Global Volunteers service programs are managed by on-site staff who live in the communities we serve. Most are nationals who were either born or raised in the host country. Your Costa Rica Service Program team leaders are Country Managers, Gina Russo and Nia Salas.

Gina is our most senior country manager and moved to Costa Rica in 1998 from Utah, where she managed an organic community supported agriculture project for over five years.

In 2003, Gina received The Staff Person of the Year Award from Global Volunteers for her exemplary contributions as Costa Rica's Country Manager. Gina lives in Monteverde with her young son, Colby. Read Gina's expanded profile here.

Nia Ssalas joined the Global Volunteers staff in 2007. She has an MBA from the University of Costa Rica and a Bachelors Degree in Administration from the same university. She also studied at the Institute Francais in Paris, France, where she studied Marketing Communication. Besides Spanish and English she is also fluent in French.

All our County Managers must achieve an established level of performance in order to continue leading Global Volunteers teams.
They have served on one or more volunteer teams, and each year are required to complete our intensive two-week training seminars in Minnesota. They are experienced in managing diverse groups of people, and are formally evaluated by each volunteer team. County Managers must achieve an established level of performance in order to continue leading Global Volunteers teams.

You'll receive contact information for your Costa Rica team leader approximately four weeks before your service program begins.