EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE | PROGRAM COMMITTEE | COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

communications COMMITTEE

The BPP Communications Committee works closely with Synergos staff to define, frame and disseminate the key messages of the BPP with an aim towards promoting the work of border community foundations and the US Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership.  Committee members advise on key messages, public relations and awareness activities and strategies and share tools to strengthen the capacity of border community foundations in promoting and raising the profile of the foundation and philanthropic giving in border communities. 

Communications committee members biographies and contact information :

CLAUDIA BASURTO (Committee Chair) Claudia is presently a Program Officer at the Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad after having served for many years as a board member for this same border community foundation.  Her professional experience includes Public Relations and Media, Fundraising, and Training.  She was an elementary school teacher at Colegio de la Paz, Vizcaínas and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Universidad Intercontinental.  She completed graduate studies in Education and Cultural Integration from Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. She has also served as a Director on the City of  Tijuana’s  Image Committee and is the Former Educational Department Manager at Tijuana Cultural Center, Former Executive Coordinator of the Museo de las Californias and also Exhibition’s Hall Manager in CECUT. She was in charge of Continuing Education in Alfaguara and Santillana Publishers in Northwest Mexico.  Some civic and philanthropic activities include art instructor at San Diego Museum of Art and Museum of Photographic Arts and has volunteered with teachers and migrant students and at YMCA’s shelter for migrant children. She’s a member of the Bi-national Committee in Border Pedagogy; former member of Advisory Committee of the California’s Museum; Insite 97’s Educational Committee and Board Member; and Bi-national Committee in Education and Culture in San Diego.  Contact Claudia Basurto at cbasurto@ficbaja.org

ALMA COTA DE YAÑEZ was born in Cd. Obregón, Sonora, in 1963. She graduated in Business Administration at the Technological Institute of Monterrey. She began working with NGOs as a part time translator for Save the Children during her universities studies. She was a part-time teacher for the Technological Institute of Monterrey, La Salle University (both in Obregón) and Kino High School (in Magdalena, Sonora). She has also volunteered with several organizations in Magdalena and Cd. Obregón. In Nogales she volunteered for the Public Library in the animation workshops and Story-teller in a local radio station. Presently, she is responsible for the reading workshops at the Lourdes Catholic School and the Book Club for the Highschool’s students. FESAC’s Executive Director since January 2003.  She is married and has a 15 year old son.

CRISTINA GALINDEZ joined the Yuma Community Foundation August, 2006 as the US – Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership fellow.  She is a graduate of Northern Arizona University-Yuma where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Social Work degree.  She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in education.  Cristina comes to her new position with a background in social and human services.  She was employed by Ppep-Tec High School to assist at-risk students and, more recently, by Campesinos Sin Fronteras in Somerton, Arizona where she was the Assistant Program Director.  In that capacity, Cristina oversaw the implementation of youth programs (diabetes, obesity and tobacco), HIV/AIDS prevention and suicide prevention programs.  She also served as the administrator and program coordinator of STEPS to a Healthier Arizona

ANTJE LEAR has been with the Santa Cruz community Foundation for over three years.  She is in charge of the grants process and was hired to implement the Ford Foundation grant (BPP).  Currently she is also involved in a series of collaborative meetings with the Department of Economic Security to develop strategies for a better service delivery in Nogales.  She has over 25 years experience in the non profit sector, with positions ranging from case manager, trainer, Recruiter/Executive Liaison and Program Director.  She is bi-national, having gown up in Mexico City, is fluent in Spanish, English and German.  .

JULIETA MENDEZ  is a Program Officer with the International Community Foundation (ICF).  She joined ICF in 2004 as Executive Coordinator to support ICF's President & CEO in expanding the Ties that Bind Us Program. Julieta focuses on deepening ICF’s relationship with the Latino immigrant community in Southern California, primarily those from her family's home state of Oaxaca, Mexico. She is also co-author of the "Corporate Giving Trends in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region" report, an initiative of the Border Philanthropy Partnership, and provides programmatic assistance with the Maquiladora Giving Initiative that aims to increase the awareness and levels of U.S. based maquiladora contributions to nonprofits in Mexico's northern border.  Julieta graduated with a Masters degree in international development focused on Latin America, from the Graduate School of International Relations/Pacific Studies (IR/PS), UCSD.  She was recognized as an "Emerging Leader Fellow 2006" by the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society based at the City University of New York.  Julieta also holds a B.A. in Business Economics and Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

ELVIRA RAMOS moved from Denver, Colorado to join the Brownsville Community Foundation as Executive Director in July 2005.  Ms. Ramos brings nearly 30 years of professional experience in the not-for-profit field where she has worked in a variety of areas including domestic violence and crime prevention, the arts, and community mental health.  In addition to overall management experience she has strong skills in organizational development and training, public education and communication, and fundraising and grant management.  Most recently she worked for a large, international professional association where she raised $2 million to develop and deliver security and crisis trainings post-911 for an international audience.  She has served on a number of non profit boards and committees and is currently on the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s national Hispanic/Latina Advisory Council.   Her 12 year old son is her inspiration and joy and together they volunteered for many non profits in Colorado and currently volunteer for a local animal shelter.