Team Ecuador 2012-2013
From left to right:
Guys: Peter Wagner, Jefferson Deming, Joey Teevens
Girls: Darcy Phillips, Polly Colgan, Sarah Grossman, Jenni Adams, Janine Hoerauf, Madeleine Gill, Lucy Hanemann
Country Director
- Heather Kryzak
- American University, International Relations & Spanish
A native of Acton, Maine, Heather brings a wealth of experience to her role as the Ecuador Country Director, having previously been a MPI Program Director in Ecuador. In college, she interned with the legal department of the Central American Resource Center in Washington D.C., and also with CEAR in Spain doing research on human rights violations and political violence. Her desire to travel, improve Spanish skills, and work with the Latino community initially led her to Manna’s Ecuador team. After Manna she hopes to attend Law School and work as an immigration/human rights attorney.
Program Directors
- Janine Hoerauf
- Johns Hopkins University '12, Neuroscience, Earth & Planetary Sciences
Maryland native Janine Hoerauf graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a degree in Neuroscience and Earth & Planetary Sciences. She experienced Ecuadorian culture during a 3-week course in college. Her desire to improve Spanish skills, travel, and work with local communities led her to the MPI Ecuador team where she can incorporate her skills and ideals to further international development. Janine aspires to pursue a career in medicine. Her interests include running, photography, and cooking.
- Lucy Hanemann
- Vanderbilt University '12, Political Science & Spanish
Lucy Hanemann is from New Orleans, Louisiana. She graduated from Vanderbilt University in May 2012 with majors in Political Science and Spanish. Lucy studied abroad in Madrid, Spain for a semester, and she has volunteered with Manna in Honduras three times during her time at Vanderbilt. After these great experiences with Manna as a short-term volunteer and because of her interest in traveling, Lucy decided to work long-term for Manna. She’s so excited about learning about a different culture and working with Manna for a year in Ecuador!
- Polly Colgan
- Vanderbilt University '12, Political Science & Psychology
Polly Colgan is from Westport, CT and graduated from Vanderbilt University this May. She majored in Political Science and Psychology, with a minor in Spanish. At Vanderbilt, Polly was involved with the Manna Project chapter, participating in a spring break trip to Nicaragua, and serving on the Executive Board. After such positive experiences in college, she was thrilled to continue her work with Manna as a Program Director. Prior to coming to Ecuador, she studied Spanish in Madrid, and has participated in service trips to Peru and Costa Rica. After her time in Ecuador, she hopes to continue her studies in International Development. She is so excited to start working on MPIE's programs, and looks forward to getting to know the community!
- Sarah Grossman
- Brown University '12, International Relations
Sarah Grossman is a graduate of Brown University '12 in International Relations. Born and raised in NYC, she has spent the last three summers working in community development in Panama, Mexico, and Ecuador. In light of her passion for serving impoverished communities, she joined Manna Project in Quito, Ecuador. When she returns home, she hopes to pursue a career in non-profit and international development.
- Madeleine Gill
- Vanderbilt University '12, Human & Organizational Development
Hailing from Bethesda, Maryland, Madeleine joins the MPI Ecuador team after a Manna spring break trip to Quito peaked her interest in the organization's mission. A 2012 Vanderbilt graduate with a major in Human and Organizational Development, Madeleine hopes to utilize the skills she learned in her International Development track to make an impact in the Rumiloma community. Previously, Madeleine has studied abroad in both Spain and Argentina and has worked extensively with the international communities in both Washington, D.C. and Nashville. She can't wait to learn more about Ecuadorean culture, get to know the community, and travel the country. When she returns to the U.S. she hopes to pursue graduate school and other opportunities in the international non-profit sector.
- Jenni Adams
- Clark University, '12, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- A Denver, Colorado native, Jenni joined MPI Ecuador after loving her experience as a summer volunteer. Shehas many hobbies including running, knitting and baking. While in Ecuador, she hopes to contribute her skills as an EMT as well as learn more about international public health and development. Jenni plans to eventually attend medical school and also obtain a degree in public health.
- Jefferson Deming
- Vanderbilt University '12, Political Science
Jefferson Deming grew up in El Dorado, AR, a small rural town in South Arkansas. Deming went to high school at Groton, a boarding school in Massachusetts. He decided to return back to the South for college and had an amazing four years at Vanderbilt University where he majored in Political Science. He´s traveled extensively throughout Europe and visited a few countries in South America. Deming has had a wide range of experience from working on an offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico to interning in Washington D.C. for his senator. He decided to join Manna because he wanted to live in South America and fine tune the sporadic knowledge Spanish he had accumulated over classes in high school and college. He eventually plan to go to law school and use my international experience to go into international law.
- Peter Wagner
- UNC-Asheville '12, Heath & Wellness Promotion
>A native of the great state of Vermont, Pete completed his undergraduate studies in Health & Wellness Promotion from the University of North Carolina-Asheville. Wanting to travel in South America, a cousin who was a Manna Summer Intern in Nicaragua in 2006 provoked an interest in the Program Director position and the rest is history.
Discovering a passion for service work while in the Asheville community, Pete's experiences range from dirt bike instructor with special needs teenagers, break-dancing with elementary students at the community center along with various other youth mentoring programs. Having a strong passion for food, whether cultivating or consuming it, Pete looks forward to getting his hands dirty with the Agriculture Program, Preventative Health Center and Nutrition & Cooking Classes. Spending last summer as a raft guide, Pete enjoys a variety of outdoor activities and cannot wait to explore all the experiences Ecuador has to offer, from the Andes to the Amazon. Pete plans on pursuing a Masters of Social Work degree upon completing his time with Manna. Oh, and Pete absolutely loves maple syrup.
- Joey Teevens
- Worcester State College '12, History & Spanish
Raised in Westborough, Massachusetts, Joey Teevens graduated in 2012 from Worcester State College with a double major in History and Spanish. In 2011 Joey lived for nine months in Granada, Spain and in March of 2012 he volunteered for a week with MPI Nicaragua. Through his time spent abroad he has developed a passion for the Spanish language and for Spanish/Latino culture. Joey was inspired to join Manna because of the program’s dedication to working alongside local community members in order to foster strong interpersonal relationships through mutually beneficial learning experiences. His future plans include smoking cigars from time to time and simply enjoying life as it comes.
