Team Ecuador 2011-2012
From left to right
Back row: Taylor Brown, Charlie Carlton, Watkins Fulk-Gray
Front row: Darcy Phillips, Heather Kryzak, Rachel Cope, Nicole Hamilton, Emily Samson
Country Director
Darcy Phillips
Darcy graduated from Xavier University with a degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies, Darcy moved to Ecuador for one year to volunteer with Rostro de Cristo. This experience led her to earn her Master´s degree in Social Justice from Loyola University Chicago, while continuing to work in the field of international development with buildOn. Darcy now brings her passion for service and community development to MPI Ecuador.
Program Directors
Emily Samson
University of Texas, ’10—International Nutrition, Pre-Medicine
Millstadt, Illinois native Emily Samson is drawn to Spanish-speaking countries, having studied abroad in both Spain and Panama. Manna’s views on holistic development and her involvement with the UT campus chapter drew her to Ecuador, where she looks forward to putting her Spanish to use. Her extensive research and work in nutrition will be a great asset to the team. Emily aspires to a career in medicine or public health.
Charlie Carlton
Colorado College ’11—Political Science, Spanish
charlie.carlton@mannaproject.org
Charlie Carloton grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming and it shows—his favorite hobbies include skiing, hiking and fishing. Charlie also has an impressive roster of experience, serving as a Congressional Intern in Washington, D.C., a reading/writing tutor at a children’s literacy center and a computer lab technician. In addition to having studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain he also did volunteer work in Guatemala during high school. Charlie was drawn to Manna in part by the amount of freedom and responsibility given to the Program Directors.
Taylor Brown
Middlebury College ’11—International Politics and Economics, Latin America Focus
Hailing from Denver, Colorado, Taylor joined MPI Ecuador after experiencing the site’s overall mission and sense of community as a summer volunteer. Previously, she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain and interned in Costa Rica and Colombia. When she returns to the United States, she hopes to pursue grad school and further opportunities within the non-profit sector. Her hobbies are travel, music and sports.
Nicole Hamilton
Lipscomb University, ’11—English
nicole.hamilton@mannaproject.org
Nicole, originally from Memphis, Tennessee, experienced Latin American culture during several service trips to Costa Rica. Having worked with a non-profit that fights poverty through sustainable income initiatives for homeless and formerly homeless individuals, Nicole is excited to have the chance to incorporate these ideals to make a difference in Ecuador. When she has free time, Nicole loves photography, sewing, exercising, and reading.
Heather Kryzak
American University, ’11 – International Relations, Spanish
heather.kryzak@mannaproject.org
A native of Acton, Maine, Heather brings a wealth of experience to her role as an Ecuador Program Director. In college, she interned with the legal department of the Central American Resource Center in Washington D.C., and also with CEAR in Spain doing research on human rights violations and political violence. Her desire to travel, improve Spanish skills, and work with the Latino community led her to Manna’s Ecuador team. After Manna she hopes to attend Law School and work as an immigration/human rights attorney.
Rachel Cope
Belmont University, ’08—English
Born and raised in Mundelein, Illinois, Rachel joins Manna after realizing that her office job wasn’t fueling her desire to pursue a career in International Relations. Her background working at a summer reading camp for disadvantaged youth, as well as a non-profit organization working with kids with behavior disorders, gave her the framework for more service oriented work. She recently spent time working in Munich Germany, and enjoys running, exercise, reading, drinking coffee, and snowboarding.
Watkins Fulk-Gray
Emory University, ‘11 - Sociology, History
watkins.fulk-gray@mannaproject.org
Hailing from Little Rock, Arkansas, Watkins was immediately taken with Manna Project’s mission and programmatic activity because of his interest in urban planning and community building. He once spent several weeks traveling around the Balkans in Eastern Europe, and in the process came to realize the importance of ethnic equality and responsible governance. His studies as well as a fellowship working on an urban neighborhood revitalization project, have reinforced a passion for social justice. Watkins is a competitive long-distance runner and hopes to bond with people in the Rumiloma community over his passion for soccer.
