Program Director

Gloria is a dedicated resident of Yanque. She has worked with a number of agencies over the decades including the Peace Corps, Paz Peru and Casa Chapi. Urban Angels is blessed to have hired Gloria Huerta Huerta to provide ongoing communications between David and the local leaders of each project in the Colca Valley.

Gloria was the director of the kindergarten (ages 3-5) in Yanque for twenty years. She expanded that school to care for babies 0-2 years of age as well. We are using her school in Yanque as a model for our work in other villages.

Executive Assistant

Yngrid is a college graduate and resident of Yanque. She has a great interest in educational and tourism projects for the sustainable development of the Colca Valley. Yngrid has a degree in Tourism and Hospitality and has been conducting research on the development of tourism in the villages of the Colca Valley. Yngrid loves the countryside and sunsets of daily living in Yanque.

Student Guide

Rocio graduated top of her class, and chose to study education despite it being a career with low remuneration in Peru. She has followed her vocation as a teacher for more than 20 years, teaching in national and private schools in Arequipa, at secondary and higher levels. She has always occupied the first positions in the teaching competitions and in the area of mathematics. is currently working as a Mathematics specialist in the Education Management Unit of the province of Caylloma and is making contributions to improve the preparation of teachers and the educational quality of Caylloma.

Curriculum Developer

From Mexico City, Lilian has taught an international bachelor’s program as well as primary school. She was an Apple Distinguished Educator, where she became aware of the challenge based learning philosophy. Lilian volunteered in the slums of Argentina, training teachers at a cultural center. Since November 2015, she has worked with the the non-profit corporation Notion, developing a challenge based learning curriculum for grades K-9 adapted to the Mexican National Curriculum.

Curriculum Developer

Bonnie is both a professor and practicing therapist. She provides the theory, content and specific activities for our club meetings that teach practices to promote emotional well-being for our students.

Educational Advisor

Cynthia has a deep passion for children’s education. She recently retired after a 30 year career teaching deaf students and students with autism, emotional challenges and reading problems. Cynthia lives with her husband of 37 years in their home in Austin where she raised four grown children. She is a dedicated meditator, yoga practitioner, lover of nature, a knitter and an amateur painter. Cynthia plays an invaluable role both on the missions in Peru, and the planning and fundraising completed back in the United States.

Founder

With a life long commitment to community service, David was first invited to the villages of the Colca Valley by the International Children’s Network in 2015. After two more trips, he and Cynthia Harp were inspired to develop an after-school program teaching community leadership and emotional well-being.

David is a financial advisor in private practice. He has been committed to handling his clients’ investments and financial planning for 22 years. After growing up in Buffalo, NY and Littleton, CO, David made Texas his home for over twenty years. He is now living in Mexico City. He loves art, theater, daily walks to the park with his dog, and remaining close with his friends and family all over the world.