Fatima McKinley- Honorary President- Fatima is a sculpter, activist and the wife of Ambassador Michael McKinley. Fatima has been involved with embassy organizations in London and Brussels, and has served with her family in over 6 posts around the world. Originally from Bolivia, Fatima is a life long artist and adds considerable cache to USEA, especially in the planning of Noche de Arte and the Special Needs Christmas Party. We at USEA have benefited greatly from Mrs. McKinley's spirit, talents and cultural awareness.
Charles Roe- President, has been an officer on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Embassy Commissary (Lima, Peru), Recife American School (Recife, Brazil) 2006 and the Audio Engineering Society (Austin, Texas) 2003-4. He has been involved in the arts as an employee of curator Laura Ellis, as a designer for Acoustic Systems/ Country Music Hall of Fame and Univision Radio, and as a member of the Fund Raising Committee for the Charles Umlauf Sculpture Garden (Austin, Texas). Charles holds a Bachelors of Environmental Design, Texas A&M University and is currently working at the U.S. Embassy. Other volunteerism/ charity work includes producing CDs for English as Second Language Teachers (Texas, New York and Brazil), teaching basketball at South Austin Recreation Center, fund raising for Houston Musician Benevolent Society, spokesperson for the International Rett Syndrome Association, volunteer for Noche de Arte, Lima.
Kristin Nealon- Honorary Vice President, graduated from Brown University and Johns Hopkins University. She is a native of Boston, Massachusetts. Kristin works with ESL students here in Lima and has a certificate as Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages from UCLA. Kristin is married to DCM Jim Nealon. They joined the U.S. State Department and have traveled extensively in Europe and South America; Lima is their sixth post. Kristin and Jim have four children who, along with the McKinleys' children, have been involved in Noche de Arte and the Special Needs Christmas party. We rely on Kristin's good sense in helping USEA identify and organize grants.
Aurora Salazar -Vice President Aurora’s professional career has offered her the opportunity to work for international/national governments and private organizations. She has worked for the British Council and currently the United States Embassy in Lima, Peru. She has also worked in the private sector for American and British companies in Arequipa, Tacna, and Lima, Peru. In May 2008 she joined the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Aurora is fluent in Spanish and English. She also speaks basic Quechua. Aurora holds a Diploma in Administration of Small Enterprises and a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). Aurora’s interest in social work started in her hometown, Arequipa by teaching English to impoverished children within the Catholic community. In 2007 she collaborated in the organization of an international conference for English language teachers and trainers within Peru. Currently, she is doing Spanish translations for a worldwide educational internet site aimed at young students. Aurora’s hobbies include dancing, knitting, sewing, crafting and cooking Arequipenian and Peruvian food. She is married with two teenage children.
Maria Olivera- Treasurer and all around great person is USEA's safe guard and accounting guru. Maria has been with the embassy for 16 years and has been involved with charities in the greater Lima. She has two sons that graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University and loves to talk about her family. She is passionate about USEA's welfare activities, Maria has volunteered at Special Needs Christmas for as long as she can remember. She loves cooking and can make the best tres leches cake in Lima.
Amber Anderson- Public Relations, is passionate about art. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Nebraska where she is originally from and has five years experience working in art museums and galleries. Amber fosters her passion for and devotion to art by enrolling in continuing education courses, regularly attending gallery openings and volunteering for the arts. Amber is represented by Kiechel Fine Art (www.kiechelart.com) and has worked full-time as a professional artist since moving to Lima in 2008, exhibiting at last years Noche de Arte as well as having two individual shows since then. She also works as an art critic for Living in Peru (www.livinginperu.com) and improves her Spanish at Idiomas Catolica.
Mónica Pfeiffer- Welfare Chair- Monica is an Audiovisual Communicator with experience in TV production (journalistic programs, magazines, entertainment shows, cultural events and an international talk show). She is currently working at the Embassy of the United States in IPC (Information Program Center), in the Graphic Arts Section. She has great interest in Social Development with special motivation in matters related with childhood. She participated as a volunteer the last two years in the Special Needs Christmas Party organized by USEA. She likes music, arts, cinema, reading and trekking; she feels great passion for nature; and practices Reiki. Favorite Quote: “Attitude is a little thing that make a Big difference” (W. Churchill)
Nga Do -Asst.Welfare Chair-Nga is a vice-consul at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru. Nga has recently served a two year consular tour at the U.S. Consulate General Monterrey, Mexico. Nga is a Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellow. Nga received her masters in Public Policy (MPP) from Georgetown University in 2005. Nga grew up in Vietnam and lived in a refugee camp in Thailand prior to arriving to the United States. Nga graduated, magna cum laude, from Holy Names University, Oakland, California, majoring in Philosophy and minors in Mathematics and Computer Science. Nga worked for start-up companies as a software quality assurance engineer for 3 years and at the County of San Mateo, Human Services Agency as an Information Technology Analyst for 2 years. Nga is one of 10 children and has 29 nieces and nephews. Nga loves to travel and hike big mountains with her fiance.
Ana Maria Nuevo -Asst Welfare Chair, has a PhD. in Teaching English as a Second Language. During her time here in Peru she was a Special Fellow in the Department of Humanities at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Perú. She also worked as a consultant for the Office of Regional Affairs teaching English at theUS Embassy in Lima, Peru. Before arriving in Lima Ana Maria was the assistant director at the Center of Education for Adults and Immigrants in Washington, DC.
Kathleen Morris- Board Financial Advisor-was the Treasurer for USEA 2008-2009, she is a high energy professional with a reputation for technical proficiency and has worked with US Aid and for the Embassy Commissary providing financial advice and support. Kathleen has an MBA in Accounting from the University of California, Berkeley 1976 and a BA in Anthropology from University of California, San Diego 1974. Kathleen studied Spanish at Universidad International in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. She was a member of Golden Planning Commission (1998 – 2000); the Accounting & Audit Council for Archdiocese of Denver (1995 – 2003); Founding Board member & Treasurer for Colorado Vincentian Volunteers (1994 – 2000); Founding Board member for Foresight Ski Guides (guides for blind skiers) and Member of Light of the World Finance Council 1990-2000.
Anne Morrison- NDA Liaison, grew up in Ohio, went to college at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, then worked for 9 years in information systems for governments and telecoms in the U.S., Switzerland, and Israel. Afterward, she worked in historic preservation/urban planning for a local government while working on a masters in urban and regional planning from Virginia Tech (their Architecture/Planning school in Alexandria, VA). After moving to Dhaka, Anne worked with a group of architects in their campaign to save the city's historic neighborhoods. She hopes to also get involved in urban planning and heritage conservation efforts in Lima.
Marisol la Cruz - Secretary, and Marisol began working at the U.S. Embassy in Lima in February 2009. Prior to taking up her assignments at the mission, she worked on the tourism sector for more than 10 years. This experience and being a sister of an Art’s Professor has given her the chance to participate in the organization of different events/expositions related to the diffusion of Peruvian ancient and modern art.
Marisol is about to start studying her major in Business Administration at the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas and hope to continue contributing on the effort to promote local arts.
Paola Graves- SNXP Chair
Jeanette Garayua- SNXP Liaison
The Board invites you to join us, and to contact us, if you are interested in sponsoring or volunteering. Please email us at useaperu.master@gmail.com.
