Program Staff
Greetings and welcome to the Casa de la Solidaridad web site. We encourage you to explore the possibility of studying with us in El Salvador. The experience will be one you surely will never forget!
Peace,
Kevin, Trena Yonkers-Talz
Daughters Sophia, Grace, and Hannah
Co-Directors
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| L-R: Sophia, Kevin, Grace, Trena, Hannah |
Trena Yonkers-Talz, M.Ed., M.S.
Co-Director, Casa de la Solidaridad
Trena is very proud of the fact that she grew up on a goat farm in Hastings, Michigan. Trena's academic interests lie in college student development theory and theology from a liberationist / feminist perspective. She studied accounting as an undergrad at Grandvalley State University and received her M.S. in College Student Personnel Services from Miami University and a M.Ed. in Religious Education from Boston College. She has a passion for running and baking cookies. She enjoys being a mom and loves seeing the joy Sophia, Grace, and Hannah bring to others.
Kevin Yonkers-Talz, M.Ed., M.S.
Co-Director, Casa de la Solidaridad
Kevin loves being a father and dreads the day his daughters start dating. He is passionate about working with college students and working with people living in poverty. Kevin's academic interests lie in economics, human development, and theology. He studied economics and psychology at Fairfield University and received his M.S. in College Student Personnel Services from Miami University. He then studied Religious Education with an emphasis on liberation theology at Boston College. He loves playing basketball.
After studying at Boston College, Trena and Kevin worked with Jesuit Volunteers: International in Belize, Central America for 2 years. They have been on the faculty of Santa Clara University and working with the Casa program since 1999.
Romero Scholarship Program Staff
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| L-R: Griselda Reyes, Julia Perez, Oti Guardado |
Cruz Portal
Assistant Director of Special Programs
Cruz Portal is a local Salvadoran who previously was the Director of a Salvadoran-based language school. Cruz lives with Sylvia, his wife, and his three kids: Luis, Carlos, and Daniella. He is very excited about helping to further the mission of the Casa and work with the students. To see additional biographical information about Cruz, please click here.
Oti Guardado
Director, Romero Scholarship Student Program
Oti has joined the staff this semester to coordinate the new Romero Program. Originally from the Department of Chalatenango, she was a nun in La Pequeña Communidad for 15 years and has a very long history of working for peace and justice in El Salvador since the '70s to the present day. She is finishing up her studies in theology at the UCA, hosts a weekly radio show for YSUCA (the UCA radio station), and is a member of the Romero Foundation which plans activities around Romero’s life, ministry, and death. Oti has been a long time friend of the Casa and has accompanied many students in praxis sites in Mejicanos & Mariona. We are pleased to welcome her as a full time member to the Casa staff.
Griselda Reyes
Community Facilitator, Romero Scholarship Student Program
Griselda has worked with the Casa for three years. Once a scholarship student herself, she now works full time with the Casa supporting young scholarship students studying at the UCA. She has a wealth of experience working with Casa students and scholarship students and we are pleased she has joined the staff. Griselda has also studied in the United States at Santa Clara University for one year through an exchange program.
She says, "I am very grateful to have this new experience of working with the Oscar Romero Program. It really is a gift from God that I am able to learn and enjoy time with the young men and women becario students and to work with this new program. Through it all, I can see the gifts God has given each of us to share and to bring alive the feelings and values of solidarity that we have acquired from our own experiences and families.
The feelings of social consciousness that are going to be raised from their own experiences with the poor. I believe that the community should start deep from within our own selves and only needs a healthy space in order to develop."
Community Facilitators
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| L-R: Tom Gill, Linda Haller, Elizabeth Looney, Allison Berry, Ray Burke |
Allison Berry
Community Facilitator
Bio coming soon!
Ray Burke
Community Facilitator
Bio coming soon!
Thomas Gill
Community Facilitator
coming soon!
Linda Haller
Community Facilitator
Bio coming soon!
Elizabeth Looney
Community Facilitator
Bio coming soon!
Becarios
Lidia, Francisca, Lupita, and Zarita
Lidia, Francisca, Zarita and Lupita comprise one of the most important teams on staff. They serve the Casa & becario students in a variety of ways: as support people, as educators about the lives of average Salvadorans, and as cooks. Lidia has worked as a cook with the Jesuits for over 17 years. Elba Ramos, the housekeeper who was murdered with the Jesuits, taught Lidia how to cook. Each semester, students reflect on the immense importance of these three women have on their experience. We are grateful they are on staff.
Support Staff
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| L to R: Guadalupe Montalvo, Francisca Martínez Arias, Lidia Ramirez de Mejía, Zara Ríos |
Hector Lopez
Hector is the full time handyman/maintenance person for all the Casas. They call him “mil uso” since he is talented enough to do a thousand different things. He is a huge asset to the Casa program.
Don Chepe
Each week, Don Chepe arrives at one of the students houses to tend the garden. A 76 year old Salvadoran who has a long history gardening with the Jesuits, Don Chepe helps out a tremendous amount each week.
Medical Staff
Dr. Virginia Rodriguez
Dr. Virginia Rodriguez is one of the finest doctors in El Salvador. She is completely fluent in English and did her doctoral studies in France. She has worked with the Casa students for the last two years. We are pleased she is willing to dedicate her time and expertise with us.
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