Welcome! ¡Bienvenidos!
Senderos, formerly known as PEG Partners, was founded in 2004 by David LaMotte and Deanna LaMotte. Originally concentrating on literacy and critical thought, Senderos has shifted focus in recent years to also support projects related to arts and cultural preservation, as well as mentoring and tutoring for teens.
Senderos partners with three primary projects in Guatemala, with occasional support for other projects as well. Those three flagship projects include a music program in El Tejar Chimaltenango, a preschool/primary school in Tzanchaj, Atitlán, and a mentoring program for disadvantaged teens, also in El Tejar. You can learn more about those in the Projects section of this website.
Senderos, which means “pathways,” focuses on connecting extraordinary local leaders in Guatemala with resources they need to create positive impact on children in their communities, via education, arts, and mentoring. We place a strong emphasis on long-term relationships, transparency, and mutual respect.
Senderos also handles donations in an unusual way, leaving it to the donor to decide how much of their gift goes to administration costs. We keep those costs to a minimum, with only one part-time employee, and when we gather undesignated donations at events, all of that goes directly to projects. If you would like to support our work, join us on a trip, or get in touch, we look forward to hearing from you.
David LaMotte is a co-founder, former Board President (2004-2021), and long-time public ambassador for Senderos (all as a volunteer). He is a professional musician, author, and speaker, and a Rotary Peace Fellow. He has traveled to Guatemala more than thirty times since he first went there on his honeymoon with Deanna.
Deanna LaMotte is a co-founder and the current Board President of Senderos (as of January 2021). She taught English to Speakers of Other Languages for almost 15 years in Buncombe County as well as Atlanta, GA; Wajima, Japan; and Mokpo, South Korea. In 2013 she transitioned to working in public health and is currently the Early Childhood Systems Coordinator for Buncombe Partnership for Children.
Sarah Robinson Bryan is Senderos’ first paid employee and Executive Director since 2014. Sarah and her family moved from the Asheville area to Guatemala in 2021 and are happy to keep connected to Guatemala and NC through work with Senderos as well as Sarah’s job with the Presbytery of Western NC. Sarah, Steven, and their two boys, Walker and Andy, love spending free time playing games -board & card games and swimming at the pool and in the lake.
Marshall Baltazar – was born and raised in Chicago, IL where he lived for much of his life. There he received an undergraduate degree in Spanish Literature and his Master’s Degree in Urban Teaching. He spent 36 years of his life as a teacher including 9 years in Barcelona, Spain, and one year in Costa Rica. He has worked as an actor, and theater director and was even an acrobat. He has been living in Asheville, NC since 2004, where he is now recently retired and is an enthusiastic board member for Senderos.
Al Davis – Joined the Board in the spring of 2023. He is a wealth advisor with Buckingham Strategic Wealth. Al founded Davis Financial Planning in 2010 after a career in banking in the Asheville area. This firm was acquired by Buckingham in 2023. Al has been active in the Asheville community since moving to the area from Winston-Salem in 1998 serving on multiple community boards and volunteering with many different agencies. He enjoys travel, hiking, sports, and doing volunteer work. He is married to Jamye, has a daughter at NC State, and has a border collie mix named Ruby.
Jayme Davis – joined the Board in the spring of 2023. Jamye is a native of North Carolina and loves living in Asheville. She is married to Al Davis, they have a daughter in college and a sweet 14-year-old dog. She is Executive VP of Programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC, a non-profit serving 18 counties in WNC. She has been with the organization for over 20 years. She and Al have both been mentors in the past with BBBS. Jamye enjoys volunteering, reading, arts and crafts festivals, and traveling.
Natalily Kyremes-Parks – joined the Board in December 2022. She is based in Tucson, Arizona where she works as a Doula. She is a multiracial kid who has grown up around community and learning about communities is a love language of hers. Being able to learn and support all the things Senderos does is a gift and she feels honored to play a part in the mission and vision of Senderos.
John Liptak – Joined the Board in January 2022. He is retired, previously working in IT and Software Development, and running a home renovation business. He and his wife Julie live at Smith Mountain Lake in VA after raising three boys to men. He fell in love with the children of Guatemala while there in 2018.
Julie Liptak – Joined the Board in January 2022. She has worked in the field of Human Resources her entire career, focused on leadership development and coaching. Julie’s heart was opened to the Senderos mission during her trip to Guatemala in 2018.