Meet the board.
Meet the people behind the scenes of Casas de Luz, dedicated people with a passion for change. Learn about their involvement and some fun facts about them! These board members often lead builds, so get to know your leaders before the build!
Kathy Faller
Founder
First year with CDL: 2005
Favorite food: A good glass of chardonnay at the end of the day.
Favorite free time activities: Hiking, walking, going to Mexico and eating tacos, experiencing different cultures while travelling.
Kirsten Chaplin
Operations Manager
The minute she stepped foot on her first build site, Kirsten fell in love with Casas de Luz. Her favorite part of Casas de Luz is meeting families and witnessing a complete transformation in one weekend. She says they begin as being so timid and over the weekend you can see their hearts opening up as they realize their dream is coming true. Kirsten is our operations manager and does the daily activities to keep Casas de Luz running.
First year with CDL: 2013
Favorite food: Adobada tacos, wood-fired pizza, peppermint ice cream
Favorite free time activities: Studying in coffee shops, going to Mexico, watching sunsets, Pinterest DIY projects!
Eileen Hahn
Board Member
Eileen loves going to Mexico and working with Casas de Luz because she immediately feels the love of the people. She sees kindness, teamwork, and gratitude within each individual. It is a special blessing to experience and she always returns home to the US joyfully. Eileen is an essential part to our team and motivates us to achieve what the rest of us think is impossible.
First year with CDL: 2009
Favorite food: Salmon, dark chocolate, avocados
Favorite free time activity: Hiking in Torrey Pines State Park!
Sara Appleton-Knapp
Board Member
Sara’s first home build was with her then 10-year-old daughter. Watching her daughter connect with children whose lives are so different from hers made Sara want to become more involved. For her, the best part of Casas de Luz is seeing love in action as teams create warm, secure homes in which families can flourish.
First year with CDL: 2010
Favorite food: Homemade pineapple tamales
Favorite free time activity: Hiking and walking around San Diego, traveling to interesting places and exploring new cuisine.
Bruce Brenneman
Board Member
Bruce is a a third year builder with Casas de Luz and has built over 35 homes! He is a Distinguished Engineer and helps on builds by leading the cutting team and electricity team. He takes the time to teach a group of builder on each build to ensure the electricity is top notch!
First year with CDL: 2015
Chris Faller
Board Member
Chris worked with manufacturing operations in the US, Mexico and other foreign countries for over 20 years. This experience taught him that people around the globe want to work hard to provide for their loved ones, they just need an opportunity. Casas de Luz helps families build homes and communities that become a foundation for future prosperity of their families by creating an opportunity for a sustainable income and future.
First year with CDL: 2005
Favorite food: Tamales for lunch at builds and fresh tacos in Tijuana!
Favorite free time activities: Building homes, volunteer work helping others to be independent and productive, hiking, backpacking, and surfing.
Michael Clayton
Board Member
Michael is always amazed at the positive impact we make on families and communities in Tijuana through seemingly simple service work. He is equally amazed at the impression they make on us. It is especially important during this time to forge friendships; only 30 miles separate us but our fates are intertwined.
First year with CDL: 2011
Favorite food: Raspberries, ceviche, pickled eggs
Favorite free time activities: Sailing, fishing, backpacking, traveling, and finding new places to eat!
Robin Sales
Board Member
Robin loves Casas de Luz because she is able to see a finished home with a grateful and happy family in less than two days. After all of the builds she has participated in, the closing key ceremony is still her favorite part because it is joyous and heartwarming all at the same time. Robin loves practicing her Spanish with the families and community members on builds!
First year with CDL: 2005
Favorite food: Cauliflower
Favorite free time activities: Hiking, reading, and spending time with her daughters!
Mike Cosgrove
Donations Coordinator
Mike began volunteering with Casas de Luz after attending a build in October 2019. He loved the idea of being able to furnish our homes with donations, allowing teams to not only build a house, but create a home for the family.
First year with CDL: 2019
Favorite food: gelato
Favorite free time activities: Woodcarving, hiking with his wife, and chasing his dog!