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, Adie is a first-generation American from a Uruguayan family of language educators. She joined Outreach360 in December 2015, initially serving as a long-term volunteer in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua before becoming the Academic Director. In this role, Adie is fully responsible for designing and overseeing all aspects of the Virtual English Academy. She leads the training and development of both volunteers and staff, ensuring they are equipped to be effective educators. With extensive experience as an English language teacher, she also holds a master’s degree in social work. Adie has experience working with students from a wide range of backgrounds, including those facing emotional and behavioral challenges, special needs, and difficult life circumstances.

Family Director

Before joining Outreach360, Alma led several preschool centers in Jinotega, Nicaragua. During this period, she met our founder, Tom Eklund, and their encounter significantly influenced the decision to open Outreach360's second site in Alma's hometown. Alma joined Outreach360 in 2010, collaborating closely with our Country Director, Coco Barrett, to build the initial program from the ground up. Now, as one of the directors of our Virtual English Academy, Alma plays a crucial role in recruiting, training, and supporting students and their families. As a certified English teacher, she also aids our volunteers and teaches both English and Spanish reinforcement classes.

Adelante+ Leader

Belén, a graduate of our former Learning Center in Jinotega, Nicaragua, receives a full scholarship from Outreach360 to attend Southern New Hampshire University, where she is majoring in graphic design. Certified in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Belén has served as an English and Spanish teacher in our Virtual English Academy. In addition to teaching, she supports volunteers, leads student training, translates for guest speakers, creates engaging digital homework, and manages our Spanish social media platforms for current and prospective students and families.

Adelante+ Leader

Dulce, a graduate of our former Learning Center in Jinotega, Nicaragua, is pursuing a psychology degree with a focus on child and adolescent development at Southern New Hampshire University. Her studies are supported by a full scholarship from Outreach360. Certified in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, she plans to earn a master’s in teaching. Dulce teaches English in our Virtual English Academy, supports fellow volunteers, leads student training, and creates engaging digital homework.

Adelante+ Leader

Byron, a graduate of our former Learning Center in Jinotega, Nicaragua, is pursuing a graphic design degree at Southern New Hampshire University with a full scholarship from Outreach360. Certified in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, he has taught both English and Spanish in our Virtual English Academy. In addition to his studies and teaching, Byron manages online educational platforms, producing reports on homework completion, attendance, and behavior. He also leads student training, supports volunteers through the Virtual Impact Program, and creates digital homework.

Former Adelante+ Leader

Aidil, a graduate of our former Learning Center in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic, received a full scholarship from Outreach360 to study medicine in Santo Domingo. She served with Outreach360 for over 8 years, both in-person and online, until completing her residency in 2023.

Former Adelante+ Leader

A graduate of our former Learning Center in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic, Caleb began attending English classes in primary school and serving while still in high school. He later received a full scholarship from Outreach360 to study dentistry in Santo Domingo and continued to serve until his graduation in 2023.

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.