Executive Director
(202) 360-4099
Linda Sundro is the Executive Director of the Self Reliance Foundation, and brings to this position a highly accomplished career in public service with an expertise in government relations and organizational capacity building, and her commitment to empowering the Hispanic community.
Having started in August 2007, Ms. Sundro brings to her tenure approximately 30 years of experience in the arena of public policy, law, and non-profit management. Her impressive career spans positions as the Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of CFC Operations, which manages the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the world’s largest workplace-giving program. Prior to that, she was the Inspector General of the National Science Foundation, and the Deputy Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Ms. Sundro is originally from Virginia, and leverages her extensive professional network in the D.C. metropolitan area to increase SRF’s visibility within the NGO community. |
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Senior Programs and Policy Director
(202) 510-1473
Maite Arce is the Senior Programs and Policy Director for Self Reliance Foundation- Acceso Hispano, building strategic initiatives, partnerships and services that generate maximum social capitol by drawing communities together to work on the issues that impact Hispanic communities nationwide. Ms. Arce recently returned to Self Reliance Foundation after 5 years to oversee the expansion and development of ACCESO HISPANO’s Linea de Ayuda. Formally, she served as the Vice President for the Hispanic Council for Reform & Educational Options (Hispanic CREO), having built the original network of membership, affiliates, and coalitions in support of Hispanic CREO and parental choice in education in its founding years. She led Hispanic CREO’s administration and core programs on a state and national level, including grassroots Hispanic parent, faith and business leader advocacy training and public policy efforts. Ms. Arce has 20 years of experience in developing innovative outreach strategies that effectively reach and engage traditionally underserved populations. She is an expert coalition builder, trainer and Latina advocate. She serves as a Trustee for the National Council of Hispanic Women, and Chair of Quetzales Mexican Dance Ensemble. Ms. Arce was born in Mexico and raised in Southern California. In June 2007, she received an Honorary Doctorate from Logos Christian College in Jacksonville, Florida. She lives in Herndon, Virginia with her husband Ted and sons, Luke and Noah. |
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Science Advisor
(202) 360-4117
Bob Russell serves as Science Advisor for ConCiencia. With over twenty years of rich and varied experience in education, including cross-cultural, educational, and evaluation research, Bob has served as University Professor and Director of two museums, The Omaha Children’s Museum and the Impression 5 Science Museum. He further served as Program Director for the National Science Foundation’s $35 million per year Informal Education Program. After obtaining his doctorate in developmental psychology at Cornell University, Bob has experimented on children’s mathematical thinking and on adolescents’ friendship networks. In addition to his current position at ConCiencia, Bob serves as science advisor for other educational projects targeting the US Hispanic youth. |
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Director, Social Marketing and Partnerships
(202)
558-0006 Malu
serves as both the Director of Social Marketing and Partnerships and the Research
Advisor for projects carried out at the Self Reliance
Foundation. Prior to this assignment, Ms.
Jimenez managed and documented programs implemented
in Bolivia and Peru on Youth and Gender Based
Violence for a USAID-funded project in DC.
She recently worked as an ESL teacher at Cesar
Chavez Charter
High School. An avid learner and traveler, Ms.
Jimenez developed and implemented ESL and Spanish teaching
programs in California and in Colombia, and also developed
and promoted teaching strategies for teachers in the
Philippines as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Ms. Jimenez
holds a BA in Communications with an emphasis in educational
video from the Universidad Javeriana in Colombia, and
a Masters in International Education from Harvard University. |
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Chief
Editor, Hispanic Science Newswire
(202)
360-4111
Karina serves as the Chief Editor of ConCiencia science newswire program, supervising the production and distribution of health and science content to media outlets nationwide. Originally from Lima, Peru, she obtained a B.A in Social Communications at the University of Lima, with a concentration in Journalism and Media Production. Karina started her career as a television journalist, producing her own educational segments for a weekly, nationally-broadcast program. Upon moving to the U.S, Karina started work at Hispanic Communications Network, SRF’s sister media company, where she worked for four years as a Senior Radio Producer.
Ms. Hurley is also an active member of many journalistic organizations such as the National Press Club, The National Association of Hispanic Journalists, The National Association of Science Writers, The Society of Environmental Journalists, and others. Karina lives in Maryland with her husband and two sons, and is currently pursuing a Msaters degree in Journalism at Georgetown University. |
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Director
of Development
(202)
558-0007 Born
and raised in Southern Germany, Brigitte Savage holds
B.A. and M.A. degrees in Theater Arts from the University
of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). She is a member
of Phi Beta Kappa. A fund raiser for more than 25 years,
Brigitte's experience includes nine years as Membership
Director at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, five years
as Development Director for the Older Women's League (OWL), an advocacy organization for midlife and
older women, and a seven year stint as Vice President
for Membership and Development at Independent Sector.
Before joining the Self Reliance Foundation, Brigitte
served as Director of Development for Global Rights,
an international human rights organization working in
10 countries in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Americas
. Brigitte has held a CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive)
designation since 1996. She has served on several nonprofit
boards, including Source Theater Company and Women &
Philanthropy. She has lived and worked in South Africa,
Ethiopia, Britain, Germany and the U.S. |
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Senior Science Educator
(202) 360-4138
As the Senior Science Educator, Alicia handles all programmatic and research components of SRF’s Celebra La Ciencia and the Genoma Humano science education projects. She also provides informational support for the ConCiencia science newswire service, and designs and implements various community outreach initiatives.
Dr. Santiago is an accomplished research scientist, and holds a Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Davis. She earned her B.S in Biology from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, where she was born and raised. She has been the recipient of numerous scholarship and science fellowship awards, and has published several articles in the fields of developmental neurobiology, genetics and cell biology. Prior to this position, Dr. Santiago worked as a research scientist in the Developmental Neurobiology Laboratory at the Salk Institute and the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA, and at the University of California, San Diego.
Alicia is happy to transition her love of science to the non-profit environment of SRF, where her magnetic energy and communicative gifts serve to motivate those around her to become passionate about science. She lives with her husband in Virginia, and in her free time loves hiking, camping, and traveling.
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Development Specialist
(202)
360-4133
As the Development Specialist, Emily works with private foundations and government agencies help secure funding for Self Reliance Foundation projects. This position capitalizes upon Emily’s commitment to using media arts to increase the frequency and quality of our nation’s public dialogue. Prior to SRF, Emily worked as a grant writer for ethnic cultural arts groups in her hometown of Los Angeles, California. As an expression of her commitment to civic participation, Emily has also worked for the advocacy group People For the American Way, and has volunteered for select GOTV efforts.
Emily holds a B.A. in Literature and with a minor in Latin American and Latino Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. While an undergraduate, Emily completed a study exchange program at the Universidad de Chile in Santiago, Chile. In Fall 2007, Emily started Georgetown University’s Master’s program in Journalism. To improve her praxis (and to take a break from media studies), Emily dedicates her free time to dancing. |
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Reporter, Hispanic Science Newswire
(202) 360-4135
Isabel serves as the Assistant Editor and Writer for the ConCiencia newswire service, SRF’s newest program. In this role, Ms. Morales works in tandem with Karina Hurley to find, report on, and disseminate gripping health and science news stories for the broader Spanish-speaking American public.
Ms. Morales is an experienced, award-winning journalist, and has been honored with a Breaking News Award by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, two Texas Associated Press awards and four Press Club of Dallas awards. Her most recent position was a four-year post with Dallas’ Al Día newspaper, where she covered issues affecting the Hispanic community. Isabel obtained her B.A in Social Communications and Journalism at the University of Antioquia in her native Medellin, Colombia, and recently completed a M.A program in print journalism at the University of Miami.
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Research Associate
(202) 360-4118
Pedro infuses the Research Associate position with his vibrant passion and commitment to Latin American community organizing. Pedro was raised outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and applies his professional interests in civic participation, environmental and social justice, and sustainable development to his coordination of SRF community outreach events, project support, and work on the 1-800 Acceso Hispano helpline number.
Pedro holds an M.A. in International Relations from the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI) in Barcelona, Spain, and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. Before coming to SRF, Pedro’s professional experience includes interning with the Global Warming team at Greenpeace USA, and creating and launching a community-wide recycling program in Villas del Monte, Puerto Rico. |
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