Development Consultants

Greg Lestikow: Greg graduated from Colorado College in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Religion and International Relations. Before working with the Baja Project, he spent time working with several non-profit organizations in the United States and Latin America. He was a community organizer with ACORN in San Bernardino, California, and spent six months in Quito, Ecuador as a fundraising associate with Fundación Esquel, one of Ecuador’s largest community and economic development organizations. This past summer, he worked as the Business Development Intern for ACDI/VOCA in Boliva supporting the growth and establishment of small enterprises. Baja Project is a great opportunity for Greg to hone his skills and gain further experience in the development field. After Baja Project, Greg hopes to use the lessons he learned in El Barril to help other communities find their own sustainable growth models.

Annie Schowalter: Annie received her bachelor's degree in Women's Studies from The Colorado College. Her thesis work with women's craft cooperatives in Northern New Mexico sparked her interest in rural community development. Prior to coming to IR/PS, she gained seven years of domestic and international professional experience in the for-profit, non-profit, and philanthropic sectors. She has worked as a project manager responsible for implementing system integration projects for shipping ports, as an organizational consultant for a Fair Trade Cooperative in Central America, and most recently as the Business Development Manager for a renewable energy company in Afghanistan. She believes in community driven, market-based interventions to promote sustainable economic development. On the Baja Project, she enjoys collaborating with the community of El Barril to apply the skills she is gaining at IR/PS. After graduation, she plans to continue her work in International Development.

Priscilla Venegas: Priscilla received a dual degree in psychology and Spanish literature from the University of California, Los Angeles and spent a year abroad at the University of Complutense in Madrid, Spain. She has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, primarily in philanthropy with expertise in fundraising, grant writing, and donor relations. Prior to IR/PS, she worked for The Nature Conservancy and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) in Washington, DC.  Most recently, she provided program operating support to the IRC for a community development project benefiting recently resettled refugees in the San Diego area. Priscilla is studying international development and nonprofit management specializing in Latin America and hopes to work in developing countries to foster social and environmental sustainability. Being a member of the Baja Project is a unique opportunity for her to gain first-hand experience with working on sustainable development issues in El Barril.

Jeremy Rode:
Jeremy is a Ph.D. Candidate in Electrical Engineering at UCSD's Irwin and Joan Jacobs School of Engineering. He provides expert consultation to the Baja Project in the area of construction and engineering. He considers his participation on the Baja Project to be one of the most rewarding opportunities he has had to apply the skills he is gaining in his studies.