Kevin Donnelly, who led our organization since Fall 2021, returned to pursue his passion for teaching in his native New York this summer. We acknowledge his work in successfully navigating the organization through the challenges of the pandemic and leaving us in a solid position to continue to operate successfully in the future. After a thorough search of many qualified candidates, Paco Guajardo was offered the role of Executive Director in August 2023. His experience is a clear fit for our organization and it is an honor to welcome him to our team.

Paco, originally from Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, has been bilingual since childhood. He received his B.A. and Juris Doctorate from Brigham Young University. After graduating, he returned to work in Citibank's Mexico office, where he was part of the team that created the financial group that would later become Citibanamex, Mexico's largest bank. He went on to have an international banking career in New York that took him to more than 35 countries.

After many years, he returned to Mexico to play a crucial role in a challenging human rights case involving a close friend. The outcome was the catalyst for his departure from his banking career and a change in his life's direction. Since then, he has worked in human rights and refugee advocacy in Mexico. He has also worked in restaurants, guided tours, taught at universities, managed non-profit organizations, and written and translated for marketing agencies.

In Human Connections, Paco found the opportunity to deepen his commitments to social justice issues, responsible tourism, working with students, interacting with Mexican artisans, and making connections that bridge differences and promote cross-cultural understanding. We look forward to seeing how his leadership strengthens our organization’s trajectory and impact.