Staff Photos & Bios
14-Day Sessions
Program Staff
International Director - Laura Elena Ramallo
Laura grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina in a family of 5 siblings. She received her degree in Environmental Sciences at the Faculty of Agronomy of the University of Buenos Aires. When she finished her studies, she started working in social inclusion projects in the Government of the City of Buenos Aires. At the age of 27 she went to travel and lived in Bahia, Brazil in an Ecovillage. After more than a year, she returned to Buenos Aires to experience communitary living and work as an environmental educator in NGOs (Germinar & Un Arbol) and as a high school teacher at the school of the National University of San Martin. Laura has a very deep connection to the rainforest and indigenous communities of South America. Laura currently lives in Berlin where she studies German and is training to become a therapist.
Local Director - Fernando Leal
Fernando is Colombian and he grew up in the capital Bogota. Fernando moved to Costa Rica in 2017 after falling in love with his now wife, and has been enjoying the pura vida lifestyle ever since. He is a professional with more than 25 years of experience in education. He loves innovative ideas, challenges and new projects. He is also a teacher for all areas in new technologies and teaching-learning methodologies, and works as a teacher in different international schools. Fernando worked at CNG (Colegio Nueva Granada) in different social projects and enjoyed leading the CWW trips (Class Without Walls) to Peru, Brazil, Guajira, Amazonas, France and China. He worked teaching public school teachers how to use technology, and now he is happy to be part of the GLA team.
Mentor - Alexa Fernandes
Alexa is a Brazilian-American GLA alum who grew up in a small town in Wisconsin, she then attended high school for three years in Arizona after her family moved. In 2019 she attested Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville New York until May 2020. Alexa decided to spend time abroad in Turkey and Europe to take some time off school, after she transferred to the University of Denver and completed a degree in Spanish and Philosophy. Alexa is currently teaching English at a school in Nicaragua and is awaiting for her opportunity to share her old GLA experiences as well as to help new students create new memories with GLA!
GLA Staffing - Roles
GLA staff are native to the host country and international, usually from the US, Canada or Europe. All staff are highly qualified adults with college degrees. Most of our staff are educators and/or working professionals with higher degrees of education. All of our staff have extensive experience working with teenage students, international programs and/or a specific knowledge of the program country.
GLA staff consists of a local program director, someone from the host country with extensive experience working with international students and also an international program director, someone from the west with extensive global experience working with this age group, who together bridge any cultural differences. Mentors work with the students on a day to day basis. Staff ages usually range between 25 – 35 years old. In addition, we maintain a student to staff ratio of 8:1.
Local Director
Local Program Directors are responsible for co-managing the overall experience alongside International Program Directors. First and foremost, they protect the health and safety of students at all times, reinforcing standards of safety and community culture. The Local Program Director is also responsible for planning excursions, speakers, and community service projects
International Director
International Program Directors are responsible for co-managing the overall experience alongside Local Program Directors. Along with the Local Director, the International Program Director protects the health and safety of students at all times, reinforcing standards of safety and community culture. The International Program Director is also responsible for structuring a dynamic learning environment by developing curriculum, facilitating the implementation of GLA’s service-learning workshops through group-wide discussions
Mentor
Mentors are also responsible for structuring a dynamic learning environment by working as part of a team to implement GLA’s service-learning leadership curriculum; leading daily discussion, reflection or journaling sessions with small student groups; and helping Directors plan additional workshops and activities to engage students in their “free” time.
Program Administrator
Country Administrators are responsible for managing the overall experience of multiple programs in a certain country. Along with the Local Director, and International Program Directors, the Administrator protects the health and safety of students at all times, reinforcing standards of safety and community culture. The Country Administrator is also responsible for structuring a dynamic learning environment by developing curriculum, facilitating the implementation of GLA’s service-learning workshops through group-wide discussions.
In-Country Coordinator
Our In-Country Program Coordinators are people with close ties to the local community. Their connections are what allow our groups to be welcomed as friends into a community, and their knowledge of the challenges facing local people allow our work to be a meaningful and valued contribution.
Program Manager
Our Program Managers support the International and Local teams over the course of summer programming. The Program Managers have extensive training in risk management, cross cultural communication, student and group dynamics, mental health protocols, staff management and GLA policies and procedures. Program Managers posses and in-depth knowledge of each program site, partner, service activities, and excursion. The Program Managers communicate weekly with each team in the field and provide ongoing support during the summer to ensure safe and successful programs.