MEET THE TEAM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Cynthia Abesa
PRESIDENT
Cynthia Abesa comes from a family of educators, with teaching woven throughout her career. While earning her Master’s in Chemistry and working as a research chemist, she taught Chemistry to Engineering students in Manila. Later, as a manager in a fertilizer manufacturing company and an MBA student, she also taught Marketing Management to Industrial Engineering students.
With many years of executive experience in the corporate world, Cynthia relocated to California, where she continues her passion for teaching as a Clinical Consultant. In this role, she develops clinic workflows and trains staff on their implementation.
Christina Corrales
SECRETARY & EVENT COORDINATOR
Having studied Child and Adolescent Studies, she earned a teaching credential at California State University, Fullerton. She now works in a high school independent study program in the Montebello Unified School District where she serves her students, families and community.
Lydia Lam
SCHOLARSHIP FUND DIRECTOR
Graduated in Fashion Design in London. A veteran in the fashion industry with 25 years of experience in designing, purchasing, wholesale and retailing. Lydia opened her first retail store in 1985 and was operating 3 boutiques before moving to the US in 1999.
Erin Talbot
EMAIL & MARKETING TEAM
Director of Admissions for the past nine years in an independent, co-educational school for grades 1 - 12 offering a classical education that seeks to form students in faith, reason and virtue. Mother of 7 children and grandmother to 5.
Rosemary Kite
COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
(See her Volunteer Assistant Executive Director bio)
Carmen Antonio
TREASURER
Cum Laude Economics graduate, with combined 25 years finance, investment, administration & program management experience in the 2nd largest Philippine public pension fund and in a US aviation security company. Mother of 4 and grandmother of 2 (hopefully with more to come).
Dora Olaiz
APOSTOLIC EXPANSION FUND DIRECTOR & EVENT COORDINATOR
After studying Philosophy in Mexico City, she studied French at La Sorbonne in France. She has a Diploma in Family Orientation from the Institute of Educational Science at the University of Navarre, Spain, and a Diploma in Home Management from EDAC in Mexico.
Jane Reckart
COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
With a bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University, Jane left the engineering world to raise 6 children. Jane now speaks and writes on Catholic parenting. She has also authored a chapter in the book, Women of Opus Dei, and has appeared on EWTN.
Jennifer Nieva
EMAIL & MARKETING TEAM
Mother of 2 grown children, she began her professional life as a speech pathologist. In more recent years she has worked as a home school educator, school librarian and elementary math and science teacher. Jennifer is currently a Latin instructor at Saint Monica Academy.
VOLUNTEER PROGRAM MANAGERS
Mary Ortiz
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mary Ortiz (PhD, New York University) is an independent consultant based in Los Angeles with over three decades of experience in Catholic secondary and higher education. After degrees in English and German at Bowdoin College, Dr. Ortiz obtained her doctorate at NYU in eighteenth-century English literature, where she also taught undergraduate writing. For many years she directed programs for high school and college women at the Rosemoor Foundation in New York, and most recently served for eleven years as Head of School at Oakcrest School in Virginia. Dr. Ortiz is an avid reader and is passionate about the power of literature in the formation of young adults.
Rosemary Kite
ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Rosemary's career track has been in the non-profit sector, always advancing the cause of women and girls: from a private high school in Washington, DC, to an international residence hall in Boston, to a professional women’s institute in New York City. She brings her 40+ years of experience to Walnut Grove, where she now focuses her efforts on furthering the faith formation and parenting skills of married women.
Isabel Jones
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Isabel has worked as an Assistant Director of a bilingual school for girls, grades K-12, in her native Uruguay, supervising the high school English Department and implementing a wide variety of formation programs for her students and their parents. In addition, Isabel’s career path includes financial management, human resources and event planning in the textile industry, and participating in trips to member countries while working for the IMF.
Marisa Estabalaya
PROGRAM COORDINATOR & BUSINESS MANAGER
A native of California, Marisa works in the Accounting Department of the Association for Educational Development. Marisa is also the Operational Manager of Aster Study Center and leads various women's programs on parenting, marriage and professional development. She currently volunteers to coordinate Walnut Grove workshops & retreats among our many other business affairs.