Board of Directors
President
Wayne Moyle
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Wayne is a former school principal in Ottawa. Wayne has been a longtime supporter of Planting Seeds’ work in Guatemala. He has supported the organization by coordinating the budget, developing partnerships with schools, and providing advice to the leadership team.
Vice President
Gabriel Tobias
Brooklyn, New York
USA
Gabe spent three years (2009-2011) in Guatemala managing a Family Nurturing Program and a Men’s Literacy Program. He has multiple years of experience managing and consulting for international development programs and has served as a senior consultant for governance programming and grant writing. Gabe has also been involved in program assessment and strategic planning.
Treasurer
Joseph Knowles
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Joe currently works with the Canadian Treasury Department, working mostly with the Defense Department on their long-term procurement and investment plans. He has also spent time working with the Canadian Comptroller General’s organization, which oversees financial management policy for the Canadian government. Joe studied International Business and Finance and also has his MBA.
Secretary
Leanne Van Bavel
Pembroke, Ontario
Canada
Leanne has spent her entire life in Pembroke, where the Planting Seeds dream began. Leanne currently works as a Bookkeeper in an accounting practice and first went to Guatemala in 2012 to help build furniture for Planting Seeds programs. She has returned to Guatemala almost annually since 2012, helping to build homes for Guatemalan families.
Board Member
Ann Escott
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
Ann first visited Guatemala during the armed conflict in the 1980s. During the conflict, Ann has claimed that two indigenous women saved her life. Forever indebted to the indigenous community in Guatemala, Ann has dedicated her time and support to multiple different initiatives of Planting Seeds!
Board Member
Carolyn Collins-Bennett
Ottawa, Canada
Carolyn is a retired elementary school teacher. She has traveled extensively through South and Central America while volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. After visiting Guatemala several years ago she became interested in the work of Planting Seeds International. She believes providing early education programs is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Carolyn recently visited the Planting Seeds locations and saw first hand the significant impact that the team is making.
Board Member
Andrea Gómez
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Andrea K’om has been involved with the community surrounding the garbage dump in Zone 3 in Guatemala City since 2011, and she has coordinated volunteer, corporate social responsibility, public relations, and professional development programs. She has worked for a variety of organizations including human rights, education, and journalism with a specialization in fundraising, strategic alliances, and organizational development and a focus on gender. Andrea is a feminist with a Masters of the Arts degree in Development from the University of Valle de Guatemala.
Board Member
Sharon Workman
Traverse City, Michigan
USA
Sharon is a former professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has experience on Boards of Directors connected to Guatemala and has been involved with Guatemalan projects for over a decade now. She is the founder of the Family Nurturing Program in Boston, MA and has initiated several successful Family Nurturing Programs in Guatemala as well.