BOARD
Arne Bister
Arne Bister is a technical sales specialist, consultant and software engineer living in Ansbach, Germany.
As a student he worked summer jobs as language counselor for Concordia Language Villages Waldsee Camp in Minnesota USA, gaining experience with child teaching and counseling. Finishing his study of physics he worked as an environmental scientist until branching out into software development in 1999. He worked for IBM for almost 20 years as software developer, architect, consultant and technical sales until deciding to leave for a smaller, impactful company in 2017. In 2015 and after he set up and coordinated volunteer work in Germany at the peak of the refugee crisis ensuing the Syrian war. Arne has visited Project Somos three times between 2018 – 2020. He has been a part of the Antje Duvekot volunteer groups, in 2020 helping with setting up and conducting the trip. Since his first time he has developed a deep commitment to the Project, the cause and the people of Guatemala. Aside from convincing more people in Europe to take an interest in Project Somos Arne wants to bring to bear his engineering and technical talents together with marketing and sales expertise to further the mission. He is currently adding Spanish to his language repertoire to better communicate with children, staff and locals by taking online classes with a friend in Guatemala.
Angie Cazares
Angie grew up in a small town in Indiana, so when she got the opportunity to study Spanish and study abroad in Costa Rica, she jumped at the chance! She has stayed connected to the language and culture ever since. She even got so passionate about latin dance that she met her husband, Josiah, on the salsa floor in Indianapolis a few years later!
It was back in 2009 when Angie first got connected to Project Somos during a five month trip traveling through Central America and volunteering at various nonprofits. She met Heather and Greg and fell in love with their vision immediately.
Following that trip she got a masters certificate in nonprofit management and worked at mentoring and educational nonprofits in the Indianapolis area. She also became a mom of two children. Angie has since left the nonprofit sector to pursue her own life coaching business, but knew she would always stay connected, contribute, and continue to volunteer.
When a spot opened up on the Project Somos board, she knew it was the perfect opportunity to combine her passions and experience to contribute to this amazing organization. Especially since having kids of her own, the mission of Project Somos has an even deeper meaning. She looks forward to visiting and volunteering with her family in the coming years!!
Angela Hanley
Angela Hanley lives in Baraboo, WI with her 4 teenage children, where she has been a chiropractor for 20 years. Her chiropractic practice focuses largely on women and children, as well as on nutrition. Those interests are what drew her attention to Project Somos, where she first joined Antje Duvekot in 2018. In late 2018 she established a 501-C3 nonprofit, Children’s Health Advocacy International (CHAI) with the intention of supporting projects like Somos in more structured and beneficial ways.
Angela grew up in the Midwest of the US, attended college in New Orleans, LA, and completed her chiropractic degree at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, IA in 2000.
Angela’s mission is to elevate the health and wellbeing of those who she connects with, with the understanding that people deserve the chance to thrive.
Greg Kemp
Greg is the Co-Founder and Executive Director on the ground in Guatemala as well as being a director of Compassion Fruit Society. He arrived in February 2011 to break ground and oversee the construction with the local team. It is a plus that he is bilingual and has previous knowledge of construction.
His lifelong interest in creating harmonious, efficient, and beautiful spaces for living led Greg to run successful renovation businesses in Canada, specializing first in heritage homes and later in high-end bathrooms and kitchens. With his care for the environment and an ability to discover creative solutions to structural and design problems, he has been the driving force behind Project Somos’ unique and solid eco-sustainable construction.
Sylvia Tremblay
Sylvia Anne Rosina Tremblay was born in De Hague, Holland and moved to Montreal, Canada as a child with her family, where French and English became her second and third languages. Her acquired degrees are in Education and in Leadership Training. She has spent the last 30 plus years in senior leadership positions in the social service sector in British Columbia and Ontario, Canada, often having to relocate when her husband was transferred as a senior member of the RCMP. Her diverse work experience includes working for organizations providing programs and services for children, youth and adults in the family services, mental health, juvenile justice, developmental disabilities and physical disabilities sectors. Her last position, before retiring from full time employment, was as CEO and Director of Programs with the Boys and Girls Club of South Coast, BC, a large Club with 12 different club locations in the Lower Mainland area of BC, Canada. She currently works part-time as a team leader for CARF International, preparing and surveying US and Canadian social service organizations that are looking to be accredited. She also currently volunteers as a Board Advisor to the National Boys and Girls Club of Mexico and the local Boys and Girls Club of Baja California Sur in Mexico, where she recently retired as Board President and where her husband and her now live.
The mission and vision of Project Somos are close to her heart, and she is excited and grateful for the opportunity to continue to share her experience and knowledge in a meaningful way that will ultimately help many in need achieve their fullest potential.
ADVISORS
David LePage
David LePage is the Managing Partner of Buy Social Canada, Executive Director of Social Impact Real Estate, a partner in the Social Enterprise Institute, and Principal with Accelerating Social Impact. David is Founding Member and Chair of the Social Enterprise Council of Canada; Chair of the Board of the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) and serves on several non-profit and social purpose business boards.
David provides direct support and strategic advice to blended value businesses, social enterprises and social finance developments. He is involved in multiple public policy initiatives and research projects to support the social enterprise ecosystem across Canada. He has worked and volunteered in the social enterprise and non-profit sector for nearly five decades.
David has visited Project Somos seven times since 2011.
Sadhu Johnston
Sandhu served as City Manager for the City of Vancouver from 2016 – 2021. His role included supporting Council in making Vancouver an even more vibrant and sustainable community, and overseeing the over one billion dollar annual budget with over 7,000 employees.
Sadhu served for seven years as the deputy city manager for the City of Vancouver, where he helped to oversee the development and implementation of Vancouver’s Greenest City Action Plan, which builds off of Vancouver’s successes in building a green city.
Sadhu is a founder and was co-chair (2009-2015) of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), a network of over 120 municipal staff focused on greening their cities, representing over 50 million urban dwellers in North America. Sadhu is a co- author of The Guide to Greening Cities.
Prior to moving to Vancouver, Sadhu served as Chicago Mayor, Richard M. Daley’s chief environmental officer where he was responsible for the oversight of City of Chicago environmental initiatives. Sadhu served Mayor Daley in the development and implementation of the Chicago Climate Action Plan. Under Mayor Daley’s leadership, Sadhu was involved in the design and implementation of the City’s environmental programs, including EVs, green buildings, green roofs, rainwater management, waste management among others.
Sadhu has visited Project Somos twice.