing love for others through sustainable agriculture.
Extra credit: Saul strongly believes that everyone achieves greater heights when we all come together for a common goal.
Zoila Janet Reyes, Honduras Country Director
Zoila was born in Gracias City, Lempira Department and grew up in Santa Rosa de Copan. She holds a Bachelor of Agriculture Engineering, but most of her experience is related to community development. Now as a married mother of a 3-month-old baby, Zoila is working on finishing her master’s degree. She enjoys helping people and being the one who facilitates change.
Extra Credit: With the same passion that Zoila uses to help people, she also enjoys dancing.
Joel Castillo, Project Coordinator
During Joel’s more than 15-year career, he has gained experience in diverse areas. He uses his expertise to foster harmony between humanity and the environment. Joel cherishes interpersonal relationships, and feels that they are more important than any professional goals. Through friendships with farmers and entrepreneurs, Joel learns from the people around him every day.
As a member of the SHI team, Joel works with field trainers and ensures the success of SHI programs.
Extra Credit: Joel loves spending time with his wife and four great daughters, who also love country living. Joel enjoys a good coffee with rewarding company, reading, and challenging projects. He feels grateful and secure knowing there is a superior being that accompanies him in his daily walk.
Wilmer López Handres, Business Advisor
Wilmer was born in the city of Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán and grew up in the city of Santa Rosa de Copan. He has two Master's degrees in Business Administration and in Project Management, and also has two Bachelor's Degrees in Agronomic Engineering and Agricultural Business Administration. Most of his professional experience is related to microbusiness, agribusiness, rural development and local economic development. He is currently a father with three graduated children from university. Wilmer is supportive, compassionate, and likes working with people from vulnerable populations. It brings him satisfaction to be an agent of change.
Extra Credit: Wilmer is passionate about sports, including soccer and motorcycles.
Orbin Castro, Field Trainer
Orbin enjoys motivating participant families to live in harmony with the environment. As a previous program participant himself, Orbin enjoys sharing his knowledge and first-hand experience with the families he works with. He has a special knack for explaining complicated technical information in easily-digestible ways and prides himself on being punctual and committed to his daily tasks.
Ileana Figueroa, Field Trainer
Ileana is a Forestry Engineer and mother to a beautiful, 13-month-old baby. She enjoys supporting, guiding, and teaching participant families what they need to know and is passionate about environmental preservation and harvesting in sustainable ways. She hopes to continue with her master’s degree, while supporting her family and being the best mother she can be.
Jonatan Reyes, Field Trainer
Jonatan enjoys sharing his experiences and motivating families to help preserve natural resources. He is always committed to the tasks at hand and prides himself on always being punctual and prepared. Jonatan hopes to see the program in Honduras expand and thereby reduce the rate at which the environment is being destroyed.
Daniel Pérez García, Field Trainer
Daniel developed a love of agriculture and nature at a very early age due to his family’s work harvesting coffee and basic grains. Although originally from Gualcinse, Lempira, he grew up in San Juan, Intibucá. Daniel’s formative years led him to study environmental and resource management at the National University of Agriculture (UNAG). During this time, he fostered a deep passion for helping communities conserve and preserve precious natural resources in fragile ecosystems. He went on to pursue a Master’s degree in climate change and sustainable development in order to better understand the current climate crisis. Since graduating, he continues to apply his knowledge to various social projects, including the promotion of agroecology among rural families.
Extra credit: Daniel’s favorite activities include reading, painting landscapes, harvesting coffee, and advocating for our environment.
Kristhel Alvarado, Field Trainer
Kristhel was born in Siguatepeque, a municipality in the department of Comayagua. Since she was little, Kristhel always admired the women in her family who worked in the field of agroforestry, work she believes honors Honduras’ name. Inspired by the women in her family, Kristhel decided to pursue an education in forestry engineering with a focus on community development and environmental conservation. Altruistic and empathetic, she has always aspired to pursue a career dedicated to helping others. In addition to spending time with her mother, sister, and grandparents, Kristhel enjoys swimming, traveling, and going to the movies every Sunday.
Frank Leonidas Portillo Osorio, Promoter4Change Coordinator
A native of the department of Intibucá, Frank Portillo is a trained agricultural engineer. He finds significant joy in sharing his knowledge with SHI’s partnering families to help improve their livelihoods. For Frank, his work is always rooted in fostering trust and collaborative relationships. Outside of his work with SHI coordinating the innovative Promoter4Change pilot project, Frank enjoys spending time with his family and going on long walks in nature.
Rodrigo Rodriguez, Panama Country Director
Rodrigo Rodriguez first discovered the beauty of agriculture at the Institute for Agricultural Studies of Havana (ISCAH) in Cuba. After completing his studies, Rodrigo returned to Panama, where he dedicated his life to community development and agriculture, and his family. Seeing the success of the families he works with motivates Rodrigo to forge ahead in bringing national recognition to the program for its innovation and dedication to Panama’s people and environment in rural areas. In the rare moments when he is not working, Rodrigo enjoys catching up on the news, reading, and watching sports and documentaries.
Extra credit: Rodrigo loves music. He learned to play the harmonica as a child and still occasionally plays.
Diomedes Arrocha, Field Trainer
Diomedes prides himself on creating a friendly and communicative environment of trust with the people he works with. He particularly enjoys exchanging knowledge with participant families and hopes that he can continue to make a positive impact by offering support and sharing his experiences.
Dayra Julio, Logistics + Partnerships Coordinator
Having grown up in a rural community where there was little outside assistance/resources and much need, Dayra understands the importance of supporting families that live in rural areas. She succeeds in creating a friendly, committed, and trusting environment with participant families while also maintaining good communication. Her favorite part of her job is interacting with families and helping to facilitate the two-way exchange of knowledge.
Daysbeth Lopez, Field Trainer
Daysbeth is married with two kids and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Business Administration. Growing up with parents that were traditional farmers, Daysbeth aims to make an impact in agriculture without negatively affecting the environment. She dreams of owning a piece of land where she can produce all of her family’s food and continue learning about regenerative agriculture
Maribel Ojo, Field Trainer
Maribel is motivated by seeing participant families make changes in their lives in order to preserve the environment. She aims to inspire families to eat healthier, be mindful of nutrition, and keep up with their home gardens. Maribel has three children and envisions a future where the planet is free of trash and water sources are preserved.
Ediberto Trujillo, Field Coordinator
Ediberto enjoys developing methods and alternatives that empower participant families to improve their quality of life. Knowing that his knowledge and expertise can help the communities succeed is a great source of motivation for him. He looks forward to continuing to work toward his goal of strengthening environmental awareness in order to benefit the planet.
Kellys Lorenzo, Field Trainer
Kellys Eneida Lorenzo was raised in a farming family in the community of Toro Bravo, district of La Pintada, where she attended primary school and high school. She continued her studies at the University of Panama where she gained certification in Diversified Secondary Education and her Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources and the Environment. Prior to working with SHI, she worked seasonally as an agricultural extension agent with the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) in the district of La Pintada.
Kellys has significant experience working in agroforestry, with an emphasis on the cultivation of healthy food. Her dream has always been to work with an organization like SHI to train smallholder farmers to adopt agricultural practices that are friendly to the environment. Kellys is extremely excited to join the SHI-Panama team.
César Augusto Gutiérrez, Field Trainer
César comes to SHI with extensive experience in agricultural development, agroforestry, reforestation, and self-sufficiency farming. He has an engineering degree in agricultural development and has worn many hats throughout his career. As part of the SHI-Panamá team, César is looking forward to sharing his knowledge with partnering families while, in turn, learning from them. He’s excited and ready to contribute to SHI’s growth and the sustainable development of the country.
Extra credit: César’s life-long passion for agriculture was instilled by his grandfather, whose career as a farmer helped provide a better life for a large family. César was born and raised in the province of Coclé and currently lives in the community of Río Grande where he proudly grows a wide variety of fruits and vegetables on his land.
José Rubiel Pérez, Field Trainer
José was born and raised in Santa Ana, a small community of cattle ranchers and coffee producers in the province of Coclé. After studying agriculture at the Professional and Technical Institute José de los Reyes Vásquez, he began a career providing technical assistance to farmers in rural communities. Throughout his career, he has focused on partnering with farmers to improve their quality of life through sustainable farming practices. It’s no surprise that he’s a great fit for SHI. More than anything else, José is driven by his desire to work for the betterment of the many Panamanian families who still practice conventional agriculture today.