Board Member Biographies
BIOGRAPHY BOARD MEMBERS
Teresa Arias
Teresa Arias was born and raised in Michoacan, Mexico. While living in California, she met her spouse. After getting married in Mexico, they relocated to Pennsylvania. They have two wonderful children, now ages 15 and 12. Both have attended Vida Charter School and one is still enrolled.
Julia Burmistrova, Secretary
Julia Burmistrova works as a data engineer, where she uses her skills in analyzing and organizing data. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring hobbies like Crossfit, birdwatching, and gardening. Julia would like to call herself a polyglot one day and has studied Russian, French, and Spanish over the last 15+ years. She is excited to get involved in her local community.
Pedro Diaz-Parga, Vice President
Pedro Diaz-Parga is a research scientist investigating proteins involved in the pathogenesis of specific cancers such as lung and pancreatic cancer. Having recently moved from California to Gettysburg he hopes to participate and be more involved in the local community. He is an avid runner who enjoys trail running and local 5k races.
Victor Fonseca
Paul R. Miller
Paul currently serves as the Director of the Garthwait Leadership Center at Gettysburg College. He has been working in education and leadership development for over 20 years. He is an experienced teacher, administrator, facilitator and leadership coach. Paul is a parent of three children in the Gettysburg Area School District and serves as a volunteer coach for the Adams County Composite Mountain Biking Team. He holds an MS in Educational Administration and Student Affairs from Baylor University. He is from South Central PA but has called both Texas and Chicago home. When not working with individuals or groups, he is likely tending to animals on his family's homestead or training for his next big adventure race.
Brenda Reyes-Lua, President
Brenda Reyes-Lúa serves as the Assistant Director for the Center for Public Service at Gettysburg College. She serves as a guiding member of Casa de la Cultura. Previously, she oversaw services for the Pennsylvania’s Migrant Education Program in Adams County. She has been a resident of Adams County since her arrival in August of 1993 from Michoacán, Mexico. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, awarded in August 2010, with a major in sociology. She is both bilingual and bi-cultural and has worked with the migrant/immigrant population in Adams County since 2006 providing educational and advocacy services to hundreds of families.
Leighton Rice, Treasurer
Leighton has a life-long passion for learning and serving. After graduating from Gettysburg High School in 2002, he headed to Haverford College where he earned a B.A. in the study of religion in 2006. After college, he lived briefly in California before returning to work for a branch of his family’s business, R & L Orchard Company. There he developed his innate passion for horticulture, which he carried with him in 2009 to Lincoln University in New Zealand, where he studied viticulture and oenology (winemaking). In 2014, Leighton shifted his focus to the storage and packing operations at Rice Fruit Company and accepted a position there as Quality Assurance Manager. He is very happy and engaged in his career in the local fruit industry. Leighton has two children at Vida and professes to enjoy the challenges and rewards of parenthood. Outside of work, Leighton pokes around in the yard and samples craft beer. He is often heard singing songs to himself.