The People of Peru Project is a nonprofit organization composed of a Board of Directors which was carefully selected to capture and maintain the vision of our founder. Each Board Member brings expertise, insights, skills, perspectives and life experiences that makes each member an asset as they function in this capacity.
The Peruvian law made it impossible to have a US entity in Peru and still have the nonprofit tax exempt status in Peru that we needed. In order to receive donated items into Peru and not pay heavy taxes to receive them it was necessary to open a Peruvian nonprofit with a separate structure and sitting board. Hence the two groups.
Sandra is the Office manager in the Iquitos office and serves on the board for the Peruvian nonprofit as an officer in the secretary position. Her sincere dedication to this organization and her tireless work to make things run smoothly have contributed immeasurably to the efficiency of our work. Sandra has lived in Iquitos her whole life with the exception of her time in a University in Lima where she studied office management.
BOARD MEMBERS OF PEOPLE OF PERU PROJECT- USA
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Paul Opp is the President and founder of People of Peru Project. He graduated from Walla Walla College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Youth Services Leadership. He served as a youth pastor and taught classes from religion to health education. He was a school administrator in a variety of educational settings, ranging from private Christian schools to the Florida juvenile prison system. For the last fifteen years Paul was self- employed, owning several different businesses. From March of 2000 until December of 2003, Paul operated his family business and began the foundational work of the People of Peru Project. In January of 2004, he shut the doors of the business and entered into this project on a full-time basis. |
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Julio Bocanegra is the Vice President of Operations in Iquitos, Peru. Julio is a native Peruvian, born and raised in Iquitos. He is bilingual Spanish/English and has the uncanny ability to get things done quickly and efficiently. His deep passion for helping people in need, and his dedication to this project from its inception, make him the right choice for this position of leadership. Julio is completing his degree in language studies and business at the University of Iquitos. |
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Sandra Opp is the secretary/treasurer of People of Peru Project. She has been enthusiastically “on board” since the very beginning. Sandi has a heart for people in need and is compelled to feed anyone that is hungry. She graduated from college with a degree in food service, nutrition and bakery management and has worked in the food service industry in several different educational and medical institutions. Sandi has also been employed as an office manager and bookkeeper for several businesses. She is an avid student of health education and has amassed a treasury of information that is invaluable for the people in Peru who know so little about health-related issues. |
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Blaine Robison has a rich history of volunteer work that makes him foundational to an organization like People of Peru Project. His family spent five weeks in India with a team of volunteers who worked with the poorest of the poor. They have lived for extended periods of time in the Dominican Republic, building a school facility, teaching health education and creating ministry opportunities. Blaine was a member of a volunteer organization that brought assistance to the remote Islands of Papa New Guinea where white people had never been seen before. After three trips to Russia and having served in many volunteer capacities, Blaine has pretty much seen it all. He has the ability to make something out of nothing. If it worked before, he can make it work again. His expertise in construction, mechanical work, welding and fabrication, and his love for people give him a very practical place on this Board of Directors. |
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Rachel Robison has a passion for service in Third World Countries that only comes from experience. Like her husband, she has spent extended periods of time in the Dominican Republic, working and teaching in the areas of health, education and family life. Knowing the dynamics of the Latin culture and having served in multiple developing countries, Rachel has insights into the delicate balance of family dynamics in foreign cultures. Her sensitivity to human suffering and her diplomatic approach to people is an asset to this project. |
Barry Stenzel is a business man who has won the respect and trust of hundreds of customers in the Spokane area. His honesty and integrity are the qualities that have become the trademark of anything he puts his energy into. Barry has a no-nonsense approach to business practices and has the ability to speak directly to an issue and ask the difficult questions. Our Board has benefited by having Barry involved in the decision- making processes that are required. Barry’s years of work with autos, equipment, welding, fabrication and building created a wellspring of problem-solving skills. |
Merryl Tschoepe was born and raised in Utila, Honduras. She has a passion for people and their needs that stems from her early life in Central America. She received a Bilingual Secretarial degree from Centro Educacional Adventista in Puerto Cortes, Honduras and, after graduation, moved to New York where she worked in the legal department of Mexico’s National Bank. Her fluent Spanish, and the ability to write with precision and clarity, and her understanding of the Latin culture has made Merryl an asset to this team. |
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