Costa Rica

In-Country Staff in Cartago

Local CCS staff in Cartago will welcome you to the community, make you feel at home and help you better understand the culture. They help facilitate your volunteer experience and are always available to handle any questions that may arise. CCS staff is always from the region where we operate, so they can provide a local perspective, help you with learning the local language, and guide you in what to do in your free time.

All of our in-country staff members are warm, loving people who want you to feel at home and will make sure you are well cared for. Each CCS program site has a Country Director or Program Director and a full staff to take care of all programming, administrative, and logistical needs, as well as housekeepers, drivers, house guards, and cooks. Because the staff office is typically located at the CCS Home-Base, a helping hand is never far. Learn more about our Cartago staff below.

Country Director - Jose Hernandez Ugalde
Jose was born and raised in San Carlos, Costa Rica. He has worked in the International Programs department at the University of Costa Rica and with the Foreign Service Foundation for Peace and Democracy, where he focused on conflict resolution and the elimination of child labor. He also served as Director of Public Relations and as a Protocol Official for the United Nations Conference on the Environment. Jose was a visiting faculty member at the Close-Up Foundation in Washington D.C., where he taught courses on civic education and democracy in the United States. His main interests focus around eliminating child abuse and bringing art into his community. In addition to directing the Costa Rica Volunteer Program, Jose is currently a liaison in San Carlos for the National Theater Company located in San Jose.

Program Coordinator - Santiago "Santi" Jimenez
Santi is in charge of day to day operations in the office and the program. He has extensive experience working in the social service field, and is the person to talk to when you have questions about your volunteer work.

Program Assistant - Ana Gabriela Hernandez
Ana assists the Program Coordinator in duties regarding volunteer work. She also acts as a translator for guest speakers and between volunteers and partner organizations. Ana also joins the volunteers during the fieldtrips and supervises their volunteer work.

House Manager - Lucia "Lucy" Granados
Lucy is responsible for the logistics of the program such as arranging transportation, food, etc. She is studying psychology and human resources and is great for practicing Spanish.

Drivers - Allan Gutierrez and Sergio Alvarado
Allan and Sergio will pick you up and drop you off at the airport. They will also provide transportation to and from the worksites and when necessary for the field trips.

Cooks - Olga Navarro and Ana Astua
Olga prepares breakfast and lunch for all volunteers, and Ana arrives in the late afternoon to prepare the evening meal.

Housekeeper - Xinia Solera
Xinia is in charge of keeping the house clean and comfortable for the volunteers.

Night Guards: Santiago Jimenez Mendez and Oscar Quesada
Santiago and Oscar are in charge of the safety of the house and the volunteers.

CCS offers the following programs in Cartago, Costa Rica:
Volunteer Abroad -- 2 to 12 weeks | Click for Start Dates
Insight Abroad -- one week | Click for Start Dates

Request more information about volunteering in Costa Rica or read more about the CCS Experience in Cartago, Costa Rica from the topics below:

Learn about volunteering in San Carlos or Puriscal, Costa Rica or return to the main Costa Rica page.

• VOLUNTEER ABROAD
• INTERN ABROAD
• INSIGHT ABROAD (1 WEEK)
• ENROLL
• FOR ENROLLED VOLUNTEERS
• ALUMNI ACTION NETWORK
• DONATE

“Working there has
touched my heart. I feel
changed by my entire
experience as a whole in
Costa Rica. I loved it.”

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