Terri Marlett

Co-Founder, Executive Director

Terri Marlett founded NICA in 2006 to create job opportunities for adults and improve education for children in rural communities in Nicaragua. She began visiting Nicaragua in 2004, and she was overwhelmed by the poverty and hope she found there. Terri created and launched the Somos El Cambio in 2007 after many visits and discussions with locals in El Transito. This program creates opportunities for adults and high school students to earn basic needs.

Terri created and launched the Somos El Cambio in 2007 after many visits and discussions with locals in El Transito. This program creates opportunities for adults and high school students to earn basic needs. This includes construction materials, food, school uniforms or other necessities, allowing parents to give their children the best opportunity to attend school. This program has resulted in over thirty newly constructed homes, hundreds of repaired homes, a clean town, and beaches increased community pride and higher attendance rates at local schools.

Terri created the vision for CREA with Chris Marlett, and she launched the program in 2015. She currently leads an international team of directors, interns, and other staff to improve the quality of education offered to children. Although in its infancy, this program has brought positive results, proving technology and teacher training can make marked results in remediating education levels quickly.

Terri graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles with a degree in English and then earned her law degree from Southwestern School of Law.