Staff

Prior to being selected as Friends–Southwest Washington's executive director, Allison Pauletto, a Hudson's Bay High School alum who lives in Vancouver with her spouse and two children, was with Friends–Portland for 13 years, most recently serving as the chief development officer. During her time at Friends–Portland, the organization's budget grew from just under $2 million to $6.5 million and led Portland's highest-grossing nonprofit fundraiser, "Friend Raiser." She was also instrumental in the creation of the first Ambassador Board and their annual Bowl-a-thon.

Remy was born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Bellingham, Wash. She became certified as a personal trainer specializing in youth fitness and began coaching high school softball. Her most recent youth experience bringing me to Friends was my work as a coach and program associate for Playworks. Remy found a passion for working one-on-one with youth and came to Friends to give back everything she learned from her own mentors and coaches. Outside of work, she still likes to get out and play softball and basketball. Remy enjoys taking her 3-year-old pup to the park or any place he can run and swim in the water.

Roberto Ballesteros is a proud Bellingham, WA native who is happy to make a new home in Vancouver, WA. He graduated with a Bachelors in Sociology from Western Washington University. To pass time he loves to read books, hike, hang out with friends, and relax with his cat. He decided to move and work in Southwest Washington in order to expand both his career and educational opportunities. He wanted to work with Friends of The Children to help serve and benefit youth who are facing situations that he had to face when he was younger. Not only that, but the statistics on the impact that the organization had on youth is inspiring. He cannot wait to start building connections with both the youth and the community.

Delani Delgado is an Orlando-native passionate about nonprofit management and youth development. Originally born and raised in New Jersey, Delani moved to the Orlando area with her family in 2014 and quickly became involved in the community by volunteering her time at various nonprofit organizations. After graduating high school, Delani got a job as a camp counselor for a local YMCA residential summer camp and came to love providing guidance to the groups of campers under her care. Though only expecting to stay for one summer, she enjoyed her engagement with youth so much so that she ended up working for two additional summers. Channeling her love of mentorship to similar outlets, Delani continued to work within her local YMCA in various youth development roles while in college. Having attained her Bachelors of the Arts in Communication from the University of South Florida, Delani now seeks to combine her two passions in order to become an experienced nonprofit professional in a youth-serving organization. In her spare time, Delani enjoys trying new restaurants, traveling, and watching the latest Disney movie. Her favorite aspect of Friends of the Children is the intentionality behind our youth-centered programming!

Heber was born and raised in Seattle, WA and graduated from the University of Washington in 2018. During his time at Udub, Heber worked with a mentoring organization called The Dream Project- an org that helped support underserved youth with the college application process. This mentorship opportunity fueled Heber’s passion for serving others and led him to major in Social Work & Education. Heber then worked for an elementary school in Seattle until he came across the opportunity to work for Friends. Heber chose to work for FOTC because he felt this organization‘s response to combating generational poverty through relationship building with at risk-youth aligned with his beliefs and passion. In his free time, Heber enjoys listening to music, watching movies & sports, playing video games, and hanging out with loved ones.

Jena is from Spokane, Wash., and attended Eastern Washington University. She values the long term commitment that the program and Friend make to each youth and strive to remain youth first and strength-based. Jena enjoys spending time with friends and shooting film photos. Reading, writing and spending time with her cat are also favorite pastimes.

Monica Martinez-Animas (she/her) earned her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology. While earning her degree, she volunteered with the Beat Within, an organization that encourages youth in juvenile detention to express themselves through writing and art. Monica interned with International Rescue Committee in Elizabeth, New Jersey where she assisted in case management and employment assistance for refugee resettlement. In April 2015, she was a recipient of the Volunteer of the Year award for her work with Multnomah County’s Juvenile Justice Department working as a tutor and mentor for high-risk youth. Monica began her work with Girl Scouts Beyond Bars as a volunteer the summer of 2014 and was with the program for over three years in various capacities including direct program delivery and program management supporting girls and their incarcerated mothers. She provided immigration legal services with Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New York Community Services from fall 2017 to spring 2018. Monica has a deep passion for supporting under served communities and is excited about joining Friends of the Children where she can make a positive impact with the community, families, and most importantly, the youth being served.

Doug Rogers grew up in the California Bay Area and received his undergraduate degree from Humboldt State in 1992. The following year, he received an initial teaching credential from San Francisco State and then relocated to Portland. Since then, he has worked predominantly in alternative education as a classroom teacher, special educator and ultimately program director, but he has also worked with youth involved with the judicial system, youth experiencing homelessness and youth in residential programs. More recently, he and several teen-aged youth co-founded the Church of Rock N Roll youth collective/mentoring program that gave youth skills and experience in the live music industry.

Doug is excited to have landed with Friends of the Children in summer 2018, where he has begun working primarily with youth in Southwest Washington. When asked what he loves most about Friends, he has a hard time making up his mind. The amount of direct time with youth, the long-term vision of the program and the community of support he finds with other mentors are all aspects of the program that make it feel like home.