Team & Board 🙌

Founder

Tom founded Outreach360, formerly Orphanage Outreach, in 1994 after a visit to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic on a service trip. He was shocked by the lack of opportunity he saw there and was inspired to create change for the children in the orphanage. Tom led the organization through many transformations over the years, culminating in our Virtual English Academy for children across Latin America and our global Virtual Impact Program. Tom now lives with his wife Paula in Peoria, Arizona, USA. He has a degree in industrial engineering from Arizona State University, and prior to founding Outreach360, worked for IBM in engineering and sales.

President/CEO/Virtual Impact Program Director

+1-480-282-8648

cocobarrett@outreach360.org

Coco hails from Ontario, Canada. She first joined Outreach360 (formerly Orphanage Outreach) as a long-term volunteer in the Dominican Republic in 2004. Soon after, Coco moved to Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic and began working with us full-time as a Team Leader. She later became our Country Director in the Dominican Republic. In 2010, Coco relocated to Jinotega, Nicaragua where she and Alma Fletes created our former program there from the ground up. Prior to working with Outreach360, Coco was a deaf-blind interpreter and in her free time has connected with local programs for youth with hearing impairments.

Academic Director

+1-480-885-4280

adiejalfin@outreach360.org

Raised in the Boston area of the United States, Adie is a first generation American from a Uruguayan family of language educators. She joined Outreach360 in December 2015 and served as a long-term volunteer in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua prior to becoming the Academic Director. Adie designs and oversees the Virtual English Academy, and she is responsible for training our volunteers and staff to be effective teachers. In addition to her years of experience as an English language teacher, she holds a master's degree in social work and has experience working with students of different Latin American cultures as well as those with emotional and behavior disorders, special needs, and challenging life circumstances.

Director

Prior to joining Outreach360, Alma was the director of several pre-school centers in Jinotega, Nicaragua. It was in that capacity that she met our founder, Tom Eklund; their fortuitous meeting largely contributed to the decision to open Outreach360's second site in Jinotega, Nicaragua, Alma's hometown. Alma joined Outreach360 in 2010 and worked alongside our Country Director, Coco Barrett, to build the former program from the ground up. As one of our Virtual English Academy directors, Alma is instrumental in recruiting, training, and supporting students and their families. Additionally, she is a certified English teacher and supports volunteers while teaching English and leading Spanish enrichment activities alongside them.

Adelante+ Volunteer

Having completed ten years of English study with Outreach360, Belén is a graduate of our former Learning Center in Jinotega, Nicaragua. She attends Southern New Hampshire University with a major in graphic design. Belén is certified in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and in addition to her studies, she serves as an English and Spanish teacher in Outreach360’s Virtual English Academy. She also supports other volunteers, leads student training, translates for guest speakers, works behind the scenes to create engaging digital homework, and manages our Spanish social media platforms aimed at current and prospective students and families.

Adelante+ Volunteer

A graduate of our former Learning Center in Jinotega, Nicaragua, Dulce studied English with Outreach360 for ten years. She attends Southern New Hampshire University as a psychology major with a concentration in child and adolescent development. She holds a certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and plans to pursue a master’s degree in teaching. She puts everything she learns into practice by serving as an English teacher in Outreach360’s Virtual English Academy, supporting our other volunteers to become more effective English language teachers, leading student training, and creating fun digital homework.

Adelante+ Volunteer

Byron is a graduate of our former Learning Center in Jinotega, Nicaragua, where he studied English with Outreach360 for ten years. He is a Southern New Hampshire University graphic design major and a certified English teacher serving in Outreach360’s Virtual English Academy. In addition to studying and teaching, he manages various online educational platforms to produce reports on homework completion, attendance, and behavior for all students in the academy. Furthermore, he leads student training, supports other volunteers through the Virtual Impact Program experience, and is involved in creating digital homework.

Adelante+ Volunteer

Aidil is a graduate of our former Learning Center in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic. She has been studying medicine and is currently completing her residency in Santo Domingo. She has served with Outreach360 in numerous capacities, in-person and online, for over six years.

Adelante+ Volunteer

A graduate of our former Learning Center in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic, Caleb began attending Outreach360 English classes in primary school. He graduated from our English program when he was still in high school, and he was later the valedictorian of his high school class. Caleb joined the Outreach360 Adelante+ program in June 2017. He is currently studying in Santo Domingo to become a dentist and serves as a leader during his breaks from university.

Board Chair

During the last decade, J.B. led teams of high-school students from St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Bradenton, Florida to Outreach360 in Jinotega, Nicaragua and Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University and a master's degree in Education from Harvard University. J.B. has worked as a distance-running coach and an English and Spanish teacher for over two decades. He has taught in Massachusetts, New York, and Florida.

Former Board Chair

Laura has been involved with Outreach360 for over 20 years as a volunteer and board member. Laura is an audiologist and was the founder and president of Audiology Associates of Georgia, which she sold in 2014. Laura received her bachelor's and master's degrees in Audiology from East Tennessee State University, and Doctorate degree from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences. Laura has been active in Rotary International, as well as a number of professional associations and boards.

Treasurer

Penelope has been energized about Outreach360 since she first volunteered in Jinotega, Nicaragua in 2018. She is still very involved and volunteers as an English teacher in Outreach360’s Virtual English Academy in addition to her role as treasurer. She received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Heidelberg University in 2020. She is drawn to opportunities to serve others and bridge gaps between communities. She loves to sew, tend to plants and put on a classic vinyl record.

Secretary

Joyce’s journey with Outreach360 has spanned almost 20 years—from the first trip to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic in 2003, followed by two trips to Monte Cristi in 2012, and now as a board member and a volunteer in Outreach360’s Virtual English Academy. Joyce has a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.A. in Elementary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Joyce taught elementary school for 13 years before transitioning into the private sector.

Board Member

Kathleen taught Spanish for 40 years and was a community service director for 35 years. She led high school service trips to Appalachia, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and Outreach360 in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua from 2006-2019. She has a BA from Clarke University and an MA from Middlebury College.