CONTACT BECA IN THE USA

Mail

BECA
104 West 119th Street
New York, NY 10026

Phone:

+1 (646) 233 3436

Email:

To join our mailing list, please send us an e-mail now (be assured we won't share your e-mail address with anyone else). If you'd like more information about something in particular, simply include your question in the text of the message and someone will get back to you promptly.

You may also contact BECA Chair, Jaime Tackett Koppel or any of the other board members listed below with specific questions.

BOARD MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

Melissa Bride, Secretary and Recruitment Committee Chairperson

Mel Bride and her family (husband, Jim, and children Phoebe and Ollie) returned from a year living and teaching in Zamorano, Honduras in July 2005 and relocated to Rhode Island. A Spanish teacher with a strong commitment to working with marginalized populations in Latin America, Mel has served on the BECA board since 2002, assisting with teacher recruitment, curriculum development and fundraising.

Mel believes strongly in the BECA mission of providing a progressive, differentiated, bilingual education to underserved Honduran children while at the same time offering volunteer teachers a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in an authentic and meaningful way in the community of Cofradia. She has seen the rewards of this educational model to both student and teacher and believes that every child in Honduras deserves access to a meaningful and engaging education. Mel also serves as International Director of Marketing and Sales for the Juan Pablo Segundo Cooperative in El Pital, Honduras and volunteers for Sustainable Harvest International, a non-profit building social capital in and teaching sustainable land use practices to Latin American farmers. Mel recently began a graduate degree program at Southern New Hampshire University in Community Economic Development.

Jonathan Dolan, Vice-Chairperson and Development Committee Chairperson

An alumnus of Bowdoin College, Jonathan Dolan is currently a Program Associate at the Small Enterprise Education and Promotion (SEEP) Network, a non-profit network of more than 60 North American private and voluntary organizations that support micro and small business and microfinance institutions in the developing world.

Prior to assuming his role at the SEEP Network, Jon worked for Strategies for International Development on agricultural and economic development projects in Latin America and Africa. He has also worked with the British conservation group, Operation Wallacea, and served as a BECA volunteer (sixth grade teacher) from 2003-2004.

Jonathan Giftos, Treasurer and Volunteer Support Services Committee Chairperson

Jonathan Giftos is currently working for Fordham University as Associate Coordinator of Community Service and Service Learning. Previously Jon served as a Jesuit Volunteer. As a Jesuit Volunteer, Jon worked for the Camden Center for Law and Social Justice, a non-profit law center offering affordable legal services to the immigrant community in southern New Jersey. While the majority of Jon's work focused on family reunification, he spent considerable time advocating for the undocumented residents of this country, particularly in his work with immigrant victims of domestic violence. Jon also served as a BECA volunteer during the 2003-2004 school year.

In addition to his responsibilities as Board Treasurer, Jonathan's contributions to the board are focused around issues related to personal growth and development through service, and volunteer growth through cultural immersion.

Jaime Koppel , Chairperson

Jaime Koppel graduated from Hamilton College in 1998. Since then she has worked in Western Europe, Central America and New York City. While living in Honduras from 2001 - 2003, Jaime founded BECA..

In addition to her work with BECA, Jaime has experience in the fields of alumni relations and fundraising/development; and in child welfare. Most recently, she served as the Chief of Staff for the Executive Deputy Commissioner of New York City's Administration for Children's Services. During her time with Children's Services she managed over $3.5 million dollars in grants; was nominated for the selective NYC Management Academy and served as the agency's liaison to New Yorkers For Children, a non-profit that supports the needs of young people in foster care.

Jaime has a Master degree in Public Administration from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. At Columbia University she was awarded the Harvey Picker Prize for Public Service for her demonstrated commitment to serving others. She was also recently selected as a New York City Education Pioneers Fellow. As an Education Pioneer she worked with the NYC Department of Education in their Office of Portfolio Development. Jaime has been an active member of the Project Honduras Network since 2000. She currently lives in Kosovo with her husband Eli.

Eloisa Rodriguez, Curriculum Development Committee Chairperson

Eloisa Rodriguez, was a Honduran Fulbright Scholar in 2001. In 2003 she completed a Master's degree in Education at Purdue University where she is currently a Ph.D candidate in Curriculum and Instruction with a special interest in bilingual education. Eloisa recently completed the first draft of BECA's full-blown whole school curriculum, which we are very excited about rolling out in 2006-2007!

Eloisa visited Cofradia for the first time in May 2005, and this is what she had to say after that visit: "In May 2005 I had the opportunity to see the amazing educational transformation that BECA is involved with in Honduras. BECA team members have the opportunity to interact with an underserved community, experience a cultural exchange, be part of an amazing program and most importantly, make an impact on children's educational lives. As a Honduran, I thank BECA and its volunteers for trying to make a difference in my home country."

Kelly Wilkinson, Member

Kelly Wilkinson is a study abroad coordinator with the School for International Training (SIT) Study Abroad programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. He manages enrollment, advises students, and prepares them for programs in Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Belize and Jamaica. Kelly has twice led high school summer programs to Mexico, and has taught English as a second language in Chile. In 2007, he will receive his master’s in international education. Kelly served as BECA’s program administrator during SJBS’ inaugural year 2004-5.