our team

Friendship Bridge has more than 75 employees in Guatemala and six employees in the US working to serve our clients.

Karen Larson - Executive Director

Karen Larson is an accomplished executive leader with extensive global experience. She has been leading Friendship Bridge's Guatemalan and US operations since the fall of 2009. In her first year, she as positioned the organization for balanced growth, focusing on employee development, increased operational efficiencies and sustainability. Prior to joining Friendship Bridge, Karen was the President and COO for Key Equipment Finance-Global Vendor Services, a division of KeyCorp. As an industry leader, Karen has been a frequent speaker and author on the subjects of global leasing, successful outsourced partnerships, women in leasing and successful leadership skills.

One of Karen's passions is mentoring young professional women in the corporate world. She has volunteered as a senior mentor for the Women’s Vision Foundation, providing advice and counsel to young corporate women, and she has been a frequent company speaker and representative to the national event, Bring Your Daughter to Work Day. She is also a mentor to individual professionals in both structured and unstructured programs. Karen received a BA in Economics from the University of California, San Diego, and completed executive education programs at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and Case Western Reserve University. The powerful success of microcredit as a means of building self-sufficiency for poor women around the globe led Karen to join the Friendship Bridge family.

Karen Radman - Development Director

Responsible for Friendship Bridge's fundraising efforts and activities as well as partner and donor outreach, Karen Radman brings more than 15 years of nonprofit management and leadership experience to Friendship Bridge. For the past five years, she has worked with Denver nonprofits as independent consultant focusing on fundraising strategies and events, governance, policies, financial management,organizational assessment and development. Previously, she held full-time positions in resource development, most recently leading the resource development and education department at Water For People, an international nonprofit that works in developing countries, including Guatemala. Karen has a proven track record in successful fundraising and relationship-building as well as experience working within budgets of as little as $10,000 to as high as $4.5 million. Karen has a Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Regis University, and a B.A. in English and Women’s Studies from Southern Connecticut State University. Karen’s passions for women’s issues and empowering women drew her to Friendship Bridge.

Steve Corlew - Controller

Steve Corlew oversees Friendship Bridge's financial operations in Guatemala and the US. Prior to his current role, Steve spent a decade as the CFO of Wesley Housing Corporation of Memphis, a regional nonproft that develops and manages affordable housing and health care communities for low-income seniors. While there, Steve negotiated, structured and closed commercial bank loans, tax-exempt bond issues and low-income housing tax credits. He was also the primary trustee of the company retirement plan and restructured it to add a 401(k) feature atop the company plan. He also broadly diversified the plan’s holdings just prior to the market collapse in 2001, thus avoiding significant losses. Steve has more than 20 years of experience in the financial industry, which includes work at smalls banks, thrifts and privately held financial firms.

Astrid Cardona - Director of Finance

Astrid Cardona, a native of Guatemala, is the Director of Finance for Friendship Bridge's Guatemalan-based team. A member of our organization for more than a year, Astrid has a strong finance background, including six years with KPMG and two years as a finance consultant with the World Bank. She was most recently an accountant for Pepsico Beverages C.A. before moving from Guatemala City to Panajachal, Solola, to focus on helping rural Guatemalan women. Astrid graduated cum laude from the Universidad Francisco Marroquin located in Guatemala City.

Roberto Ibarra - Director of Education

With more than 10 year of experience in microfinance and management training, Roberto Ibarra is a knowledgeable leader in the industry. Roberto holds a number certifications including designations as a facilitator and trainer of trainers by Competency based Economics through Formation of Enterprise (CEFE). He also represents Friendship Bridge on the board of REDIMIF, serves as the Guatemala coordinator on REDIMIF's Gender Commission and is a member of REDCAMIF's Regional Gender Commission. Roberto has a BA in Business Administration from the University of San Carlos of Guatemala. He joined Friendship Bridge because he likes being a change agent and wants to improve people's living standards, especially women who are often invisible.

Carlos Buitrago - Director of Credit and Operations

Carlos Buitrago has more than 20 years of microfinance experience in Latin America. Overseeing credit and operations for Friendship Bridge in Guatemala, Carlos has a vast background in developing programs for the poor. Prior to joining Friendship Bridge, Carlos spent the majority of his career as a microfinance consultant, working with institutions including Banco Solidario in Ecuador, Finamerica in Columbia, Crediamigo of Banco Nordeste in Brazil, and Genesis Guatemala, among others.

Irma Rosmery Imix Pacay - Human Resources Manager

Rosmery Pacay leads human resources for Friendship Bridge in Guatemala. She has extensive experience in employee recruitment and hiring as well as personnel administration. Prior to joining Friendship Bridge, Rosmery spent five years a human resources manager and a decade in administrative development and customer service. A native of Guatemala, Rosmery has degrees in computer science and business administration from Francisco Marroquín University in Guatemala City. A firm believer in Friendship Bridge's mission, Rosmery is also passionate about working with the most important assets in the organization -- employees.

Julie Malmberg - Marketing and Communications Manager

Overseeing branding, messaging and communications for Friendship Bridge, Julie Malmberg brings both corporate nonprofit and grassroots nonprofit perspectives to the organization. Julie most recently worked in brand communications for the Nike Foundation. She focused specifically on grassroots outreach for the girl effect movement, creating branding and messaging tools for advocates to actively support adolescent girls. Julie was also a volunteer coach and served on the board of directors for Girls on the Run Portland Metro, leading marketing and communications for the small non-profit. Julie has an MBA from the University of Oregon and graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Business Administration and Journalism from Augustana College. Excited to be working for an organization directly focused on supporting women in Guatemala, Julie looks forward to combining her experiences to inform and inspire others about Friendship Bridge's work.

Caitlin Scott – Development Associate

For nearly 10 years, Caitlin has been a microcredit aficionada, structuring her education and research to become an empowered advocate and resource in the field. Caitlin has been connected with Friendship Bridge for several years and, most recently, was the administrator for the team before moving into her new role. As the development associate, Caitlin oversees Friendship Circles, assists with fundraising and events, and is a key contact with donors, partners, and volunteers. Caitlin has a Master’s in International Development from the University of Denver and a BA in International Affairs from the University of Colorado at Denver. Caitlin believes she owes much of the inspiration she had to pursue an education and research in microfinance to Friendship Bridge, and she is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the future of the organization.