Our Volunteers | Esperanza Fund

Without our volunteers, Esperanza cannot make the impact we have on so many deserving students. These accomplished professionals hold elite jobs at top organizations by day, and take time to give back to the next generation of leaders in their respective fields by night.

Our current volunteer mentors include a scientist at NASA; physicians at the University of Maryland, the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, and NIH; a development engineer at US AID, and an assistant professor of information technology at John Tyler Community College, among others. We’d love you to be one of them!

We hear from our volunteers that the time spent with our scholars is as transformative for them as it is for their mentees. And, it’s not all work and no play! From picnics to cultural events, volunteering with Esperanza is fun and rewarding.

Meet some of our extraordinary volunteers!

Alex Lin: Board Secretary

Alex Lin, Secretary of the Board of Directors, has been part of Esperanza since 2009, and has been an officer...

Alice Wang: Co-Founder

Alice Wang, Co-Founder, served as Chair of the Board of Directors from 2009 to 2015. Her work on Esperanza...

Alvaro Bedoya: Co-Founder

Alvaro Bedoya, Co-Founder & Member, Board of Directors, started Esperanza in 2009 alongside Andy Felton and Alice Wang, who...

Amilcar Guzman: Volunteer

Amilcar Guzman, Volunteer, is a member of the Development and the Scholarship Committees. His involvement with Esperanza started in...

Brian Greene: Board of Advisors

Brian Greene, Board of Advisors, became involved in Esperanza in 2009 after meeting with Alvaro Bedoya and Alex Lin,...

Dave Molk: Volunteer

Dave Molk, Volunteer, recently moved to DC and began searching for ways to help support the immigrant community. He joined Esperanza...

Delna Dastur: Volunteer

Delna Dastur, Volunteer, is a professional working artist. She teaches at the Smithsonian Institution and at the Art League...

Francella Chinchilla: Board Chair

Francella Chinchilla, Chair of the Board of Directors, came to the Esperanza Education Fund in 2013 as a volunteer in the...

Gillie Campbell: Mentor

Gillie Campbell, Mentor, joined Esperanza after attending the annual benefit concert and began by reading and evaluating hundreds of...

Jason Resendez: Board Member

Jason is the founder of Resendez Strategies, a social impact strategy firm focused on strengthening and amplifying diverse voices...

Julia Fuma: Co-Chair, Scholarship

Julia Fuma, Co-Chair of Scholarship Committee, joined Esperanza in 2010 as a scholarship application reader. She initially committed to reading...

Kersy Dastur: Volunteer

Kersy Dastur, Volunteer, is a member of the Development, Mentorship, and Scholarship Committees. His involvement with Esperanza started several...

Lissette Flores: Director of Operations

Lissette Flores, Director of Operations, works with our board in developing fundraising strategy and managing marketing, volunteer and scholar...

Mike Easterly: Volunteer

Michael Easterly, Volunteer, joined Esperanza in 2013, inspired for his mother’s work helping a Sudanese refugee get ready for...

Natalie Gould: Co-Chair, Mentorship

Natalie Gould, Mentorship Committee Co-Chair, started volunteering with Esperanza after her first Benefit Concert in 2015. Natalie joined Esperanza...

Patricia Silva-Santisteban: Mentor

Patricia Silva-Santisteban, Mentor, teaches Information Technology at John Tyler Community College in Virginia. Patricia witnessed the creation of Esperanza...

Sima Zadeh: Communications Chair

Sima Zadeh, Communications Chair, joined Esperanza in 2014 as a result of her attachment to the issues immigrant families...

Stephanie Martinez: Alum and Alumni Committee Chair

Stephanie Martinez, Alumni Committee Chair, started her journey with Esperanza as a scholar in 2011. Born in the U.S....

I began mentoring Esperanza scholars as soon as the mentorship program was founded. Since then, I have supported – witnessed, really – the progress to success of three wonderful young students.

Patricia Silva-Santisteban, Mentor
The Esperanza Education Fund truly stands for “Esperanza”….HOPE.

Stephanie Martinez, 2011 Esperanza Scholar and Chair of the Alumni Committee
I think that every child, regardless of where they’re from or what their papers say, has the right to a good education.

Alvaro Bedoya, Co-Founder and Member of the Board of Directors
My affiliation with Esperanza gives me an enormous sense of pride. It is a community of remarkable volunteers dedicated to ensuring as many outstanding students as possible have the opportunity to receive an education. These students will go on to do truly great things for their communities and our country, and I’m privileged to play a small part in helping them succeed

Jason Steinhauer, Board of Directors
Being a part of Esperanza reminds me that a group of dedicated people really can make a difference. I’m consistently humbled by the hard work and generosity of our scholars, volunteers, and board members, and am so excited to see the impact this community will make in years to come.

Natalie Gould, Mentorship Committee Co-Chair
I have so much respect and admiration for each Esperanza scholar – they overcome so much to achieve success.

Sima Zadeh, Communications Chair
I was originally drawn to Esperanza by its lively, smart, idealistic founders, then became more committed as I got to know the scholars themselves, whose resourcefulness, hard work and optimism inspire me every day. I want to help Esperanza fully support our scholars, and I want our country to fully support them as well.

Gillie Campbell, Mentor
I am a firm believer in education as the path toward life’s achievements as well as contributing to the welfare of our fellow human beings. So many of the young people today have to overcome several hurdles to gain an education, the most formidable of which are faced by immigrant children. As an immigrant myself, I am proud to be part of Esperanza and help make the journey somewhat less insurmountable for our outstanding and well deserving scholars.

Kersy Dastur, Volunteer
When I read our applications, I am inspired not just by our scholars, but the dedication of mentors—teachers, counselors, community members—who play important roles in encouraging and supporting students who may have fewer resources throughout high school. I am pleased to be part of an organization that provides that same mentorship and support for students in their college years.

Julia Fuma, Scholarship Committee Co-Chair
Part of what I love about Esperanza is how we manage to serve two communities at once – our primary focus is supporting our scholars’ success in college and afterward, but we also care deeply about leadership and cultivating a certain entrpreneurial spirit with our volunteers, too.

Alex Lin, Secretary, Esperanza Board of Directors

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