Executive Director, Anita Jeannette Smart, took over from Heidi McAnally-Linz on September 1st 2010.
Anita was born in Brazil, where she lived her first five years. She grew up in New England and graduated with honors from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in International Relations. Anita lived, worked and studied in ten cities in the United States and Europe between 1976 and 1987. Since 1987, she has lived in Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico, where she has participated in many social, ecological and educational activities. Anita and her partner Manuel Oca own and manage the 25-acre Oca Arc Educational Reserve in Palenque, Chiapas where they practice permaculture/organic agriculture and practical applications of alternative technology, which serves as a prototype for the tropical region of the state of Chiapas. Since March of 2008 they have been hosting the production of plant-based medicinal remedies for local use and education.
In 2005, Anita co-founded The Pathways Project, a non-profit 501-(c)3, based in Florida that supports the Chiapas sister organization Veredas; accompanied, low or no-interest micro loans, documentation of Non Governmental Organizations and maintenance of a volunteer data base to facilitate placement of volunteers, interns and groups wanting to work in Chiapas.
