Our Team | Global Leaders

Inspire. Support. Grow.

Our incredible team is committed to helping students develop skills, confidence, and a passion for positive change in their communities and beyond.

Guatemala

Program Director

Aurelio Hernandez

Aurelio has worked with GL since 2003. Prior to his involvement, he worked with El Centro Linguistico, La Union in Antigua. He coordinates all on-the-ground activities in Guatemala, connecting GL with local partners for service projects and cultural exchanges. He has worked in Tourism and Hotel Management since 1994, and holds a degree in Business Administration from the Universidad de Francisco Marroquin. Aurelio enjoys working with foreign visitors to Guatemala and believes strongly in the benefits of building partnerships between Guatemala and foreign organizations toward a common goal of creating a better living standard for all Guatemalans.

Co-Founder and

Executive Director

Joe Fontana

In 1997 Joe and Jason Morgan-Foster planted the seed of an idea to take students into the world and teach leadership and service learning. Joe's brother Chris collaborated on this idea and Chris grew the program to incredible heights. Global Leaders has become a standard bearer for youth leadership training and service learning. The students who join the GL family become members for life and have consistently given back to their communities.

For 30 years, Joe taught Geography, History and Leadership classes at Thompson Valley High School in Loveland, Colorado, Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, California and Poudre High School in Fort Collins. He has been an advocate for student voices and positive action since his career began. He believes by equipping students with education, leadership skills, and empowerment, students are capable of positively changing their world; today, not tomorrow.

Joe is a dreamer and believes in the impossible. This is evident as he is a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. He holds a B.A. in Social Sciences and an M.A. in Educational Leadership, both from The Colorado State University.

Board of Directors