The Board of Directors is a crew of dedicated professionals and LE alumni who provide general support and direction to the Executive Staff. They assist in reaching the overarching goals of the organization and offer advice and guidance as the students work in their management roles.
Maureen Russo, Chair
Maureen has been involved with LE since 2003, when she spent the most rewarding summer of her life volunteering in the tiny pueblo of Juan Aldama, in Sinaloa, Mexico. Since then, working for Learning Enterprises has been a staple part of her life. Maureen took over the Mexico program in 2004, returning to Sinaloa with a volunteer team that tripled the size and impact of the program. After a year abroad studying Latin American Literature in Milan, Italy, Maureen was offered the opportunity to direct all of the LE programming efforts. With the help of her fantastic Executive Partners and Staff, Maureen spearheaded a successful 2006 programming year, which included the founding of pilots in Mauritius, Poland, Lithuania, the Philippines, and Siberia.
Maureen was honored to be nominated to the LE Board of Directors. She is currently a PhD candidate and Teaching Fellow at Georgetown University, where she studies Language Teaching Methodology and works towards a degree in Spanish Language Literature and Culture.
Megan Hansen
Megan Hansen’s service with Learning Enterprises has spanned all levels, from volunteer to manager. Megan started her LE adventure as a 2005 volunteer in Topolobampo, Mexico and could not help but return to teach again in the summer of 2006. After working as Stanford Campus Director and Director of Programming, Megan took on the role of Managing Director in 2007 where she continued to strengthen LE’s organizational foundation and volunteer impact.
Megan currently works for the World Bank on energy projects in Latin America. She is passionate about renewable energy and development and has lived abroad in Chile, Mexico, and Brazil. When not consumed with work or friends, she enjoys rock climbing, reading, and trying to cook new foods. Megan graduated from Stanford University with a B.S in Atmosphere/Energy Engineering and a M.S. in Management Science & Engineering.
Claudette A. Pulido
Claudette A. Pulido has been involved with LE since 2000, the summer after her sophomore year at Harvard, when she volunteered in Hungary and Slovakia. She spent an amazing summer teaching and traveling through central and eastern Europe and has since developed a strong attachment to that part of the world. Claudette continued with recruiting efforts on campus and participated in an LE pilot program in Uzbekistan (no longer in existence) in the summer of 2001. She remembers her summers’ spent with Learning Enterprises as among the best and most rewarding, growing experiences.
Claudette received an undergraduate degree, cum laude, from Harvard College in 2002 and a J.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2006. Claudette is currently a lawyer at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, LLP. Her practice focuses on international corporate transactions, including capital markets and mergers and acquisitions.
Harry Wodehouse
Harry’s timeline with Learning Enterprises began in Chamarel, Mauritius as a volunteer in 2008. Inspired by the community he served and the LE mission, he returned the following years as the Mauritius Program Director and as LE’s Managing Director. Harry has incredibly high hopes for the future of LE and is thrilled to continue providing unique opportunities for young folks as a member of the Board of Directors.
Harry graduated from The George Washington University with a B.A. in International Relations. He focused his degree on International Development and African Studies and has lived abroad in Cameroon as well as Mauritius. Harry is currently serving as an AmeriCorps construction leader with Habitat for Humanity in Austin, TX. In addition to spreading the spirit of volunteerism, Harry enjoys playing soccer, acting, and covering the greatest hits of the Carter Administration years with his aptly named band, The Carter Administration.
Nick Phoutrides
Nick Phoutrides began his involvement with Learning Enterprises during the summer of 2004, when he taught in in Anhui, China. Since then he has served as the China Program Director in 2004-2005 and Managing Director in 2005-2006. One of his priorities for Learning Enterprises is to ensure that it grows at a sustainable and fiscally responsible pace.
Nick currently works for Clean Energy Associates, Ltd., a solar advisory firm based in Shanghai, China. He served as an active duty officer in the US Marine Corps from 2006-2010 and continues his involvement as a Marine Corps Reserve Officer. Nick graduated from Georgetown University with a B.S. in International Politics/Security Studies and a certificate in Asian Studies. He is pursuing an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Adam Salazar
Adam acquired affinity for Learning Enterprises in the summer of 2006, when he taught as a volunteer in Los Santos, Panama. He later aided in the execution of a successful 2008 program year as Director of Training and Recruitment – where he focused on volunteer support and teaching preparation. Unable to resist another summer with LE in 2008, he ventured to Sinaloa as both a volunteer and in-country support for the Mexico program. He is honored to join LE’s board and excited to help ensure its success for years to come.
Adam currently works in policy and legislative affairs at the National Immigration Forum where he educates Congressional offices about immigration-related policies that benefit the American public. He is passionate about topics in economic development and entrepreneurship both domestically and abroad. He earned a BA from Georgetown University in Comparative Government and Latin American Studies.
Jason Reeder
Jason first came to LE bright eyed and bushy tailed in 2008 as a volunteer in El Fuerte, Mexico. The experience convinced him that foreign language education, cultural exchange, and cultivating a warm heart can break down most of the barriers that separate communities from each other. In 2009, Jason prepared to lead a group to Mexico as program director, but sadly after 8 wonderful years LE was forced to cancel the Mexico program due to security concerns. Upon a tip from Adam Tolnay, Jason spent that summer laying the foundation for a short-lived pilot program in Guatemala.
In 2011, he returned as a new member of the board, hoping to direct lessons learned from Mexico and Guatemala towards the safety and sustainability of all of LE’s programs. He is currently on the cusp of graduating from Brown University, and preparing to spend a year studying Arabic in Cairo through the University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Arabic Studies Abroad. In addition to studying languages, he loves backpacking, salsa dancing, and leading singalongs.