Who We Are

Robin Mardeusz — President

Robin served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Punta Gorda (1999-2001) and is a founding member of Full Basket Belize. During his twenty-year career as a USAID Foreign Service Officer, he strengthened public health systems across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Now based in Portland, Oregon, Robin continues his work in public health. In his free time, he enjoys restoring old motorcycles and keeping up with his two young children.

Bryon Kohls — Treasurer

Bryon recently retired as a Project Director for a major power plant in Texas. He holds an MBA in Finance and brings extensive experience in accounting and economics. Bryon and his wife are longtime FBB scholarship committee volunteers and frequent visitors to Belize. Currently residing in Tyler, Texas, they enjoy traveling and spending time with their three children and two grandchildren.

Jo Link — High School Scholarships Chair, Publicity

Jo is a retired educator who served as an Information Technology Peace Corps Volunteer in Belmopan (2000-2002). During her service, she taught computer literacy and co-edited the Toucan Times. A former FBB President, Jo has held nearly every leadership role within the organization. She currently lives near Portland, Oregon, where she enjoys spending time with her five grandchildren while continuing her dedicated advocacy for Belizean students. To learn more about Jo and her work with Full Basket Belize, visit Interview with Jo from 2018.

Tanya Matlaga — Impact Committee Chair

Dr. Tanya Matlaga is a biologist and educator who served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Toledo District (1999–2001). Her work in Belize included outreach for the Belize Zoo and amphibian research in the Bladen Nature Reserve. Now a professor at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania, Tanya remains a dedicated conservationist. She lives on a farm with her family and a variety of animals, focusing on FBB’s long-term impact.

You — Communications Director

We need a Comms Director! Join our amazing volunteer board (ie: our only payment is heaps of good karma)! To learn more about this opportunity, contact jolink@fullbasketbelize.org. Our comms work is a team effort, but always runs smoother when we have a dedicated coordinator — so jump in to give a hand!

Brandon Kitagawa served as a Peace Corps Volunteer at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve (1999-2001), focusing on environmental education and conservation. His experience in Belize inspired a career in public policy, leading him to work as a community organizer and policy advocate for environmental health. A volunteer with FBB since 2005, Brandon helps coordinate the grants program and has served on the Board of Directors since 2010.

David Lansing served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Seine Bight (2000-2002), where he served as a rural development officer. Today, he is a geography professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, researching the impact of environmental policies on farmer livelihoods in Central America. David has been a mainstay at Full Basket Belize for many years, contributing his expertise as a newsletter editor and small grant reviewer.

Ron Herring is a retired entrepreneur and conservationist dedicated to supporting reef ecosystems and youth opportunities. From 2010 to 2017, he developed St. George’s Caye Resort and continues to co-own Reef Adventures in San Pedro Town. He also presides over the non-profit Access to Opportunity. Based near Portland, Oregon, Ron brings a wealth of business experience and a deep love for Belize to the FBB board.

Harry Bennett served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in San Jose Village (2002-2004), focusing on sustainable agriculture and Mayan farmer cooperatives. After operating an organic farm in Kansas for over three decades, he now resides in Madison, Wisconsin. Harry remains highly active in climate change advocacy and refugee resettlement. At FBB, he applies his extensive background in rural development to the project grants committee.

Sue Noe is a Senior Staff Attorney specializing in Native American law and indigenous rights. Her connection to Belize began in 2001 while working with the National Garifuna Council, a project that evolved into her leading university service-learning courses in the country. Based in Boulder, Colorado, Sue travels to Belize frequently to visit her “Belize family” and apply her legal expertise to FBB’s mission and grant-making efforts..

Tyrone Avila, originally from Punta Gorda, migrated to the U.S. at age 16 and earned a Master’s from Columbia University in Conflict Resolution. He currently serves as a research administration professional at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Having lived in both Belize and the U.S., Tyrone brings a unique, invaluable perspective to the grants committee, bridging the gap between local needs and international resources.

Rachel Wagner served in the Peace Corps (2004-2006) in Bermudian Landing, supporting the Community Baboon Sanctuary. Now a faculty member in Environmental Engineering at Saint Francis University, she holds a PhD and is a longtime supporter of FBB’s scholarship programs. Rachel joined the board to deepen her connection to Belize and enjoys hiking and gardening when she isn’t reviewing scholar applications or teaching.

Bob Link served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Belize (2000-2002) alongside his wife, Jo. With a Ph.D. in educational psychology and a background in mathematics, Bob spent decades managing computer networks for world-class telescopes in Hawaii. A veteran volunteer, he has served in the Peace Corps Crisis Corps during Hurricane Katrina and at orphanages in Peru. He now provides technical and educational guidance as a Scholarship Advisor for FBB.

Suzanne Haxer Toohey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Orange Walk Town, Belize (1999–2001), as a rural teacher trainer and computer teacher on one of the Peace Corps’ first IT initiatives. She earned a Master’s degree in Bilingual/Multicultural Education from Northern Arizona University, serves on the Executive Board of the National Association of English Language Program Administrators, is a Past President of Michigan TESOL, and is a member of the Michigan Dept of Ed Title III Advisory Council. Sue is currently the Supervisor of the Instruction and Pedagogy Unit at Oakland Schools in Waterford, Michigan.

Barbara Romero served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Belize in 1979 as a dental hygienist, working with 23 primary schools and one secondary school in the Orange Walk District. She married a teacher from Orange Walk, and they have lived between Arizona and the district over the years before retiring to Orange Walk in September 2012. They have three grown children and three grandchildren.