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Project Schoolhouse

Improving Nicaraguan lives by building new, community water systems, and improving sanitation.

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Meet Our Team

Photo of Project Schoolhouse Staff.

Team

Professional Staff


Selina Serna

Executive Director
Board Member

Serving on the board since 2013, Selina has been increasingly engaged until taking over the Executive Director role in 2019. Formerly a long-time team member of Whole Foods Market, Selina knows the importance of balancing social good with successful business models. Selina served in leadership roles with Whole Foods in the US and UK for 25 years until leaving in 2019 to focus full time on Project Schoolhouse. Selina is a graduate of Rice University with a degree in Economics.

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Mirle Zeledon

Director of Operations in Nicaragua

Mirle is a civil engineer with 25 years of experience working on WASH projects. She has deep knowledge of working with local government and international nonprofits to execute projects benefitting community infrastructure projects. Mirle is a graduate of UCA University.

    Maria Ines Bracamonte

    Project Coordinator
    Maria Inés has been coordinating all of Project Schoolhouse’s endeavors in Nicaragua since operations began. Her career has spanned multiple NGO’s focused on water and educational infrastructure. She is gifted at implementing community-based projects in very remote areas.

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    Cristian Garcia

    After-School Program Coordinator

    Cristian leads Project Schoolhouse’s after-school programs. She oversees volunteers and the curriculum of this program in two communities. Cristian is a nursing student with a passion for helping her community.

      Manuel Selva Garcia

      Head of Construction

      Working with Project Schoolhouse since the very beginning, Manuel oversees all construction projects. Often supervising multiple projects simultaneously, he has developed a deep knowledge of water, school, latrine, and overall construction best practices.

        Norma Idania Valdez

        Programs Coordinator

        Norma spent the first twenty years of her career working in a women’s cooperative in Mulukuku. She now oversees our growing scope of supportive programs. She brings extensive experience in community training, data collection, project management, and is skilled at navigating the complexities of working with remote communities.

          Board of Directors


          Sara Hesson Wagner Headshot Photo

          Sara Hesson Wagner

          Board President

          Sara works in finance & business transformation, with a background in technology product and portfolio management. A graduate of Rice and Texas A&M universities, her passion for international development began with a graduate course in commercializing technology for developing countries, where she visited Liberia in West Africa.

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          Shannon Fohn

          Board VP

          Shannon is an attorney who has served as in-house and outside counsel for various Austin businesses including Whole Foods Market and Green Mountain Energy Company.  She has also served in education policy/finance roles in the Texas Senate.  Having grown up without drinkable running water in her own home, combined with her passion for education, she is excited to help further the mission of Project Schoolhouse.

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          Gene Bosché

          Board Secretary

          Gene works in Austin as a cybersecurity professional. Gene has lived, studied & worked in several countries in Latin America including a stint for a coffee company in rural northern Nicaragua.  During these experiences, he saw first–hand the importance of education and health in lifting children out of poverty.

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          Brandon McNally

          Board Treasurer

          Brandon is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Northward Partners, LLC, CEO and Founder of JLK Management Group, LLC, Chapter Chairman of American Business Network, and Featured Mentor for Elite Learning.  Brandon has 20+ years as a board member and advisor, operating partner, business mentor, executive coach, CEO, CFO, and Founder. Brandon has a diverse background and experience in nonprofit fundraising, capital campaign management, financial leadership, program development and leadership, grant writing, 501(c)(3) Compliance and Regulations, and fund accounting.  

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          Tab Barker

          Board Member

          Thomas “Tab” Barker graduated from Carleton College with a degree in Economics and furthered his education studying on a Fulbright Scholarship in Argentina. Tab has spent his career focusing on international development through founding Project Schoolhouse, always working to minimize outside impacts while leveraging local initiative and knowledge. Read more here for this founder’s story.

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          Matt Zhang

          Board Member

          Matt works in systems engineering and design at Samsung’s semiconductor fabs in Austin and Taylor. While attending the University of Texas at Austin, Matt worked with Project Schoolhouse to lead a team to develop and deploy a pilot project in Nicaragua. He hopes to use his background in mechanical engineering to continue to contribute to our mission and help under-served communities around the world.

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          Dennis Passovoy

          Board Member

          Dennis is on the faculty at the Red McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin, where he teaches courses in Social Entrepreneurship and Corporate Strategy. Dennis has a 35-year business career, including founding five successful companies.

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          Alexandra Rodrigues

          Board Member

          Alexandra is a Master’s of Public Health graduate from Boston University’s School of Public Health. Her passion for improving global health equity stems from her parent’s immigrant background.  She worked with a group of fellow graduate students to create a mobile application for an Indian-based non-profit organization, improving their growth and sustainability.

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          Peter Rahamnifar

          Board Member

          Peter is a Senior Software Development Engineer at Presidio Technologies, specializing in AWS Proserve consultancy for enterprise system modernization. Peter previously worked at Whole Foods as a Software Developer for five years, impacting social change through his involvement with foundations such as Whole Planet, Whole Kids, and Whole Cities. Peter is also dedicated to supporting women’s empowerment through his contributions to GALS and SAFE foundations. He aspires to leverage his technical expertise to contribute to the Project Schoolhouse Charity. Peter holds a degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Nevada.

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          Emily August

          Board Member

          Emily is a Master of Public Health student in Global Health at the Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2023, she earned a degree in Public Health from the University of Texas at Austin which is where she was introduced to Project Schoolhouse. Emily currently works at Emory University as a research assistant on a clinical trial aimed at improving health equity amongst chronic kidney disease patients.

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            Marissa Suh

            Board Member

            Marissa earned her Master’s in Public Health from the Yale School of Public Health and has worked as an epidemiologist in various life sciences sectors including a contract research organization, consulting firm, and pharma/biotech company. Her expertise spans public health research, data analysis, and the implementation of health initiatives to improve community outcomes.

              Advisory and Emeritus Board


              Walter Moreau

              Advisory Board

              Walter Moreau is the Executive Director of Foundation Communities, which works in Texas to create affordable housing where families succeed. During his 25-year career he has secured subsidy financing of more than $200 million to create more than 3,500 units of service-enriched, nonprofit-owned affordable housing. He holds an MS in Public Affairs from the UT LBJ School of Public Affairs.

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              Evan Morgan

              Advisory Board

              Evan joined the Advisory Board in 2019 following his 4-year service on the Board of Directors, finishing his term as President in 2018. Evan helped to broaden the donor base and was instrumental in raising significant funds to increase the organization’s impact in Nicaragua. In 2018, Evan relocated to Brisbane, Australia to serve as the Director of Advancement at the University of Queensland (UQ). Prior to UQ, Evan served as Director of Development at Rice University.

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              Marilyn Felkner

              Advisory Board

              Marilyn is on the faculty of the School of Human Ecology, University of Texas at Austin, where she teaches courses in public health. Previously, Marilyn has worked as an infectious disease epidemiologist for the Texas Department of State Health Services in Austin and in allied health education and health promotion in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. 

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              Cheryl Barker

              Board Member Emeritus

              Cheryl is a lifelong resident of Wyoming and was one of the founding board members of Project Schoolhouse in 2004, moving to Board Emeritus in 2021. One of her main contributions has been to host the Sod Farm Festival on her farm in Wyoming raising considerable funds towards Project Schoolhouse endeavors in Nicaragua.


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