BAN would like you to meet Alexander Gibilisco, our new Civic Engagement & Organizing Coordinator!
 

“Growing up in Guatemala, I never thought college would even be possible. When I moved to the U.S. as a child my life completely changed. Putting myself through school while balancing jobs and an internship wasn’t easy but the desire to help immigrants in the U.S. was my motivation to work as hard as I have. I was a first-generation college student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I have a Bachelors of Arts degree in International Studies & Political Science and a Minor in Spanish.
 

As an intern at Nebraska Appleseed last year, I learned how to apply my skills and focus my passion. I worked on several projects that taught me about lobbying, setting agendas, public speaking, and media relations. I have given speeches on behalf of Nebraska DREAMers and have documented grant-funded projects on film, using social media to spread our mission. I worked on a report of the disparities that exist in Nebraska since an affirmative action ban was passed in 2008. I was also a member of the Mexican American Student Association, and Vice President of the Nebraska Latino Organization Conference (NLOC). My volunteer experience includes translating at health fairs and parent/teacher conferences, with community service and outreach events and I trained minority youth after school.
 

I’ve seen the shame of a poverty stricken family and experienced the struggles of life in a third world country. These injustices, evident around the world, motivated me to pursue a career in community outreach. I have joined the Border Action Network team to carry out the mission of immigrant progress in Southern Arizona, the nation and the world. I want to dedicate my time to the civil rights of all immigrants.”

Border Action Network has adopted “Educates and Advocates” as the motto for our work. We are very pleased to welcome another new member of our team to further our goals: Pepe Marcos Iga- Border Action Network Education Advisor.

Pepe has over 15 years of international experience as an environmental communicator and educator, with a background in capacity building, cultural competencies development, and online training and networking.

As the International Programs Manager at the Environmental Education Exchange, he has managed a wide array of bilingual networking and capacity building efforts for environmental educators along the US-Mexico Border, which include conferences, training workshops and social media that reach thousands of educators both sides of the border.
 

He is currently a member of the EECapacity Expert Panel, a capacity building project funded by EPA in partnership with Cornell University and NAAEE.  Pepe has served on NAAEE’s board since 2007, expanding and diversifying the organization’s reach, working with key partners to increase participation from Mexican and Canadian professionals as well as from underserved audiences within the U.S. 
 

As part of the Guidelines Trainer’s Bureau, he has worked to take the Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education to Spanish speaking educators. 
 

Pepe holds a Ph.D. and a M.Sc. in Natural Resources with a focus on Environmental Learning from the University of Arizona, as well as a M.Sc. and Bachelor Degree in Communications and Media Arts from Monterrey Tech and University of Monterrey respectively. 
 

Pepe is originally from Monterrey, Mexico; his grandparents migrated from Bethlehem, in the West Bank, in the early 1900s. He was raised catholic, but is now more of a humanist with an interest in all spiritual traditions.  He enjoys connecting to others, storytelling in all of its forms and helping people make connections with their communities, their environment and their planet.