Judi Dodson
Board Chair
Judi's love for Peru began in 1992, when she lived there during the adoption of Ana, who would go on to found Peruvian Hearts. An educator for more than thirty years, she is committed to girls' education and its role in empowering young women to become leaders. Judi chairs the Peruvian Hearts board of directors. She is an educational consultant and literacy specialist who works with teachers and school districts across the United States, and she has written several books for teachers.
Ana Dodson
Founder
Ana was born in Cusco and adopted as a baby. When she returned to Peru at age 11, she saw the poverty and gender inequality that girls there face—and the life she might have lived. Her passion for service led her to found Peruvian Hearts that same year, in 2003; she was named a CNN Hero in 2007 and has spoken at the United Nations on the importance of women's education. That same commitment to others guided her studies, from anthropology at Colorado College to a master's degree in education from the University of Colorado and a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Denver. Today Ana specializes in working with children who have experienced trauma. She is the proud mom of Sammie.
Susan Ahlquist
Board Member
Susan has been involved with Peruvian Hearts since its very beginning and is a great admirer of Ana, her work, and her ideals. She spent nearly 40 years as an occupational therapist in hospitals, mental health centers, and school systems. Susan earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University in 1970.
Rocco Dodson
Board Member
Rocco is a dedicated member of the Peruvian Hearts board, where he draws on more than three decades of nonprofit leadership in Colorado. He joined the board of the Colorado Nonprofit Loan Fund in 1988 and led it as president and chairman from 2001 to 2009. He also sits on the governing board of Metro Volunteer Lawyers of the Colorado Bar Association and has been an active Evergreen Rotarian since 2001. Rocco is a commercial litigation attorney at his firm, Dodson and Associates, P.C.
Betsy Hoke
Board Member
Betsy's connection to Peru runs through her family: her daughter focused her doctoral research on the health of women and children in Peru. A Montessori educator for four decades, Betsy led the Montessori School of Evergreen, a preschool through middle school, for many years. Today she consults and presents workshops at schools across the country, works with the Gurian Institute to help parents and teachers understand brain-based gender differences, and has overseen the development of a Montessori program for young children in Tanzania. She served on the board of trustees of Colorado Rocky Mountain School from 2003 to 2012.
Chris Konrad
Board Member
Chris is motivated in his work on the Peruvian Hearts board by a strong belief that providing more opportunity—both locally and across the globe—helps create a better world for all of us. He has a passion for volunteering and working with young people, including at the Horizons summer program for at-risk youth and at Urban Peak, a shelter for youth experiencing homelessness. Chris is a school counselor for Denver Public Schools and holds a master's degree in counseling psychology from CU Denver.
Barbee Lux
Board Member
Barbee has dedicated her life to the service of others, serving as an executive director and on the boards of other nonprofits. We are fortunate to have her on our board, where she shares her passion, experience, and commitment to service to help guide Peruvian Hearts. A champion of girls' education and empowerment, she has shown loyal support for—and significant investment in—the young women in our program. She has spent decades working with and advocating for underserved young people. Barbee co-owns and operates DeLux Team Realty in Denver.
Pamela Geist
Board Member
Pamela is a wise and passionate leader who brings both heart and soul to guiding Peruvian Hearts. Before joining the board, she helped shape our mentorship program for scholars in Peru. She owns and runs two companies in the Denver area: TEG Global, LLC, an established business and engineering IT company where she is CEO, and Educational Resources, LLC, which empowers students in mathematics. Pamela holds a PhD in Mathematics Education, Policy and Practice from Michigan State University, a Master of Science in Mathematics and Mathematics Education from The Ohio State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Teaching and Learning.
Bette Lovelace
Board Member
Bette is committed to advancing women's education and empowerment, and she is honored to serve on the board of Peruvian Hearts in support of its mission in Peru. A lifelong educator, she began her career as a speech and language pathologist and went on to teach special education and general education in the United States and abroad. Today she is a teacher educator. Bette earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1977.
