Our Team

Yael Falicov, Executive Director

With over a decade of experience supporting community-led sustainable development, Yael oversees the implementation of our mission, and works with the Board to determine our goals and strategic objectives. She creates and manages the annual budget and fundraising plan, supervises staff and communicates with institutional and individual donors.

Yael arrived at EcoViva after 7.5 years at International Development Exchange (IDEX) in San Francisco, first as the Latin America Program Director and later as Director of Programs. At IDEX, Yael channeled funds and technical resources to community-based organizations in seven countries, promoting effective, locally-led, ecologically sustainable solutions to poverty.

Prior to her time at IDEX, Yael worked in the field of community health, and was involved in immigrant rights, environmental justice, and youth empowerment organizations in California. The daughter of immigrants from Argentina, she has used her Spanish-language skills as an interpreter and translator. Yael has a Bachelor's degree in International Development Studies from UC Berkeley, a Master's degree in Public Health from UCLA, and a lifelong passion for international environmental issues.

Nathan Weller, Program and Policy Director

Alternating his time between Washington, D.C. and El Salvador, Nathan employs his expertise in environmental policy to actively build alliances between our partners and key international actors in the fields of conservation and development. He provides them with ongoing technical support in the areas of strategic planning, policy advocacy and program management. He also recruits and manages skilled professionals who work in El Salvador on a voluntary basis to meet our partners' strategic objectives.

Nathan has a robust experience in community development and conservation, and has been privileged to have lived and worked among the communities of the Lower Lempa. As a graduate researcher with the Monterrey Institute for International Studies, Nathan worked closely with leadership and staff of La Coordinadora to strengthen strategies toward community-based conservation and adaptation to climate change. We are fortunate to have him on board full time with EcoViva.

EcoViva Board of Directors

Jeff Haas, Board Chair

Karina Copen,Vice-Chair

James Baker, Sr.,Treasurer

Mary Frances LaPorte, Secretary

Harold Baron, Chair Emeritus

Jillian Baker

Fr. Jim Chamberlain

Erik Schnabel

Steve Solnit

Advisory Board

Rebecca L. & James J. Burns

Sharon and Gary Davidson

John and Carolyn Blume Hickman

Bill and Vicki Leonard

Mariel Nanasi

Gilbert Prud'homme

William T. Reid, IV

Richard and Greta Salem

Anna Von Essen

Robert Zeigler