Rex A. Dwyer, PhD

Cofounder and Executive Director

Rex A. Dwyer, PhD is adoptive father of two adult children from Guatemala. He earned a PhD in Computer Science at Carnegie-Mellon University in 1988. An enthusiastic life-long learner, he completed the MS in Economics and Latin American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2007 at age 48. His major paper for the MS dealt with comparative economic histories of Guatemala and Nicaragua. He was recruited to teach Spanish III for a semester at UNC. Prior to retiring from paid work in 2021, he was Associate Professor at NC State University and later a data scientist in the biotech industry.  He cofounded Chaptops in May 2022.

Bayron R. Cap

Cofounder and Guatemala Director

Byron, a Poqomchi’ native of Tactic, is a serial social entrepreneur.  He was “discovered” by Guatemalan Student Support Group Founder John Bodoh and supported to attend high school in Raleigh.  He studied Business Administration at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh before returning to Tactic to help his family and pursue several community development projects.  He lives in Tactic with his wife Judi, son Abraham (a.k.a. “Byrito”), and stepson Hugo.

Dina Fiorentino

Founding Board Member

Dina is an experienced marketing professional and management consultant with significant non-profit experience. She has worked in the high tech industry for 30+ years for companies such as SAS Institute, GTE Wireless, and Apple Computer. She has two adult children, Anthony and Annalisa, who came to her from Guatemala.

Fredy Oxom, MS

Founding Board Member

Fredy is Advisor to the Vice Minister of Bilingual Education and is a cofounder of the Instituto Maya Comunitario K’amolb’e in rural Nimlaha’kok, Alta Verapaz. He was the first member of his Q’eqchi’ Maya people to graduate from a US university, and he was honored among Methodist University’s Distinguished Alumni in 2023.  He now lives in Cobán, Alta Verapaz with his wife Breni and daughter Nikte.

Greg Schwendinger, MSEE

Founding Board Member

Greg is cofounder with his wife Alice Lee of CasaSito, a highly successful youth program with sites in Antigua and San Cristóbal Verapaz. He lives with Alice in Antigua and is a paddling enthusiast with an interest in developing river tourism in Guatemala. Greg worked for Intel in California as a chip designer in the 1990s before the travel bug bit and eventually brought him to Guatemala.

Marlon Rey

Image and Design Manager

Milton Cap

Operations Manager

Judi Isem

Bookkeeper