Abigail Alethea Sy
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Abigail was born and raised in the Philippines. She earned her B.A in English Literature and International Relations from the University of British Columbia, Canada, where she spent her time actively volunteering for various philanthropic organizations. Abigail learned about the power young people have to affect significant positive change in the lives of those living in poverty and subsequent visit to Smokey Mountain awakened in her heart a desire to use her education and experiences during to make a difference in her home country, the Philippines. Abigail plans to return to school to attain her M.A in International Development and is excited to push the limits of what can and will be done in response to those most in need in the Philippines.
Ben Compton
Co-founder and President
Ben and his brother Alex (WE International Philippines Director of Public Relations), grew up traveling across Asia and the United States. Their parents were international educators and are now retired university professors, who initially met in the Peace Corps, in Thailand and have worked extensively in the fields of international development, extension agriculture, adult education, and Southeast Asian Linguistics. Ben has lived in Thailand, Laos, Philippines, and China and has an M.A. in Counselor Education. After spending the initial part of his professional career working as a therapist, mentoring program coordinator, and foster parent with at-risk teenagers in the United States, Ben has spent the last 8 years working as a high school counselor, teacher, and basketball coach in international schools in Asia. Ben has a heart for youth, and a heart for the Philippines, and is also currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Palawan Project Foundation.
Alex Compton
Director of Public Relations
Alex is an American citizen who was born in the Philippines . He graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York with a major in Human Development and Family Studies. He has then spent the next 10 years playing professional basketball in the Philippines, and is currently an assistant coach for the “Rain or Shine”
team in the Philippine Basketball Association. Alex is fluent in Filipino, and currently serves as a TV commentator for the Philippine Basketball Association, the Philippine Basketball league, and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. Alex has always been active in working with youth and in doing charity work both in the Philippines and internationally. He also currently works with youth in the Philippines as Training Director of the National Basketball Training Center, and Project Director of the Nike Elite Basketball Camp. Alex is also active in his church and has served on numerous missions trips in Latvia, Colombia, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Cecilia B. Martinez-Miranda
Co-founder and Director
Cecilia Martinez-Miranda was born and raised in the Philippines. At an early age, Cecilia became acutely aware of the effect that poverty has on the daily lives of many Filipinos. Cecilia subsequently channeled her compassion by becoming involved in several local community service projects. She is a recent graduate from Brent International School Manila and will be attending Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota in August 2009. Throughout her high school career at Brent, Cecilia has been a tremendously dynamic and involved student-leader. At only 18 years of age, Cecilia exemplifies WE International Philippines’ values and vision as she has already made a powerful impact in helping to cultivate an inspiring movement to reverse the cycle of poverty in the Philippines.
Geni Psinakis
Director of Development
Geni Psinakis is a Filipino citizen who grew up in Manila, and San Francisco, California. Born to a Greek-American father and a Filipino mother, Geni was raised in a multicultural environment and learned to speak Spanish, Filipino, and Greek. She earned a B.A. in English Literature from Santa Clara University in 1998, and subsequently moved back to Manila were she conceptualized, developed, and managed several independent restaurants.Geni has been actively involved in supporting development work in Smokey Mountain since 2007, and joined WE International Philippines in May 2009. Geni is committed to making a difference in the lives of Filipinos living in poverty, and believes deeply in WEIP’s cause. She has chosen to forego several promising career opportunities in the United States to lead the development and expansion of the organization's capacity to make an impact in the lives of Filipinos all across the country.
Trina Santos
Community Relations
Trina earned her B.A. in English Literature with a Minor in Philosophy from the Ateneo De Manila University where she actively volunteered for various NGOs - the importance of which was instilled in her by her parents and nurtured during her elementary and secondary school years in St. Scholastica's College-Manila. Her involvement at the age of 11 in Children's International Summer Villages (CISV), an organization promoting cross-cultural education, understanding and non-violent conflict-resolution, continues to this day. Her volunteer experience has brought her to Italy, Sweden, Finland, Brazil and has awakened her to the poverty that exists in the world - in different forms - but also to the transforming power of Hope in every corner of the world. Trina's role as a Community Relations Officer allows her to actively expose people to the conditions of poverty in the Philippines and build meaningful and lasting relationships which she knows are vital to the mission and vision of WE International Philippines.
