A college trip to Ecuador during his first year set Max on a course that changed his life. Originally visiting to study environmental science, he discovered his love of all things Ecuadorian. He returned to the States, changed his major to Spanish, and later earned his Master’s in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). When he returned to Ecuador on a break from teaching in 2009, he fell in love with Otavalo and the lovely hotel–under a different name at the time–that would within months become La Posada del Quinde. After running the hotel from 2010-2019, Max dedicated himself to the Foundation’s programs. Max’s strong belief in the value of education is the foundation for everything he does, and he feels strongly about the value of providing humans opportunity to become their best selves.
Maricela Campo Perugachi
Maricela is a 28-year-old indigenous Otavalan who lives in the community of Punyaro Alto. Several years ago, she earned her degree as a nursing assistant from the Universidad Metropolitana de Guayaquil ,and in 2019, she came on board with the Foundation as the Scholarship Coordinator. Maricela says that working with the scholarship families has given her a greater appreciation for the life she lives and the comforts her family is able to afford. She has great admiration and respect for our scholars, and has learned much from her work with them–including the value of study, access to which is limited for many Ecuadorians. Under Maricela’s guidance, our scholarship program has given rise to several excellent professionals, all of whom are now contributing to the Foundation to benefit other students.
