Amy Welch, Secretary & Treasurer and Director

Amy hails from Portland, Oregon; she and her husband Bill have owned a home in La Cruz since 1996.  They co-founded Children’s Shelter of Hope Foundation, which primarily supports two children's shelters in Puerto Vallarta. Amy holds a Masters from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, and has recently retired after 37 years in education as a Portland Public Schools’ administrator working primarily with gifted youth Kindergarten through Grade 12.  Bill is a practicing tax attorney and formerly a partner with CPA firm Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC).  Bill provides legal services pro bono to Banderas Bay Charities, Inc.  Presently, Amy volunteers as treasurer to PEACEAnimals and Amigos, serves on several boards in Portland and Mexico, and owns a property rental business for Puerto Vallarta-area condos and houses.  She and her husband enjoy boating and traveling.

amywelchpdx@comcast.net

+1 503 516 4757 WhatsApp and Messenger

Edd Bissell, Director

A resident of La Cruz (Puerto Vallarta), Edd is a retired pharmacist and gentleman farmer transplanted from Knoxville, Tennessee. He became involved with the villagers and school at San Quintin (located between La Cruz and Sayulita off Hwy 200), when his housekeeper Patricia lost track of time and missed her bus home.  As they drove along, Patricia was lamenting the poor condition of the community school. Edd stopped and peeped through a window. "Sad shape." 

Marvin West, Bissell's friend and retired Scripps-Howard writer: "He made a list of needed repairs.  He saw no teaching materials and concluded that there were none. He counted 12 desks and later discovered there were 15 students.  

"Bissell has gathered others to the cause.  Years of devotion and just a few pesos have made a wonderful difference in this little school.  Young lives have been changed. The community will never be what it was.  Mexico is the beneficiary."

Anne-Marie Haynes, Director

Since 1995, Anne-Marie has been vacationing in Puerto Vallarta and working with various charities - from the Puerto Vallarta children's shelter RISE (Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza) to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens and the free daycare for severely-handicapped children at Pasitos de Luz.  She is also president and co-founder of Canadian Children's Shelter of Hope Foundation, a donor advised community fund.  Anne-Marie comes with a vast experience in nonprofit boards and fundraising.  Presently, she also coordinates donations for the Peace Punta de Mita Foundation and the Punta de Mita Foundation.

In her other life, Anne-Marie is a recently-retired registered nurse in Toronto, Canada.  Her goal is to contribute time and donations to assist needy children living within the Bay of Banderas to have healthy and happier lives.

Cecilia Paredes, Director

Ceci was born in Romania and grew up in various countries: Serbia, Czech Republic, Honduras, India and Ireland.  She believes that the union of different talents and expertise with a common passion can create an unprecedented legacy in any area.

Over the past 14 years she has collaborated with NGOs in India, Mexico and Ireland.  From 2012 to 2017, she lead the re-engineering of Peace Punta de Mita and was its Executive Director.  She earned a degree in business and is currently completing an MBA with Anahuac University, ranked as one of the top 3 best universities in Mexico.  

In 2019, she completed certificates in Fundraising and Internal Strengthening for Nonprofits and International Management from University of Geneva (Switzerland), and Fundraising and Development from University of California Davis.

Shelly Yogev, Director

Upon completion of medical school, Shelly was challenged with a choice: continue with medical care (treating disease) or health care (treating the human and preventing disease). With an MD, she earned a joint Masters in Public Health and along with her lifelong love of fitness and athletics, healthcare and prevention was the clear choice.  

Shelly is a full-time resident in the Punta Mita area, and owns a fitness business, Mexifit.  Shelly is also involved with SayulitAnimals in providing free spay/neuter clinics in the north bay area, along with animal adoption and care.

Shelly has a BS from Johns Hopkins, MD and MPH from Northwestern University Medical School, Certified Personal Fitness Trainer.  Her interests include Swimming, Dogs & Animal Rescue, Sunset Walks, and Child Welfare/Education.