Team and Board

Living in a village at the base of a volcano in eastern El Salvador for two years transformed my worldview and set me on a service journey that has shaped my life and career.

I lived with a Salvadoran host family and worked on youth health projects alongside the local health promoter, Rolando. I also led youth leadership camps, taught computer classes, and raised funds to help young women from rural villages attend high school and college on scholarship. The work was meaningful, and we made a real impact together on community health outcomes. But the relationships we forged and the experiences we shared left an indelible mark on my heart.

The neighborhood kids followed me around like shadows when I wasn’t at work. One kid in particular — Wilson — stood out to me for his curiosity, intelligence, and sense of humor, all of this despite losing three caregivers before sixth grade, shuffling from home to modest home. I took Wilson to Pizza Hut in a nearby city for his 12th birthday; he ate so much that he fell asleep on my shoulder during the bus ride home. I was back in the village this January and we reflected on that day together over another shared meal — pupusas this time.

He’s a young man now, still smart, funny, and quick to smile. I’m proud of him and grateful that his remarkable resilience, buoyed by an informal support network, allowed him to reach adulthood with his spirit intact. But in telling Wilson’s story, I’m reminded of so many of his peers in the village who were lost to tragic outcomes during adolescence.

Those stories are part of what makes me so honored to take the helm at COAR Peace Mission, recognizing that many young people at the Children’s Village have been shepherded through difficult times decade after decade, embraced in a loving community that empowers them to heal and flourish.

Stepping into the Executive Director role at COAR isn’t just a job for me. It’s a calling. I’m grateful for this opportunity to steward such a meaningful and enduring mission into its next chapter. Together, we will continue to meet the challenge and ensure that the youth in Zaragoza have the support they need to persevere and thrive.

Kyle Carter served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador from 2010-13 and has returned regularly to visit in recent years. Kyle holds a master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus in nonprofit management from the University of Colorado Denver.

There are all sorts of new faces around COAR these days, as my husband and I welcomed a baby girl, Cecilia Josephine, on April 11. In the last four months, not a day has gone by that I don’t thank God for the stability we’re able to provide her, and the support system that makes it all possible. And as I return to work part-time, now a mother, our mission strikes me ever more poignantly.

While I can’t imagine the ways in which our COAR girls have suffered, I know that COAR is the support system they can count on when they need it. Our staff, each and every one of them, models healthy relationships and teaches the girls that, even though they might not be related, they’re family. The bonds they create at COAR, as they heal, learn, play, and pray, will carry them through their time with us and out into the real world.

Those bonds occasionally bring a COAR alum back into our orbit, as the young men and women who grew up at COAR return to share their experiences with their COAR family. In that sharing, I see hope. Hope, as the children still with us see a living example of the ways that COAR has helped others like them to heal. Hope, in the alumni, that they truly carry on the ideal of dignifying lives and healing hearts, even on their own. It’s the same hope that I have for my daughter, as well — to know that she is loved and has people she can count on as she grows and ventures out into the real world…well, that, and maybe to let me get a few hours of sleep…

Susan has been with COAR since 2019, following four years living in El Salvador and working at a Catholic school in Chalatenango. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Rochester and a master’s degree in Spanish translation from Kent State.

Jenni joined COAR in 2007 as our bookkeeper, fresh out of college. Over the years, she has become an essential part of our team, expanding her role to include database management and IT support. Her technical expertise has helped COAR stay current, cost-effective, and most importantly, has ensured the security of your data.

Jenni was born in Honduras and adopted by a loving family in the United States as a baby. Her personal journey adds depth to her commitment to COAR’s mission and the children we serve. Outside of work, Jenni serves as the Treasurer of the Greater Cleveland Orchid Society and has won numerous awards for her orchids. She is a proud pet mama of two chihuahuas.

A graduate of Notre Dame College, Jenni holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

My journey to COAR Peace Mission as a Development Manager was shaped by my experiences rooted in service and community engagement through meaningful relationship-building. A defining chapter in my journey was serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador, where I lived and worked alongside local community leaders. From attending weekly mass with my host family to carrying out projects requested by my community, my experiences have reinforced the importance of trust, partnership, and cultural humility.

In addition to holding a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences and Spanish from Marquette University, I have a background of working with underserved populations. I have seen how programs thrive when they are grounded in local leadership. Such experiences reinforced my commitment to promoting equity, ethical storytelling, and responsible stewardship.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of the COAR community and look forward to building meaningful relationships with donors to help ensure our programs are sustainable. Together, we can support COAR’s mission in empowering the youth of El Salvador.