Colleen Morey
Colleen is a career educator who for 35-plus years specialized in serving special needs populations as both teacher and administrator through program development and implementation. Her first journey to an orphanage in Colombia in 1997 planted the seeds of mission and outreach within her heart, through which The Light and Light Foundation was founded in 2009. Inspired by her faith, Colleen has led countless mission trips to Hogares Luz y Vida, engaging over 400 participants during the past 28 years. She divides her time between Sarasota, FL, and Kenmare, Ireland.
Bonnie Baker
Bonnie first learned about Luz y Vida in 2013, shortly after coming to the US from London. She has worked in helping fundraise for Luz y Vida in connection with CT based schools, with the focus of ‘kids helping kids’. Bonnie is the founder of The Change Collective, a management consulting firm. Her organization has also been instrumental in implementing global initiatives for INGOs to improve their efficiency and ensure the maximum amount of donor funds reach their recipients.
Amy Baumgartner
Amy and her husband followed their hearts to Colombia and adopted their son from Hogares Luz y Vida in 2018. Having a front row seat, Amy witnessed the immeasurable impact that the orphanage has on its children. With a unique perspective as an adoptive parent and her experience in the healthcare industry, she desired to remain connected to the mission of LYV. Amy works at Children’s Hospital Colorado as an academic researcher, helping to pioneer new treatments for those living with type 1 diabetes. She and her family live in Salida, Colorado.
Audriana Blackwell
Audriana first met the children of Hogares Luz Y Vida in 2010 and has been a passionate advocate for the marginalized in society both domestically and internationally ever since. With a focus on human trafficking, she has worked in the nonprofit sector specializing in program planning, advocacy, and data management.
Nathan Everson
Born and raised in Williston, ND, Nathan grew up attending a small rural school with a class size of only eight students. His personal journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Commercial Aviation and a Minor in Business. In 2012, Nathan immersed himself in real estate, revitalizing his family's portfolio with remarkable success. He founded what would become Blacktail Companies in 2020, uniting with strategic partners to pursue ambitious real estate opportunities. Raised with strong Christian principles, Nathan and his wife prioritize instilling gratitude, respect, and kindness in their three children, and their dedication to family values remains a cornerstone as they navigate life's challenges with grace and determination. His personal passions include family time, supporting his son in motocross races, and exploring the great outdoors through camping and adventure motorcycle riding.
Douglas Fainelli
Doug has been a public and private school educator for 44 years in a range of roles that include teacher, headmaster, principal and assistant superintendent of schools. He is the father of 3 children, grandfather to 7, and lives in Sarasota, FL.
Celinda Freeman
Cindy was originally from upstate New York and spent 20 years in Florida. After a career as a tax accountant, she retired to Kenmare, Ireland in 2015, where she met Colleen Morey and first learned of the Light and Life Foundation. Knitting lap blankets for the orphanage has become a mission for Cindy and she hopes to visit there in the near future. Her daughter and family live in Virgina and her son is in Washington.
Larry Light
Larry is Chief Executive Officer of Arcature LLC, a marketing consulting company that focuses on brand revitalization. Among other challenges, Larry was Global Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald’s and of Intercontinental Hotels Group. Larry has co-authored three books on marketing and was selected by BrandWeek as one of the top ten marketers of the year in 2004. Larry lives in New York City and Boca Raton, FL.
Patty Sullivan
Patty’s passion for children has been a constant throughout her career and personal life. She spent close to 20 years with children’s book publishers in senior marketing, sales and publisher positions and has spent the last decade consulting for market leaders in the industry to build new businesses around children’s content. She first visited Hogares Luz y Vida through one of Colleen Morey’s mission trips and has been involved ever since. Patty lives in Southport, Connecticut.
Catalina Wieser
Catalina was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, where she was an Attorney at Law and worked for several international law firms. She first learned of Hogares Luz y Vida through a fellow board member and following her first visit in 2012 found herself devoted to the cause as a life mission. The children and mission captured her heart and she now visits at least once a year, bringing with her a group of devoted women from New York and Connecticut. Among other roles, Catalina leads the fundraising events for specific needs of Hogares Luz y Vida; she also volunteers at a Therapeutic Horsemanship program for children with disabilities and disadvantages while devoting her full-time and attention on her family. Catalina lives in Greenwich, Connecticut.