Meet Our Team
Molly Porth Cabrera
Molly Porth Cabrera, Executive Director of Via International, is grounded in community roots and strengthened by a proven record of operational leadership, strategic and financial management, and stabilizing impact for growth. Originally from Philadelphia, she first connected with Via as a college student participating in a ViaGO border immersion, an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to community development. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania and has built a career across international development, health and human services, reproductive equity, education, and youth empowerment. While living in Mexico City for nine years, she founded a consulting practice supporting community-based initiatives with clarity and sustainability, and she considers herself bicultural, bringing a unique cross-border perspective to her leadership. At Via, her portfolio has included founding and growing Somos La Voz, building program impact frameworks across the organizational portfolio, and leading resource development to strengthen long-term sustainability. A mother, jaranera, and practitioner of mindfulness and indigenous plant medicine, Molly embraces beauty, wellness, and joy as guiding values in life and leadership.
Executive Director
Gabriel Reed, PhD
Director of Innovation
Gabriel serves as the Director of Innovation and Development, creating unique partnership opportunities for universities, churches, corporations, and community organizations through the ViaGO program. Gabriel has taught at all levels of academia in the United States and abroad and brings more than 10 years of experience coordinating immersive travel programs throughout the San Diego border region as well as select international locations; Mexico City, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, and Sri Lanka.
Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, he carries a Ph.D. in Philosophy, Aesthetics, and Art Theory from the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts. Gabriel’s experience includes working as an international educator with a background in nonprofit management, community activism, and a continuing creative practice as a professional artist.
Aida Amador Alemán
Via Migrante Coordinator
A resident of Tijuana, Aida Amador is Coordinator of Via International’s Via Migrante, a program addressing the growing humanitarian crisis along the U.S.-Mexico border. Born in the United States and raised in México, Aida has always lived and worked in the bilingual and bicultural atmosphere along the U.S.-Mexico border. She started with Via in 2017 as a Communications Coordinator, and fell in love with the mission of the organization, the promotoras and communities they served. When the Central American Caravan arrived in Tijuana in 2018 and seeing all the injustice from the Government and even from the Tijuana residents, she knew she wanted to do something to help… “no me podía quedar con los brazos cruzados!” Aida also serves as the liaison between Via International and their partner in Tijuana México, Los Niños de Baja California A.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, loves to travel and is the proud mother of a little boy.
Robert Vivar
Binational Coordinator
Robert Vivar lives in San Diego, California and is Via International’s Global Education Coordinator. Robert was born in Tijuana Mexico, and taken legally to the United States at the age of 6. He grew up in Corona, California and worked for over 20 years in the travel business, including Station Manager at LAX for Aeromexico Airlines, and Regional Manager based in Chicago for Taesa Airlines. Robert was deported to Mexico in 2013 and soon dedicated himself to an active life of advocacy in support of deported U.S. military veterans, asylum seekers and families separated by the broken U.S. immigration system. In May 2021 The California Supreme Court Vacated the charge that had rendered Robert deportable, thus paving the way for his return to the USA on November 11, 2021 (Veterans Day). This Supreme Court decision in Robert’s favor will be very valuable in similar cases to be litigated in California. Robert remains active in many borderlands advocacy organizations, including the Friends of Friendship Park, and also coordinates the “Charlamigo” (language partner) program through Via’s “Escuela Amistad.” Through his work with Via, Robert has hosted hundreds of groups that have visited Tijuana from the U.S.
Rubi Gonzalez
Operations & Administration Coordinator
Rubi, originally from Tijuana, embraced cross-border living after her family immigrated to San Diego during her early childhood. This pivotal move significantly shaped her perspectives and instilled a deep appreciation for the opportunities afforded by cross-border living, driving her commitment to sharing these experiences authentically.
Her academic pursuit of bachelor’s degrees in business, earned from institutions in both Mexico and the United States, stemmed from a passion for applying innovative problem-solving skills, particularly within the realms of finance and international business, to address global issues. Outside academia, Rubi finds joy in exploring diverse cultures through travel, savoring a perfect cup of coffee, connecting with animals, and creating enduring memories with loved ones.
Via's Board of Directors
Roxane Helstrom
Board Chair
Roxane Helstrom has over 30 years of experience as a marketing, communications, and fundraising professional. As senior strategic advisor at the National Conflict Resolution Center, Roxane is responsible for content creation, grant writing, and strategic planning.
Prior to joining NCRC, Roxane was development director at three San Diego nonprofits: Family Health Centers of San Diego; Pro Kids, The First Tee; and Canine Companions for Independence. In 2017, she established a nonprofit consulting practice, Rocket Content, and has since secured more than $4 million in grant funding on behalf of her clients.
Roxane moved to San Diego in 2003 following successful runs at two financial services powerhouses: Conseco Finance in St. Paul, Minnesota and The Associates in Irving, Texas. She served as Director of Marketing at Accredited Home Lenders for five years, with responsibility for their wholesale and retail channels.
She is a member of the San Diego Downtown Breakfast Rotary Club and serves as secretary of their foundation board. As a Rotarian, Roxane has developed a passion for and belief in the power of microfinance to change the lives of women and communities, and has worked on several projects in Latin America.
Karen Cebreros
Secretary
Karen Cebreros brings Microfinance, International and Business experience to the Via Board. She also has decades of experience supporting social business.
Karen is a pioneer in the global certified organic coffee and sustainability movements. She was the founder and CEO of Élan Organic Coffees which was the first organic coffee company in the US -ever. Karen was an early supporter of “Coffee Kids” and served two terms on their board of directors. She has contributed to multiple issues like “Grounds for Health,” “Cup for Education,” and Élan was among the first participants in the “Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center Coffee” program. Karen also co-founded the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) of America’s Sustainability Committee and is a longtime member of the OrganicCoffee Coalition, a division of the Organic Trade Association. She is a founding member of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) and has worked tirelessly in raising funds for Women in Coffee Microfinance and the Learning Loan Program.
Jim Gerber
Dr. James Gerber retired from teaching in 2019 after more than three decades as a Professor of Economics at San Diego State University. His fields of specialization include international economics, US-Mexico economic relations, and Latin American economies. In his role as Director of the University’s National Resource Center for Latin American Studies, he was actively involved in international education and developed and led student programs in Mexico. In 2008 he co-authored an economic history, Fifty Years of Change on the US-Mexico Border, which took a symmetrical look at both sides of the border during the years 1950 to 2000, from San Diego-Tijuana to Brownsville-Matamoros. He is currently working on the history of economic integration in the border region during the 20th century. The 8th edition of his widely used text, International Economics, will be released in 2021, and another book, A Great Deal of Ruin: Financial Crises since 1929 was published in 2019. He has been a visiting professor in Mexico and Canada.
Valerie Russell
Valerie McCullough Russell grew up in Pasadena, California. Upon graduation she went to the San Francisco Bay Area, attended Oakland City College, and received her Bachelors Degree in Business Management from St. Mary's College, in Moraga, CA. She has many years' experience working with non-profits, as President of Jack and Jill, Contra Costa and also a 25-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Among providing other life -learning programs for teens, Valerie is proud that during her term as President of Jack and Jill, her chapter sponsored a couple hundred teens to see Nelson Mandela at the Oakland Coliseum. Three years ago, Valerie and a group of community leaders formed a Non- Profit, Mujeres Para Mujeres. This organization is located in Santa Anita, La Mision. Mujeres has sponsored Micro-Finance groups through Via. In addition, Mujeres provides classes in nutrition, English classes, art therapy sessions and some limited shelter for women who have experienced domestic violence.Her professional experience, is in Customer Relations and Sales/ Marketing. As an employee at Nextel and Nokia, she trained Dealer Sales/Customer Service Employees. She was also a Customer Service Supervisor at California Casualty and had several other positions in the Marketing Field. Valerie and her husband retired and moved to Rosarito 15 years ago. Both are involved in the community and participate in many of local activities. They have one daughter and two granddaughter who spend summers and weekend surfing, horseback riding and enjoying the local cuisine.
Walter Ludlow, CPA.
Walter has decades of experience supporting businesses in the bi-national area of San Diego/Tijuana with accounting services. He has served on the Via International board for more than 30 years. He is fully bi-lingual and has lived in Mexico. His travels have taken him all over the globe. A seasoned sailor, for many years he lived on a sailboat.
Matt Clausen
Matt Clausen works for the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), a nimble and transformative U.S. government agency that invests in community led development across Latin America and the Caribbean. He is responsible for leading efforts to identify, develop, implement and manage partnerships to bring greater technical and financial resources to bear to achieve IAF’s grassroots development goals. Prior, in addition to numerous strategic advisory roles, Matt was President of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), fighting for human rights in Latin America and at the U.S. border. Previously, he spent fifteen years in the senior leadership of Partners of the Americas, a non-profit organization that brings together people, governments, and local organizations to address challenges in the hemisphere, including building resilient civil societies and by promoting citizen engagement and transparency. Matt was part of the Brookings Initiative on International Volunteering and Service, working with global and cross-border volunteering advocates to form the Building Bridges Coalition (BBC), and then to serve as its chair. He also led President Obama’s 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund. Matt currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE).
Lynn Hadley
Lynn Hadley graduated from the University of Texas, where she met her husband, Phil Hadley, who served as a Via board member for more than 35 years and Chairman of the Board from until 2022. Lynn taught high school English for 30 years and worked in development and event planning at several private schools. She serves on the board of Via International and Vida Joven, a non-profit that supports orphanages in Tijuana and Baja, California. Lynn travels extensively in Mexico. For 7 summers she and her husband ran a Spanish immersion program for American high school students in Guanajuato, Mexico. Since 1988, Lynn has hosted and attended Via events, participated in leadership committees and international travel with Via. Currently, Lynn resides in San Diego.
Dr. Nancy McGehee
Dr. Nancy Gard McGehee is the R.B. Pamplin Professor in Hospitality and Tourism Management,Howard Feiertag Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Pamplin College of Business,Virginia Tech. Her research and teaching emphasis has been on innovation in community-centered tourism development, domestically and internationally. Nancy has received the Virginia Tech Alumni Award for Excellence in International Research, is a Fulbright Specialist Program Awardee, and was honored as an Outstanding Woman in Travel Research by Women in Travel and Tourism International (WITTI). She is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Travel Research alongside Professor Jim Petrick of Texas A&M and currently serves on the Travel and Tourism Research Association Board of Directors.
Advisors
Tom Melchior
Tom Melchior brings fifty years of experience in law, education and business as an advisor to Via International on legal matters. A graduate of Duke University, then the University of Michigan Law School, he also holds a Master’s Degree in Theology from University of San Diego. Tom practiced law in Los Angeles and San Diego for several years before changing direction and entering the tuna fishing industry as the operator of a fleet of purse seiners fishing for tuna in both the Eastern Tropical Pacific and Western Pacific regions. Through the course of that activity, he engaged in years of business with private and government entities in Mexico, Central and South America as well as several Western Pacific Island countries, spending much time in both regions, as well as Europe and Japan. After selling his interests in the fishing industry, Tom again changed directions and became engaged in education as a teacher and coach at both the Middle School and High School levels, a vocation which remains close to his heart. He currently serves as Chairman of a community bank he founded twenty years ago. Tom resides with his wife Sandy in La Jolla. He is the proud father of three adult daughters who have gifted him and Sandy with four grandchildren living in San Diego, Los Angeles and Connecticut.
Dr. Elizabeth Reed is Associate Professor of global health at San Diego State University and Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Trained in social epidemiology, she conducts research related to the intersection of gender inequality, poverty, and health. Specifically, she focuses her research on the social and economic factors influencing gender-based violence and sexual/reproductive health outcomes, including HIV/STI as well as adolescent and unintended pregnancy. She uses the findings of her research to support the development of public health programming to promote economic opportunity, health, and safety. Her research is based in the US, Latin America, South Asia, and Africa.
Dr. Elizabeth Reed
Raquel Palma
Raquel has worked within the organization for 19 years before retiring, then continued her connection with Via in recent years through volunteer service at our headquarters in San Diego. Having grown up in Logan Heights (where Via’s offices are located), she is deeply connected to the community and issues that make Barrio Logan unique. Raquel’s personal history with the organization, the community, and her previous work in the private sector all make her a wonderful addition to Via's advisors. When not doting on her kids and grandkids, you can find Raquel reading, drawing, in a yoga class or traveling the world!
Andrew Morikawa
Andy brings to the role years of experience gained as a career non-profit leader and founding director of the Community Foundation of the New River Valley. Andy has more than four decades of experience working with nonprofit boards as both a trustee and a CEO, as well as a consultant. Andy is currently IPG Senior Fellow at the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance (IPG), where he serves in the design and development of the Institute’s Community Voices program. Community Voices is a dialogue and research initiative that engages leaders of innovative social change in dialogue with community leaders, faculty, and students. He is also supporting the “Dialogue on Race” and “Conversation New River Valley”, two innovative, community-wide efforts for social change in his home community, Virginia’s New River Valley. Andy has also taught for Virginia Tech’s Urban Affairs and Planning Department and has served on the Board for Community Housing Partners, a leader in affordable housing serving a seven state area in the southeastern US.
Amy Komorowski
Amy is an elementary school teacher in Chula Vista, CA with a passion for facilitating community development as well as self development through cultural exchange. After spending several years abroad, Amy learned that combining meaningful volunteer work for both the participant and local communities can be very rewarding for all. By combining these experiences with her studies in tourism and international development, she has developed a philosophy around building social capital within communities and is excited to continue working within her passion with Via.
Rigo Reyes
As Community Development Director, Rigo Reyes develops and coordinates community engagement and leadership training for residents in marginal areas of San Diego and Tijuana and manages our Border Immersion program for students visiting San Diego. He is a long-time social justice advocate whose work is rooted in early childhood experiences growing up on the U.S.-Mexico border, attending United Farm Workers of America rallies and listening to Cesar Chavez while playing marbles. When he was 12-years-old he rode his bike 17 miles each way from his San Ysidro neighborhood to San Diego’s Logan Heights to witness the land take-over of Chicano Park, and has been a strong community empowerment advocate ever since. Reyes has been a member of the Chicano Park Steering Committee for nearly four decades, has been lowriding since the mid-1970s, and is a founding member of the Amigos Car Club.