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Meet our Staff
Lester Almanza - Staff GuideMy name is Lester Almanza and I am 24 years old. I moved to the U.S. when I was 3 years old with my family and at the age of 13 years old I returned to Nicaragua. I graduated from High School in Granada Nicaragua with honors; being the top student at my High School and in the city of Granada. I entered Medical School at the age of 17 and studied Medicine for 3 years. I decided that I didn’t want to complete my studies and left the program. I have held various jobs since that time. I have worked for many different non-profit organizations as a Translator here in Nicaragua and I love it! I now attend the University and study Economic International Relations. I hope to some day be able to do a lot more for the people of this beautiful country of Nicaragua and other countries in Central America.
Pablo Araya - TranslatorMy name is Pablo Araya and I am 23 years old. I was born and raised in Paraiso de Cartago, Costa Rica. I started working as a translator 2 years ago. In the beginning I was nervious, but now I love translating as I have realized the importance of my job; I am a bridge between the patients and the volunteers. I have met so many nice local people and so many students from the U.S. and Canada. Many are new lifelong friends. The great part of my job is the amazing feeling I get by helping others. It really doesn’t matter how little or how much you help a person, they are always grateful. There are so many people in need in Central America and I want to be a part of helping to make their lives better. The beautiful places I have been to in Costa Rica and Nicaragua are amazing and the people wonderful! What are you waiting for? Give it a try, help people and learn from this wonderful experience.
Ana María Castro Balbontín, VIDA TranslatorI was born in San Jose, CR and raised in the United States where my parents finished their post-graduate studies. I’m a biologist and in my last year of Medical School which I love and is my life, along with my love of outdoor sports. I dream of us human beings becoming more sensitive towards our mother Earth, learning to treasure and nourish it…make it a better place to live, where all of us have equal opportunities. I came across VIDA by chance and it truly is a way of making a small difference (that means so much!), even sometimes with just a smile or a kind gesture. I wish to become an excellent Surgeon and to keep up my work with non-profit environmental and health organizations. A friend once told me a very wise saying “A Volunteer is not someone who waits to have spare time to help; it is one who chooses to use his spare time in helping”… I promise you won’t regret it! Rafael Celis, VIDA TranslatorI'm 32, single, and currently do freelance Web stuff, sell soccer jerseys, and soccer coach. What I love: Meeting people, learning a little bit about everything, and teaching. Life philosophy: Never give up, always have an open mind, always have a positive attitude, always learn from your mistakes, always help others, have fun! Heroes: Jesus, Mother Teresa, Íngrid Betancourt, Maradona. Hobbies: Soccer, Backpacking, Bodyboarding, Running.
Dr. Sandra Fernandez, DDSMy name is Sandra Fernandez and I am 46 years old. I was born in a Northern province of Costa Rica as my dad was doing his social service rotation for his medical degree there, but I was raised in the United States. I finished High School at St. Clare Bilingual School in Moravia, Costa Rica in 1976. I decided to study dentistry because it was close to medicine, but not so time consuming compared to medicine (not so many emergency calls). I have worked with the Ministry of Health, Colgate Palmolive, private companies, private practice and I am currently working full-time in my own private practice. I have been invited in the past by the pharmaceutical company of Sensodyne to provide pharmacists and dental colleagues an orientation about dental hypersensitivity. I am so happy that I chose dentistry as my career as I have found after 25 years of practice that it is still exciting to change a person’s smile! This directly affects a person’s self esteem and personality. Dentistry is a wonderful career for both men and women alike, but as a woman it provides the perfect career to balance family life and professional life. In my personal life my best aspect and what makes me drive for excellence are my children; two great pre-adolescents. Learning is a never ending process and teaching is part of learning. This is why I love VIDA and adventures that VIDA offers. Dr. Belinda Guevera Zapata - Physician
Eliécer Lacayo - Staff GuideI was born March 11th, 1970 and I am the 5th of the seven children in my family. After I left the Nicaraguan army when I was 19 years old, I went to live in the United States with my family. I lived in the USA for 10 years before returning to Nicaragua in 2000. I am a GPS technician and I also studied in the Seminary to be a Pastor for 4 years. I am happily married since 2005 and my wife and I have a beautiful baby boy who is now 2 and 1/2 years old. I live in Piedra Quemada de Masaya with my family which is about 30 minutes
from Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua. I have worked with medical, dental,
and veterinary groups in the past. I have many years of experience as a
translator and I enjoy serving the people of my country. I enjoy working with
VIDA as I truly love to meet new people. When I work with VIDA groups and the
rest of the staff, I feel like I am with family.
Dr. Ernesto Lemus, MDI am really happy to be a part of this team. Sometimes we think that being a physician is just related to hospitals and it is so much more than that. We have a mission and helping people and poor communities can be such a great experience. The combination of teaching, learning, and giving to others is the best introduction to health care that I can think of. I expect to give the best of what I have to offer as a medical doctor and make this experience unforgettable.
Dr. Amy Lucier, MDMy name is Amy Amelia Lucier. I was born December 09, 1983 and I have dual U.S. and Costa Rican citizenship as my father is from the USA and my mother is Costa Rican. I am a general physician from a private Medical School in Costa Rica called UCIMED. I would like to be a Pediatrician. I have already applied for the USMLE Step 1 and I am in the process of becoming a fully certified U.S. Physician. I love to cook, read medical books and other types of novels. I enjoy different kinds of music such as Rock, Pop, Reggae, and even classical music. I enjoy spending time with my boyfriend and going to the movies. I love spending time with friends and family and I am always ready to travel and go to the clubs in San Jose for dancing.
Dr. Lisa Miranda, MDMy name is Lisa Miranda and I'm 23 years old. I was born and raised in a small town in Costa Rica called San Isidro, Pérez Zeledón. I'm a medical doctor; I graduated in 2007 from the University of Costa Rica with honors. I've done several clerkships abroad, including two at Harvard Medical School in Boston, where I went with a scholarship from the International Health Central American Institute, and one in Spain at the UVA (Universidad de Valladolid). I'm a new member of the VIDA staff and I'm looking forward to a new experience in joining our volunteers in their adventures in Central America. Mission trips are very important for many communities, since they have a great value as a way of acquiring healthcare.
Dr. Vivian Monge, MDMy name is Vivian Monge Blanco. I have been a Medical Physician since 2006. I am 27 years old and I live in San Jose, Costa Rica. I studied medicine because I love to help people. I think if each person put something to help the world it will be a better place for everyone. I had an exchange student experience previously so I know what people feel when they come to a foreign land and try to find their way around. You see the way others live and their culture. I believe this experience with VIDA is going to help me in many different ways as well.
Adolfo Paniagua Dachner, VIDA TranslatorMy name is Adolfo Paniagua Dachner. I´m 25 years old. I was born in San José but I am now living in San Ramón, Alajuela, which is located about an hour from the capital. I´m a student of Business Administration at the Universidad Interamericana. I´ll get my degree with a speciality in Marketing next year. I have been working as a translator for a while and every time I go on a VIDA trip it´s completely different. The experience of helping people makes me feel that I am doing good things for those who don’t have many resources in their life. VIDA is a program that allows me to build a better place to live. Saadita Power, VIDA TranslatorSaadita has experience in physical conditioning and rehabilitation and holds multiple certifications in sports sciences (NSCA, FII, USA). She is a specialist in Olympic weight lifting, Functional Training, and Post-Rehabilitation services. She is an amateur of adventure sports since 1988, among these: mountain climb & bike, open water swim & kayak, rafting, canopy. Saadita has experience in many areas including: Mountain climb and rescue (1993, AMA), Tour Guide, (1995- Cormetur), Mountain Guide, (1995, AMA- INPARQUES). Tourism Degree. (1998, IUTIRLA), Management and Protection of Natural Resources, (2003, UNED), First Responder, National Ski Patrol, USA. Saadita is also the Co-founder of ORGANIZACION XTREMAS (www.Xtremas.org), fusing and spreading the tourism, the sports and the aid to communities, Guide and Trainer for Extremetrips.com "extreme training for extreme trips" and Co-Creator of the "Power Fitness Board", a portable sliding object of multiple direction with which hundreds of corporal exercises are made. Currently Saadita is pursuing a degree on Exercise Sciences (2009, UNA) and runs her own rehabilitation & therapy studio in Heredia, Costa Rica. Saadita’s personal website is www.saaditapower.com. Dr. Helder Torres - Dentist
Dr. Roberto Urbina, MDBorn in 1979, my father was a doctor, but he died when I was only 3 years old. I am an only child raised by my mom, who I think did a pretty good job. I went to Lincoln High School where I learned how to read and write in English, then I got into Med school, where I lost a little of my English, since all my classes were taught in Spanish, but I managed to survive. After Med school I started working for the Department of Health of Costa Rica. I was send to the Osa Peninsula which is definitely a very beautiful place, but a very poor area of Costa Rica. I worked there for a year and a half, but I saw no patients and that was not encouraging at all so then I decided to start working for a private luxury complex called Los Sueños Resort located in Puntarenas. I worked there for almost 2 years and managed to finish my board exams. I then became tired of working far for home, so ever since last year I have been working in San José. I recently came from a 3 month rotation in Internal Medicine at Atlanta Medical Center. I like rock music, and used to play the bass guitar quite well, but I haven't had the chance to practice any more. I am not married nor have children, but I hope to do so one day. I love teaching and sharing the little knowledge I have about medicine with others.
Dr. Karen Zapata - DentistBiographyMy name is Karen Zapata Valenzuela. I am 25 years old .I was born the sixth of May of 1982 in the city of Managua, Nicaragua. I am single. In my spare time, I like to read, dance go to the movies and love going outdoors for adventure. I graduated from high school at the age of 18. I have always been interested in the career of dentistry. I did not have any problems in knowing what to study. So, I decided to go to the city of León to study at UNAN, school of dentistry. I studied 5 years to become a DDS. I graduated in the year of 2005 at the age of 23. Before graduating, I was involved in volunteering in public health centers and in hospitals working in the area of dentistry. I studied English at Ave Maria Language Institute; I am an excellent English speaker. I try to keep myself informed with the latest advancements in my field by getting involved in dentistry seminars and conferences. During the last couple of years, I have had the chance to work with mission trips that come from U.S and Canada to Nicaragua; providing dental treatments to the less privileged. When I am not involved with different international groups, I work in a private office and two days a week I do volunteer work giving out dental treatment to orphans and needy children from the streets. Why I like doing mission trips?I consider that working with these different mission trips has made me learn how to work as a team member. Networking also provides great satisfaction to me. The feeling that one has, as an individual, in helping out those that need medical assistance is beyond words. I have noticed that one can definitely make the difference in many people’s life by aiding those with the knowledge that one has in medical sciences.
Nelly Zumbado, VIDA Massage TherapistNelly is a biologist and certified massage therapist. Nelly also does acupuncture and has her own massage therapy center in Heredia, a suburb of San Jose, Costa Rica. Nelly has been working with medical mission groups for over 4 years and we are proud that Nelly collaborates with VIDA. Next: Our Partners for a Brighter Future
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