Our Team

Shinta Damayanti

Office Coordinator / Data Manager

Shinta supports the administrative and programmatic functions of English In Action. She started as a student with English In Action. She is originally from Indonesia.

Maja Decker

Individual Tutoring Manager / Match Advisor

Maja is responsible for facilitating effective and meaningful experiences for students and tutors by overseeing the development, evaluation, and execution of the the Individual Tutoring Program. Maja has been an ESL teacher abroad and at Colorado Mountain College. She holds a B.A. in psychology and is TEFL certified. She joined the English In Action Team in 2022.

Beatriz Ferrufino

Student Leadership Manager / Match Advisor

Beatriz is dedicated to supporting the tutoring experiences of our adult students and tutors. She also manages the initiatives of our Student Leadership Committee. A longtime student at English In Action, she is a native Spanish speaker from El Salvador, who previously worked with Valley Settlement and LaMedichi.

Angela Hanley

Program Director

An active volunteer tutor since 2017, Angela oversees and manages English In Action programs. She supervises program staff and supports them in all aspects of program delivery. Angela is proficient in Spanish and holds a BA in Elementary Education as well as Professional Teacher License with the state of Colorado.

Susannah Lickus

Group Tutoring Manager

Susannah Lickus, our Group Tutoring Manager, oversees operations of our Small Group Tutoring and Open Hours programs in addition to supporting some Individual Tutoring Program pairs. She supports learners and tutors in all programs. Susannah holds a BA in Spanish and Studio Art with a certificate in Development Studies from Mount Holyoke College. She has lived and worked in parts of Central and South America and is proficient in Spanish. Susannah joined the English In Action team in July 2021.

Paulina Navas

Digital Literacy Manager

Paulina Navas manages English In Action’s Digital Literacy Program. Paulina oversees the purchase and distribution of tablets and laptops and offers our adult students customized how-to workshops one-on-one and in small groups. A native Spanish speaker originally from Colombia, Paulina is an active member of English In Action’s Student Leadership Committee. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and has previously worked for Valley Waste Solutions and DIAN/Emtelco.

Rachel Schmidt

Marketing & Events Director

Rachel has been an active volunteer for English In Action since 2009. Rachel manages English In Action’s outreach, communication and marketing activities to the general public and plans and executes special events. Another east coast transplant, Rachel has lived in Aspen since 2001.

Samuel Bernal

Board of Directors

Samuel is a VP of IMS at Entravision (the parent company of Radio TriColor, the Spanish-language station in Basalt). He joined the Board in 2017 and is a dedicated community volunteer, working with many organizations throughout the Valley. Samuel resides in New Castle.

Jean Campbell

Board of Directors

Jean Campbell is an active tutor for English In Action in both the Small Groups and Individual Programs. A retired family law attorney, Jean served on several education nonprofit boards in New Jersey. Jean joined the English In Action board in January 2020 and lives in Carbondale with her husband.

Lisa Chiles

Board of Directors

Lisa is a senior recruiter with Impact Advisors. She has also served as a nonprofit consultant and Executive Director for Aspen Education Foundation. She is a tutor for English In Action, and joined the Board in 2016. Lisa resides in Basalt.

Rosa Contreras

Board of Directors

Rosa Contreras has represented English In Action students on the Board of Directors since 2019. She owns and operates the Main Street Barber Shoppe in Carbondale. As an English In Action student, Rosa is also a valued voice on the English In Action Student Leadership Committee. Originally from Guatemala, Rosa and her husband live in Carbondale with their daughters.

Patrick Curry

Patrick is the founder of Footsteps Marketing and a member of YouthEntity. He joined the Board in 2014 and is a former tutor for English In Action. Patrick resides in Carbondale.

Estela Lopez Gudiño

Board of Directors
Vice-Chair

Estela Lopez Gudiño joined the Board of Directors in August 2020. As a longtime English In Action student, she is also an active member of the Student Leadership Committee. Estela works as a personal trainer and is a dedicated volunteer for several Roaring Fork Valley organizations. Originally from Mexico, Estela and her family live in Basalt.

Catherine O’Connell

Board of Directors
Secretary

Cathy is a published author of three novels and is on the advisory board of Aspen Words. She has been a tutor for English In Action since 2002.

Natalie Travers

Natalie is a nonprofit and business leadership consultant and joined the board in 2019. A former English In Action tutor, Natalie was also the director of Archetype and worked as a program manager for The Aspen Challenge and The Aspen Institute. Natalie and her family reside in Aspen.

Julie Fox Rubin

Julie started English In Action with the vision of bringing people together across the language and cultural divide. While developing English language skills was an important part of the mission from the start, Julie was equally interested in helping people to build mutually beneficial cross-cultural relationships, which strengthen our community as a whole.

Gary Harada

Board of Directors

Gary is a retired U.S. Army captain and former director of operations at Baxter Healthcare. He is a tutor for English In Action who has helped many of our adult learners earn their U.S. citizenship. Gary rejoined the Board in 2023 and also serves as the Chair of the building committee for English In Action’s planned Center for Communication. He and his wife, Lori, reside in Carbondale.

Julie Comins

Board of Directors Chair

Julie is a freelance writer/editor and former Executive Director & Board Member of Aspen Writer’s Foundation. She joined the Board in 2016 and resides in Basalt.

David Floria

Board of Directors

David is a retired art gallery owner in Aspen, where he has resided for many years. He became a tutor for English In Action in 2015 and has served in this role in our Open Hours and Individual Tutoring Programs. He joined the Board in 2018.

Helene Gude

Helene is the community relations manager at Alpine Bank. She has served as a board member for the Aspen Education Foundation and is an Roaring Fork Outdoor Ambassador. She resides in Carbondale and joined the board in 2018.

Susan Lodge

Board of Directors

Susan is a realtor with Sotheby’s Aspen Snowmass International Realty. She founded both the Aspen and Tokyo chapters of Room to Read. She is a former tutor for English In Action and joined the Board in 2015. She resides in Basalt.

Robert Hubbell

Board of Directors
Chair

Robert manages Crawford Properties in El Jebel. He is a former Navy and private pilot, and serves on the board of Crown Mountain Park & Recreation District. He joined English In Action as a tutor and Board member in 2016, and resides in El Jebel.

Lynn Nichols

Board of Directors

An English In Action tutor since 2013, Lynn has served on English In Action’s Board of Directors or Advisory Council since 2011. She and her family are ranchers at the Cap K Ranch outside of Basalt, where they live year-round. Lynn also is the chair of English In Action’s Welcome Home capital campaign. She trained as a landscape architect and is a passionate fundraiser for English In Action.

Yuani Ruiz

Board of Directors
Treasurer

Yuani Ruiz, President of Loss Mitigation & Credit Review at Alpine Bank, was one of four founding board members of English In Action. After a stint on the Advisory Council he rejoined the Board of Directors in 2024. He has served on the leadership of numerous organizations including the Basalt Chamber of Commerce, Basalt High School Wrestling, Junior Achievement, Carbondale Planning & Zoning Commission, Carbondale Historical Preservation Commission, and Ross Montessori School.

Dyna Mei Sanchez

Board of Directors

Former tutor Dyna Mei joined the English In Action Board in 2019. As a Broker with Rimkus Real Estate, Dyna is a Roaring Fork Valley expert. Born in Panama, Dyna, bilingual in English and Spanish, is also a licensed broker in Florida and Texas. She and her husband, Tobias, enjoy an active mountain lifestyle in Carbondale with their three beloved dogs.

Alexandra Yajko-Willins

Board of Directors

Alexandra is the President of WINGS Consulting, a philanthropy consultant group. She has extensive fundraising experience in the Roaring Fork Valley, notably with Colorado Mountain College Foundation and Valley View Hospital. Alexandra rejoined the Board in 2023 and lives in Carbondale.

Heather Hicks Stumpf

Development Director

Heather oversees fundraising initiatives from individuals, grant makers and businesses to support English In Action’s annual budget needs and strategic growth. She has more than 17 years of experience working with nonprofits in the Roaring Fork Valley, including the Buddy Program and Youth Entity. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Heather speaks fluent Spanish and has lived in Spain twice. Heather lives in Carbondale and joined English In Action in May 2021.

Amy Gordon

Board of Directors

Longtime local and interior designer, Amy is a former English In Action tutor (2009-2016) and board member (2011-2020) who rejoined our board in 2023.

Lisa Baker

Board of Directors

Lisa is a risk advisor with Kelly Klee Private Client Insurance. She joined the English In Action Board in 2023, and serves on Theatre Aspen’s Board of Directors and the Financial Advisory Board for Pitkin County. She lives in Aspen with her husband and family.

Maria Elena Avila Bustos

Match Advisor

Maria Elena joined English In Action as a Match Advisor in December of 2023. She interviews students and tutors prior to being matched, facilitates initial “match” meetings”, conducts annual evaluations of student progress, and supports students and tutors in finding learning resources. She has been matched with her tutor in the Individual Tutoring Program since 2020 and has been actively involved in many activities offered. Elena has volunteered in our local schools with the Parent Mentor program and is working on a degree in Human Services at CMC. Originally from Colombia, she holds a bachelor’s degree in geomatic engineering and is bilingual in Spanish and English.

LYNN NICHOLS, Chair

Chair

Pat McMahon

Board of Directors

Prior to retiring, Pat McMahon spent 34 years as president of Barker Company LTD in Iowa. He was also a long-time board member at Iowa State Bank and Trust Company, serving on the Executive and Audit Committees. He is currently the Board President of Roaring Fork Conservancy; Treasurer at the Basalt Sanitation District; and active in the leadership of St. Vincent’s Church in Basalt.