Our Founders

Caminos de Accion was founded in 2012 by Laura Hastings and Blanca Escoto de Benitez. These women met during Blanca’s Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Wyoming.

Blanca grew up in the Los Tehuistes area and had taught in Los Tehuistes prior to her Fulbright Scholarship. She knew that the community could use some support, so she and Laura came up with the idea for Caminos de Accion.

As educators, Blanca and Laura founded CdA inspired by what they do best: facilitating dialogue. They approached Los Tehuistes to speak to local leaders about gathering the community for a conversation concerning local struggles and priorities. When they hopped out of the pickup bed on their first day, they were greeted by community members. After their first meeting, the community had come to an agreement that there were three top priorities they needed to address: access to 1) water (not just clean water, but water in general), 2) medical care, and 3) better nutrition.

Since their meeting, these ladies have created CdA and continue to work tirelessly on helping as many individuals within the Los Tehuistes community as possible. Laura currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors while Blanca has served on the board and continues to support CdA efforts in the Los Tehuistes area.

Meet the Team

  • Manuel Dominguez

    Executive Director & Knowledge is Power Program Director

    Manuel is from La Paz, El Salvador, and has a degree in International Relations from the University of El Salvador. His experience working with the community of Chiquimula, Guatemala inspired him to give back in his community and his country. Manuel has served as Program Director since 2014 and as Executive Director since 2019. We are so proud to announce that, as of 2024, this is his 10th year working for CdA!

  • Edu

    Farming for the Future Director

  • Laura Hastings

    Board President

    Laura’s studies and teaching career have taken her around the globe, including El Salvador, where she co-founded Caminos de Accion in 2012 with Blanca Escoto de Benitez. She has a Masters in Education from the University of California - Los Angeles and currently instructs community college English in her home state of Wyoming. As President, she works with her team to guide CdA through a lens of critical pedagogy in community organizing at the grassroots level.

  • Violeta Stauffer Rodriguez

    Board Member

    Violeta is a Salvadoran marketing professional who has been a CdA volunteer and board member since 2015. For Violeta, it’s been a very rewarding experience to see the impact each project has in her home country and in the community that CdA serves. She is excited to continue working for CdA in their mission to promote a brighter future in El Salvador.

  • Iris Aragon

    Board Member

    Iris, as a native Salvadoran, is passionate about CdA’s work as she has witnessed how social disparities and lack of resources directly affect her home country. Now living in the U.S., Iris works as a high school counselor in South LA to empower youth to follow their dreams, be lifelong learners, and global citizens. Iris has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Educatonal Counseling from the University of La Verne.

  • Laura O'Neil

    Board Member

    Laura O’Neil is a Manager of Foundation Partnerships at UNICEF USA where she leads strategic partnerships to support UNICEF programs on maternal, newborn and child health. As a first-gen college graduate, she has seen how education has the power to transform lives and is inspired by CDA’s championing of equality and healthy futures for all. Laura has a Master’s in Public Affairs and a graduate certificate in public health from the University of Missouri and a certificate in WASH in Schools from Emory University & UNICEF.

  • Morgan Gramlich

    Website Development & Grant Writer

    Morgan joined our team after she graduated from the University of Montana with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, Bachelor of Arts in International Political Science, and minored in Latin American Studies. She joined our team in 2021 and recognizes how important education is and is extremely passionate about her work for CdA.