Sandra van den Brink, MA - Founder  

Sandra van den Brink spent several months in the fall of 2002, studying and volunteering in Guatemala. She fell in love with the people and the country but was struck by the dismal future of many indigenous women and children. Upon returning to Canada she was determined to make a difference in the lives of these people and to impact their possibilities for the future.

Sandra has a Master of Arts Degree in Leadership as well as a certificate in Human Resource Management. Working as an instructor in the Canadian police community, Sandra developed extensive experience in program and curriculum development. Her background includes facilitation and organizational development as well as planning and implementation of adult education programs. Sandra has also worked closely with Canada's Native women and has conducted research into specific issues and ramifications of sexual assault and the sex trade.

In April 2004, Sandra was awarded the "Woman of Distinction" award by the Soroptimist International Club of Calgary for her work in Guatemala.

Margo Elliott, MA (Leadership and Training)
2005 Ayudamos Board Chairman

Margo Elliott is a specialist in leadership, self-managed work teams and team and organizational performance improvement. She has a strong business background with over 17 years experience, including establishing, training and coaching work teams to meet productivity, quality and performance targets; design, development and facilitation of courses and training programs; leadership development and coaching; and project management.

Margo helps organizations improve productivity and performance to achieve desired business results. Through commitment to people and with insight, energy and enthusiasm, she co-creates positive change and growth for organizations, leaders and teams in all stages of development.

In addition, Margo has recently conducted research in an international transportation services organization determining the effectiveness of its teams and their learning through rapid organizational change. She has delivered speeches on this research to the Calgary chapters of the American Society for Quality and the International Society for Performance Improvement. In addition to her consulting practice, Margo is an Associate Faculty member at Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C.