Board of Directors

Pueblo a Pueblo’s Board of Directors has a passion for the organization’s mission and its commitment to setting and achieving its vision. Combining a wide range of experience and skills, they work cooperatively to lead the organization’s strategic direction.

President
Kristen VanZandt first traveled to Guatemala volunteering as a nurse in medical clinics throughout the Highlands. She now works closely with the indigenous Maya, providing fair-trade value for beautiful hand-woven fabrics that she uses to design jewelry, handbags, and footwear for wholesale in the United States through her company, Vida Dulce.

Vice President
Dan Schecter operates a consulting firm in the Washington DC area, providing assistance to federal government agencies, universities, school systems, and corporations. Previously Dan had a 31-year career in the Federal government, most recently as Chief of Staff of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. He holds an advanced degree in anthropology and has a deep interest in Mayan culture.

Secretary
Linda Conard holds a master’s degree in educational psychology and B.A. in sociology from Temple University. She has worked for more than 16 years in communications and advancement for NASFAA, a Washington DC-based national nonprofit association dedicated to removing financial barriers to postsecondary education for students. She has traveled extensively in Central America and is committed to improving education, health, and financial stability for indigenous families in Guatemala. She now lives in Antigua, Guatemala where she works as a freelance writer and editor for NASFAA while contributing to Pueblo a Pueblo’s communications and fundraising activities on a volunteer basis.

Treasurer
Steve Kirk is responsible for the financial and administrative operating plans and systems that support Interise’s strategic goals. Steve has over 20 years of experience managing international volunteer and educational exchange programs. Prior to joining Interise, he served as the Director of Finance and Operations for School Year Abroad in Lawrence, MA. He has held senior management positions at AFS Intercultural Programs/USA, WorldTeach, and Amigos de las Americas. He also served as the Director of Dreams of Freedom: Boston’s Immigration Museum, a program of the International Institute of Boston. Steve has served in leadership positions of boards of directors including the international and local boards of AMIGOS, the Overseas Development Network, the parent associations of Fontbonne Academy, and his local parochial school. In 1995 Steve was awarded a Kellogg Foundation-funded Fellowship in International Community Development through Partners of the Americas and currently serves as co-president of the Massachusetts Chapter. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Boston College and an M.A. in Public Administration from the University of Houston. He has also done graduate work in international development and social change at Clark University.

Jeffrey Sheets is Vice President of Retail Sales for T-Furr and Associates, where he has worked for 13 years. T-Furr is a leading food broker in the Mid-Atlantic region representing companies such as Nestlé, Smuckers, Ken’s Foods, Taylor Farms, etc. Jeff is an avid fisherman and he takes yearly trips to Guatemala in pursuit of a large catch.

Vivi Stavrou is a Social Development Consultant and Clinical Psychologist who has worked successfully in a number of multicultural settings and environments including local and international NGOs (e.g., UNICEF, Care, Childfund), private sector, academic and state services, and rural and urban settings. Currently she is an independent consultant specializing in psychosocial issues; child protection and welfare; gender and GBV; HIV/AIDS; Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration efforts; and emergency and post-conflict social development programming.