Team

Evan Markiewicz
Executive director, Co-founder

Evan is the executive director of ViviendasLeón and is responsible for overseeing partnerships, communications, and financial management. Until 2003, Mr. Markiewicz worked under the auspices of the New Haven/León Sister City Project, an internationally recognized non-governmental organization, where he developed ViviendasLeón and other programs targeting the multiple needs of rural communities.

Indiana Garcia
Co-founder

Indiana Garcia is the full time director of ViviendasLeón in Central America. She is responsible for program development, administrative operations, and communications between San Francisco and León. She is fluent in English and Spanish and holds a degree in Tourism Administration from the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN) in León.

Martin Juarez
Programs director, San Francisco

Martin holds undergraduate degrees in Latin American Studies and International Studies from the University of San Francisco. During his tenure at USF he was a senior government executive assistant for the USF Student Senate, and an Advocate for Community Engagement (ACE) paid intern at the ViviendasLeon offices in San Francisco. He was the president of Alpha Epsilon Omega, USF chapter in 2015-16.

Molly Molander
Project director, Guatemala

Molly is an architect and has beenliving and working in Panajachel, Guatemala since 1998. She manages Tierra Linda Architects and is responsible for numerous private and community design projects. Molly has been a friend of ViviendasLeón since 2005 and together with VL has worked toward supporting the development of an education and service travel program over the last 5 years. Molly is responsible for planning and managing the service projects we work on with rural communities.

Leonor Zepeda
Programs director, Leon

Leonor holds a degree in Tourism Business Management from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua (UNAN) in Leon. and has worked in Leon city government in small business development, for the Technical University of Nicaragua and for the Leon Foundation.

Brenda Acosta
Accounting and small business program, Leon

Brenda Acosta holds a degree in Accounting, Finance and Computing. She has fifteen years of accounting experience. Her career includes work at AMOCSA, an insurance company, as an accounting and administrative assistant from 1998-1999, Reencaushadora Moderna as an accounting assistant from 1999-2000, Penelas y Sireras as a general accountant 2000-2004, and Sucesión Mantica Berio, S. A. as general accountant from 2005-2013. Brenda was hired as an accounting assistant in July 2013 and is responsible for our small business projects.

Lesbia Alvarado
Agroforestry program, Leon

Camilo Meléndez
Agroforestry technician, Leon

Camilo provides effective technical supervision to family farms, advising rural farmers in the communities where we work regarding environmental stewardship, and developing strategies for the conservation of natural resources while promoting organic pest management. He holds a degree from the Ministry of Education and Sports (MINED) in Leon, Nicaragua and is a licensed technical agronomist. He specializes in organic sustainability, developing crops through organic methodologies.

Rob Lawrence
Board member

Rob has extensive experience in non-profit organizations and board affiliations. He holds degrees from Harvard University and Pepperdine University. He has worked as a non-profit consultant, and for organizations with an environmental focus.

Annie Longsworth
Board member

Will Robbins
Board member

William L. Robbins is an equity portfolio manager at Capital Group. He has 24 years of investment experience and has been with Capital Group for 22 years. Prior to joining Capital, he was a part of the investment team at Tiger Management Corp. in New York and a financial analyst with Morgan Stanley. Will has served on various finance and investment committees over the years (Little School, Katherine Burke’s School, etc.) and more recently served six years on Town School for Boys' Board as both Finance Chair (four years) and Development Chair (1 year). He currently serves on the Episcopal Impact Fund’s investment committee and chair Harvard’s Parents Committee. Will holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College graduating magna cum laude.

Mike Hower
Board member

With more than a decade of experience as a sustainability journalist and strategic communicator, Mike is committed to helping organizations address the climate crisis and other environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues through the power of story. As Managing Director of Sustainability & Social Impact, Mike leads partnership development and provides strategic counsel for thinkPARALLAX. Mike holds a Masters in Public Affairs from The George Washington University and a Bachelors degree in Political Science and History from the University of California, Davis.