Our Board
Adrian Abrudan, Treasurer
Adrian Abrudan is a Senior Lead Engineer at The Boeing Company and responsible for managing a multi-national team during the development and manufacturing of the 777x wing trailing edge. He provides technical guidance during supplier on-boarding, drives continuous manufacturing process improvements and manages an affordability work statement.
Adrian previously served as a Board Member for the Washington State Smile Partners and was a Lead Engineer at The Boeing Company for the 747-8 Program. He earned a Technology Management MBA from University of Washington and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from University of Missouri. He also holds a BS in Aerospace Engineering from University of Missouri.
In his spare time, he enjoys reading, skiing, traveling and exploring the outdoors with his wife.
Jeannie Berwick, Founder
Jeannie served as One Equal Heart’s volunteer executive director for 13 years, and is now serving on the Board in an ex-officio capacity.
In February of 1998, Jeannie made her first trip to Chiapas in response to the call for international presence in support of the indigenous people and those who supported them in the face of increasing paramilitary violence and military occupation. That experience not only opened her eyes, but also her heart.
“It was like seeing lightning illuminate the landscape in the middle of the night. Once you’ve seen it, you can’t forget the possibilities. I wanted to join in their work to advance the human rights of indigenous people and to build more just and sustainable communities that take into account the health of the Earth.”
Jeannie graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor’s in Human Biology in 1979 and received a J.D. from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley in 1983. She practiced immigration and refugee law for over twenty years. She was one of a group of lawyers who founded the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and served on its Board of Directors for 18 years. Jeannie has traveled to Chiapas, México, every year–sometimes multiple times–since 1998, to visit our partners there.
Jeannie lives in Seattle with her husband Jim Degel; they have three adult children.
Malou Chavez, president
Malou has a depth of experience in legal advocacy for immigrants. She earned a Bachelor’s in Political Science from UCLA and her law degree from Seattle University School of Law.
She serves as Deputy Director and staff attorney at the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) in Seattle. Since 2008, Malou has been part of NWIRP—first as a volunteer legal intern, then a legal fellow working with survivors of violence, and now as an attorney representing immigrants in removal proceedings and family-based petitions.
“At NWIRP, I have learned that decisions are best when they are informed around the needs and stories of the communities we serve. Working collaboratively or as part of a team is important to my work. I like the ‘honoring’ aspect of One Equal Heart’s mission because it reflects our conscious efforts to have the indigenous communities always present in the work that we do in collaboration with the communities, while recognizing that the work is guided by the communities themselves.”
Malou grew up in Compton, California and lives in Seattle. In her free time, she practices Pilates and enjoys catching up with family and friends. She especially loves spending time with her nephew Winston.
Clare Cooper
Clare grew up in Connecticut with two brothers and many pets. She studied biology and fine art in undergrad and pursued her masters Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, where she deepened her passion and knowledge of eco-tourism, community development, and nature-based education.
Clare visited Chiapas with friends in 2013. Before moving to Seattle, she came across One Equal Heart and was thrilled to find that her academic background and passion for women’s rights, equity, and sustainable development aligned so closely with the organization.
“I am excited by the prospect of working with individuals who are carefully trying to balance involvement with indigenous groups with endogenous development as the end goal. I especially appreciate that One Equal Heart seems to be pacing their programs and is not rushing to dole out financial support and move on to something else. It would be a special opportunity for me to build relationships with the One Equal Heart team here and in Chiapas.”
In her free time, Clare loves to cook, dance salsa, and exercise her passport.
David Salmerón
David has a passion for community building, social justice work, and human connection. He earned a Bachelor’s in Public Affairs with a minor in Latin American Studies, and a Master’s in Public Administration from Seattle University. He is a skilled Human Resources professional and serves in a strategic capacity as a Senior HR Business Partner at the City of Seattle.
David’s introduction to One Equal Heart was at an indigenous prayer to the Four Directions event in 2011 at his university campus, led by Jeannie and a Chiapas partner/compañero. Since this day, David’s core values merged with the OEH’s mission and the projects they support. He became enamored of the organization and joined as an intern, and soon after became a long-time volunteer for the annual fundraising Fiestas.
As OEH’s newest board member, David is excited about reengaging with the community in Chiapas, where he once spent an entire summer learning from and working alongside the Zapatistas in their Caracoles, or autonomous municipalities. It was through this experience that he earned a certificate in Mexican Social Movements from Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana- Xochimilco, Mexico City.
As the son of Mexican immigrant parents who labored in agricultural fieldwork, David grew up in Lower Yakima Valley of Washington State and developed a deep connection with marginalized communities. David now lives in the Greater Seattle Area. In his free time, he ventures out to places with warmer climates in the company of family and friends. David considers himself to be adventurous and a foodie who enjoys experiencing different cultures and learning new languages.
Emily Schulman, Vice President
Even before Emily moved from Denver, Colorado, to Seattle in early 2015, she reached out to One Equal Heart, she was drawn to our “commitment to relationship building, collaborative decision-making, shared learning and true partnership with the Tseltal communities.”
Emily is a Program Director for Iconic Adventures, where she focuses on the strategy and details that go into creating great group travel experiences for their clients.
Emily has a Bachelor’s and a Spanish Certificate from Carlton College, where she majored in Latin American Studies, and a Master’s degree in Latin American Studies, with a Global Health Certificate, at Tulane University.
Emily has spent time in Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico and Nicaragua, where she was engaged in a variety of activities, including studying Spanish and Portuguese and conducting field research. She speaks fluent Spanish.
“I was drawn to One Equal Heart because of my strong interests in cross-cultural exchange, collaborative and culturally responsive development, and social justice. I spent time working with indigenous communities in Guatemala and was struck both by the multiple layers of marginalization they faced, and by how much we were able to learn from one another. It inspired me to find an organization working in a true partnership with the community it serves.”
She enjoys studying, working, and traveling abroad and lives in Seattle with her partner, Evan.