OUR TEAM:
Liza Arias
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Liza has been an animal-lover all her life. She began volunteer work with El Faro in 2009 while also managing a medical office in San Juan; five years later, she quit her job to work at El Faro full-time. Now, she is the Executive Director and there is nothing more fulfilling than being able to help living beings who cannot help themselves. She has the pleasure of being able to see the full process of changing thousands of dogs’ lives – from rescuing them off of the streets, to adopting them into their forever home. Liza has four dogs of her own, and is currently housing seven foster dogs; she has two daughters, Taylor age 20 and Priscilla age 13, who have dedicated themselves to animal welfare just as Liza has. Together, they hope to one day see an organization like El Faro in every town on the island.
EVELYN RIVERA
Animal care specialist
Evelyn began working with El Faro in 2001 as a volunteer; in 2004 she began to work full-time. She was born in New Jersey and lived there until she was five, but moved to Naguabo, PR and grew up amongst the palm trees and crystal-clear waters. She is a vet tech who does health monitoring, administrative work, facilitates adoptions and takes census at El Faro - plus whatever else she can do to help! Her daughter shares her love for animals and frequently helps her medicate, bathe, evaluate and care for El Faro’s dogs. In the future, Evelyn hopes to see El Faro build a low-cost veterinary clinic where the community’s animals can receive appropriate and low-cost health care.
Dr. José Luis Sosa Barbosa
VETERINARIAN
Dr. Sosa is El Faro’s primary veterinarian. He graduated from the Tuskegee University, School of Veterinary Medicine in Tuskegee, Alabama and has since spent twenty+ years saving animals’ lives. He serves as the President of The Hospital Para Mascotas in San Juan, and makes weekly visits to El Faro to perform necessary intake evaluations, give vaccinations, sign off on medical releases and more. El Faro is so thankful for his expertise, and his willingness to help!
dr. mariela jessie pazos
veterinarian
Dr. Mariela Jessie Pazos was born in Uruguay and came to the United States at the age of eleven. She obtained her undergraduate degree at Kean University in New Jersey and went on to receive her veterinary degree from the University of Florida. Her early career was primarily focused on Emergency and Critical Care Medicine. During this time, Dr. Pazos also began volunteering with El Faro and founded LEASH. Although she always found Emergency Medicine to be extremely rewarding, Shelter Medicine and helping underserved communities and their pets became her focus.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Monica Yoma President/Treasurer
Elena Marisol Morales Vice President
Maria Soledad de la Vega Secretary
Members at large:
David Brownstein
Jerry Rosenthal
Denise Karamitsos
Marla Farren
Eli Beaman
Tania Isenstein
