The Guatemala Project

We exist to assist ImagininGuatemala in bettering the lives of the people in Guatemala by recruitment of service teams, sponsorships, and benefactors.

Mission Statement

The Guatemala Project

is a 501(C)(3) Registered Non-Profit Organization (EIN#46-1319073) based in Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.A.

The Guatemala Project is led by a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors, each responsible for various duties, that meets on a regular basis to conduct the business of the organization.

Board of Directors

Kathy McCue: President

In 2006 Kathy took a giant leap of faith. Following up on a life-long dream to lead a group of students on an international service trip, she traveled to Guatemala with zero understanding of Spanish and little to guide her but a sense of adventure and a desire to improve conditions for impoverished Guatemalans. Kathy says, "From day one I fell in love with everything about Guatemala; the people, the food, the culture, the beauty, the energy." Now serving as President of The Guatemala Project, Kathy uses her retirement to further the success of ImagininGuatemala (IG). A veteran service team leader who has led over 15 trips with students, she now sees her role as active in the administration and development of the IG mission. "The most important thing I do," Kathy says, "is stay out of the way. ImagininGuatemala is, first and always, an NGO run by Guatemalans for Guatemalans."

When she’s not dreaming about Guatemala, she loves to hike Camino trails in Spain, ski with her grandchildren in Colorado and drink a cold beer as the Iowa sun sets. Her favorite IG motto is: "A service trip with IG is the hardest work you'll ever love."

kathymccue60@gmail.com

1.319.331.0498

Lisa Hebl: Treasurer

Lisa has been traveling to Guatemala each year since 2001. While speaking with a patient in her dental clinic who worked with a non-profit in Haiti, Lisa stated that she had always wanted to travel to other countries to help the less fortunate. The patient said, "This is your lucky day! We need a hygienist to join our next service trip, and you have just volunteered!" Due to circumstances in Haiti at that time, the trip was cancelled, but the dental team found a non-profit in Guatemala that was opening up a dental clinic - and the rest is history! In 2006, Lisa started the first Service-Learning Study Abroad program at Kirkwood Community College, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In 2013, she helped start the non-profit, The Guatemala Project. Newly retired, Lisa plans to continue taking groups to Guatemala several times a year, as long as she can still carry cement blocks! Lisa’s message to everyone is, "I believe we were all put on this earth to serve others. Love and kindness have no boundaries. Strive to go beyond language, culture and distance and help bring us all together. Join us as we continue to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate in Guatemala."

lisa@imguate.org

Cathy Fuller: Secretary

Cathy is currently secretary for the Board of Directors of The Guatemala Project. She lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is retired from Kirkwood Community College. She first went on a service trip to Guatemala in 2010 with a group of Kirkwood students led by Lisa Hebl. Cathy returned to Guatemala for the ninth time in January 2024, leading a group of 24 people from her church. Her favorite expression is, "It will change your life if you let it”, and it certainly has changed hers.

cathylfuller1@gmail.com

James Burke: Service Teams

James is a retired high school Spanish teacher who has led many trips to Antigua. His interest in the Spanish language and accompanying cultural and justice issues stems from involvement in the United Farm Workers union and subsequent programs that serve migrant farmworkers throughout the U.S. Aside from providing his students with the incredible ImagininGuatemala experience, James helps recruit new student, family, and community service teams.

burkedoc@mchsi.com

Jamarco Clark: Service Teams

Jamarco has dedicated his life to service, whether through his role in higher education or as the founder of "One Less Obstacle." Raised in an underprivileged community, giving back has always been Jamarco's mission. He has led multiple service teams at different institutions, including guiding teams to Guatemala during his tenure at Mount Mercy University. Presently, he serves as the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Illinois Springfield.

jamarcoclark@gmail.com

Mark Fuller: Publicity and Technology

Mark is the Director of Publicity and Technology. He has worked in a few different fields, from insurance to hotels, before landing in higher education, which he really enjoys. When he is not at the office, Mark enjoys being on stage in theater, playing all sorts of board games, and going on fun adventures with his family and friends. He also cares a lot about mission work and is looking forward to his seventh trip with the ImagininGuatemala Team to do some good. "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little." -Edmond Burke

fullerm@gmail.com

Allison Krogstad: Service Teams

Allison has been a Spanish professor at Central College, Pella, Iowa, since 1999. She fell in love with Guatemala in 2002 when she and her husband, John, adopted the first of their three sons from Guatemala. She joined the Board of Directors in 2022 and has recruited service teams from the United Methodist Church of Pella, Pella Christian High School, Central College, and Edward Jones Investments Region 81. Allison has seen the life-changing effects of an ImagininGuatemala experience on both the service teams and the families they serve. She encourages you to join the fun, dedicated, and compassionate IG family!

krogstada@central.edu

Ramon Marth: Service Teams

Ramon, who became a board member in 2023, was a Spanish teacher at Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois, for 34 years. Through the years, he has also been a retreat moderator, set construction director, and football and soccer coach. As an educator, he believes the best learning often occurs outside the classroom. As a human, he believes our greatest happiness often comes from service. Ramon has served on several service trips in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and at home in the United States. He is extremely excited to become part of the Guatemala Project, helping ImagininGuatemala do its important and impactful work. Ramon is thankful for the opportunity to help Guatemalans help Guatemalans. His next build with IG will be his eighth build.

rgmarth@gmail.com

Greg has been a Spanish teacher for 18 years and has spent the last 13 years at Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois. He first met the ImagininGuatemala team in 2013, and Benet has sent 1-2 service teams to Guatemala every year since then. He joined the Board of Directors in 2025 and is a strong believer in the mission of IG. Greg firmly believes that the experience that volunteers receive from going on the trip is just as valuable as the new homes that the families receive. He is excited to continue working with IG for many years to come and looks forward to the day when his wife Ashley and sons Nick and Patrick can accompany him and experience the beauty of Guatemala firsthand.

gfrey7@gmail.com

Greg Frey: Service Teams

Noah, who earned his BA from Luther College in 2020, is a Spanish teacher, drama director, and speech coach in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He joined the Guatemala Project board in 2025 and has guided student trips throughout the United States, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Noah hopes to inspire lifetimes of service, travel, and connection among his students and has found that service trips are ideal ways to spark all three. A fan of Fred Rogers' work, Noah finds that Rogers' advice to "look for the helpers" is realized through ImagininGuatemala when we become the helpers.

ntiegs@crprairie.org