OUR TEAM
JAHAYRA ESPINAL NÚÑEZ
DR Academic Mentor & Program Assistant
A graduate (Education, 2015) of EAB’s scholarship program, Jahayra was born and raised in Franco Bidó. She is a current public school teacher in an underserved community in Santiago de Los Caballeros, Dominican Republic and continues to mentor and assist in EAB programs in her spare time.
GONAL “RONALDO” FRANSUA CHARLE
DR Academic Mentor & Program Assistant
Ronaldo was born and raised in Batey Libertad, and as a teenager was among one of the first group of students enrolled in EAB's high school scholarship program. He later became one of the first high school graduates, and then college graduates, earning his bachelor's in legal studies at the Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago (UTESA) in 2011. Since that time, he has worked as a legal advocate for immigrants, and a youth education program coordinator, for various NGOs in the D.R.
DAVID LESTER
Immersion Program In-Country Lead
David has been leading EAB immersion teams in the Dominican Republic every year since 2005. He worked as a Jesuit Volunteer at the Saint Vincent de Paul Society as an Emergency Services Caseworker. He is currently teaching theology and leadership courses at the University of Portland while also working at St. Joseph, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic churches as the Pastoral Assistant for Social Concerns.
GENESEE MCCARTHY
Development & Operations Coordinator
Genesee has served as a co-leader for EAB immersion programs since 2015. She also transformed EAB’s communications quality and marketing reach, and has helped lift EAB’s annual Spring Fiesta fundraiser in Seattle to a new level of professionalism, style, impact— and fun!
JOHN “JUAN” McLAUGHLIN
Founding Director
John is a graduate of Gonzaga College High School (Washington, DC), the University of Virginia, and the University of Iowa. He lived in the Dominican Republic for several years beginning in 1997, first as assistant director of Creighton University’s Semestre Dominicano program, later as a journalist and teacher. He has completed various spiritual formation programs including at Seattle University, and the Center for Action & Contemplation. John’s writings about the DR and EAB’s work have appeared in numerous periodicals; his award-winning books for children and adults have won multiple literary prizes.
ANNIKA PEREZ-KRIKORIAN
Admin & Communications Assistant
Annika has been with EAB since 2014, offering support with mailing, Fiesta curation, and web design, among other tasks. She also did the re-design of the EAB logo in 2016 & 2018.
Annika is an alumni of Seattle Prep and Gonzaga University, and has had the joy of visiting the DR twice.
WILLIAM “PAPITO” POLEYÓN JOSE
Co-Founder & DR Community Program Administrator
A co-founder of EAB, Papito was born and raised in Batey Libertad, where he lives with his wife and ten children and stepchildren. Over the course of over 25 years, he has held various leadership positions in his community, and has initiated multiple projects in the areas of literacy, worker rights, preventative health, clean water access, and community farming, among others.
MARIO SALADIN, ACADEMIC MENTOR
FELICIA “FELLA” PUNTIEL PICHARDO
Co-Founder & DR Community Program Administrator
A co-founder of EAB, Fella directs the Clínica San Gregorio, EAB’s free-access community clinic. She has worked in various hospital, clinic, and medical operative contexts for over 40 years, while conducting countless preventative health workshops in various rural communities. A coffee farmer, she sits on the governing board of her community’s coffee cooperative.
