Our Leadership Team

Cathy Hart is an accomplished and forward-thinking administration and operations executive with a remarkable ability to navigate through complex challenges while maintaining a strategic focus on maximizing Common Hope’s potential. With a keen eye for opportunity, she thrives on transforming obstacles into stepping stones for growth and success. As a dynamic leader, Cathy brings a unique blend of innovative solutions and a deep understanding of the organization’s mission, ensuring that agility and continuous improvement remain at the core of Common Hope’s operations.

Recognized as a skilled connector of people and ideas, Cathy fosters a collaborative and inclusive work environment where diverse perspectives are encouraged and valued. Her passion for Central America is evident in her unwavering commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of the communities served by Common Hope. But it is Cathy’s desire for knowledge that truly sets her apart – her lifelong pursuit of learning allows her to stay at the forefront of best practices and emerging trends, consistently adding value to the organization and driving progress. With Cathy Hart at the helm, Common Hope is equipped with an extraordinary leader who not only envisions a brighter future but turns those visions into reality through strategic prowess, adaptability, and an unyielding dedication to making a lasting difference.

A strong leader with a deep commitment to Guatemalan culture and livelihood, Rebecca most recently served at the Rainforest Alliance of Guatemala, where she built and led a global team since 2008. As a manager, advocate, and market strategist in sustainable agriculture, she has extensive experience serving NGOs, the private sector, and local farmers’ operations in 40 countries across the globe.

​

Joining Common Hope | Familias de Esperanza in 2016, Rebecca is charged with developing and executing Common Hope’s vision of helping children to graduation and families out of poverty in the Antigua Valley. Her knowledge of international business and human development represents a significant opportunity for Common Hope to make an even greater impact. Rebecca came to Guatemala to serve in the Peace Corps and stayed. Dedicating her life to her work in Guatemala for more than two decades, she has built not only a marvelous career serving the people of the country, but she has a family and home here as well. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Economy from the University of California at Berkeley and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Monterey Institute of International Studies.

​

The position of Country Director allows Rebecca to, as she would say, “work with the most wonderful team,” and make use of her diverse leadership skills for capacity building, training, program analysis and evaluation, and strategic and operational implementation. She looks forward to working together to continue delivering Common Hope’s mission of hope and opportunity to the children, families, and communities we serve.

Pablo arrived at Common Hope as IT Director in February 2006 and in 2016 he was made Administrative Director in charge of IT, Human Resources, and Accounting. He is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of each department. Prior to Common Hope, Pablo spent eleven years working in systems with a large non-profit in Guatemala.

​

Of his work Pablo states that of course he loves working with the technology, but above that he enjoys the opportunity he has at Common Hope to feel connected with the families we serve. From his office at the Family Development Center, he is able to see the work going on all around him as the families arrive daily for social work meetings, medical appointments, support groups or educational classes.

Chloe Czaplewski joins the team at Common Hope with a decade of experience working in nonprofits advocating for children. Guided by her impactful two-year AmeriCorps service, Chloe has played pivotal roles in fundraising at organizations such as the Pinky Swear Foundation and Playworks Minnesota. Her expertise lies in the development and execution of major gift programs, relationship-driven fundraising strategies, and fostering a culture of ethical philanthropy. As the Director of Development, she leads by example, cultivating a sense of belonging and empowerment within her team while implementing strategic fundraising strategies rooted in long-term planning. She takes pride in steering the team with values of curiosity, teamwork, and responsibility.

As an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), she was recognized with a National Philanthropy Day Award (AFP) in 2022 and recognize as a major gift mentor in AFP/Alford Group’s National Women’s Mentorship Program in 2023, showcasing her dedication to mentoring and shaping the next generation of philanthropic leaders.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Chloe finds joy in her travels with her wife, Emily, practicing yoga, and listening to podcasts and audiobooks. Chloe is often accompanied on adventures by their corgi, Beau.

We are thrilled to announce the latest addition to our leadership team in our offices in Guatemala: Luis, our new Director of Finance. His extensive background in financial management and strategic planning brings a wealth of expertise to our office, and we couldn’t be more excited about the fresh perspectives and innovative ideas he will bring to the table.  Stay tuned for more detailed insights into Luis’s impressive background and the invaluable contributions we anticipate he will make to our team.

As the Director of Communications for Common Hope, Adam is passionate about leveraging communication strategies to amplify Common Hope’s impact. Operating from the United States office, he is committed to bridging the gap between our organization and the global community. Through compelling storytelling, multimedia campaigns, and strategic outreach, his goal is to raise awareness, foster partnerships, and mobilize support for our programs aimed at nurturing the future leaders of Guatemala.

Drawing upon a diverse background in communications and a personal commitment to communities in central Guatemala, Adam strives to articulate the narratives of resilience, hope, and progress that define our students’ journeys. Collaborating closely with our team in both offices, he ensures that our messages resonate authentically while advocating for sustainable change and educational opportunities for every student and family we serve.

Outside of work, Adam enjoys traveling, hiking, collecting records and making music.

Doug arrived at Common Hope in April 2020 to continue his career in nonprofit finance, administration, and operations. A native of the Twin Cities, Doug has spent his entire career working in the business offices of the Guthrie Theater, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, MacPhail Center for the Arts, Macalester College and Augsburg University. At Common Hope, Doug oversees and works collaboratively with colleagues on budgeting, accounting, finance, HR, IT and office administration.

Doug holds a Bachelors of Business Administration degree in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, and a Masters of Business Administration degree in Finance from the University of Saint Thomas (MN). He is an active member of the Twin Cities Nonprofit Financial Group and an active member at his church. Doug enjoys spending time with his family and doing outdoor activities (hiking, biking, cross country skiing), and attending sporting events and concerts.

In his role, Josué is responsible for infrastructure assessment, management, and supervises our Housing Department. He oversees several key aspects of our Guatemalan sites, including construction, kitchen operations, maintenance, transport, cleaning, and security. His involvement extends to both the Antigua and New Hope sites, highlighting his commitment to ensuring the smooth functioning and improvement of these locations.

Furthermore, Josué’s personal connection to the project adds an extra layer of significance to his work. Being from one of the villages served by Common Hope, he understands the importance of supporting his own community and contributing to the betterment of Guatemala. This deep-rooted connection fuels his dedication and motivation to make a positive impact.

Josué’s passion for learning, his practical skills, and his genuine dedication to his community make him an essential and inspirational member of the Common Hope Familias de Esperanza team. His ability to manage a wide array of responsibilities speaks to his commitment, time management skills, and ability to make a positive impact on the lives of our students and their families.

As program development director, Renato focuses on gathering, prioritizing and setting up special projects to be developed for future or existing programming, such as the Common Hope educational quality initiatives, the launch of future outposts and general program monitoring and evaluation work.

Renato was born in Guatemala and orphaned at age five. He was then adopted by a couple in the United States. After graduating from St. John’s University with a degree in political science, he decided to devote the next stage of his life to Guatemala and its people. In 1996, he returned to Guatemala as a full-time volunteer with Common Hope and worked with home construction, stoves, eyeglasses, and computers.

From 1998 to 2008, Renato served as the director of New Hope, overseeing the construction of the village and primary school, as well as overseeing the development of primary and secondary education and community development. In January 2009, Renato accepted his current position of program development director. Renato lives in Guatemala with his family.