Board Members

Robert Albert

The son of North Americans, Rob was born and raised in Caracas until the age of 11. Following college, he returned to his beloved Venezuela at the age of 23, where he now lives in the state of Mérida in the Andes mountains. He collaborates with Foundation associate Gisela De Sarrazin running ServYr Mérida, our extension based in Mérida.

Lesley Coulton Alpert

Born in Colombia, Lesley lived in Venezuela before studying in the U.S., where she received her M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Tufts University. Having worked as a physician at hospitals affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas and McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, she is now retired and lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She supports our medical, dental and rural activities.

Kumar Bloomstein

Kumar is a development strategist for international NGOs through his consulting project, Witt Collaborative. His connection to Venezuela and the Turimiquire Foundation began in childhood, and that lifelong relationship now anchors his work advising the Foundation’s fundraising, operations, and technical infrastructure. Kumar is based in Portugal.

Steven Bloomstein

President of the Turimiquire Foundation, Steven has lived in Venezuela since 1973. He directs the foundation, and administers our family planning and rural education and development programs. He is co-founder, with Robert Albert, of the Dos Pasos farm.

William Bloomstein

President of Witt Creative, a marketing and communications firm based in Boston, Willie has been assisting in Turimiquire area projects for more than 30 years. He directs our United States office and oversees our outreach, public relations, and solicitation initiatives.

Gabriela Gutierrez Brillhart

Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Gabriela graduated from Universidad Simón Bolívar with a degree in Computer Engineering. After beginning her career in Venezuela, she moved to the United States to complete her MBA in 2004 and worked at Barclays Capital in New York. Now based with her family in New Jersey, she is committed to preserving her Venezuelan heritage and supports the Foundation’s outreach and social media efforts in the U.S. and among the Venezuelan diaspora.

Steve Morgan

Steve just retired as President of Clean Energy Solutions, a U.S. energy conservation firm that helped communities plan and implement efficiency and renewables programs. He has worked in a range of non-profit agencies, and has been visiting and advising us on our work in Venezuela since 1983.