Our Mission
The Children’s Nature Retreat Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children and their families. The focus at our animal sanctuary in Alpine, California is rooted in nurturing a deep connection with the natural world; while in Burkina Faso, West Africa, we provide support to families and access to education from pre-school age through high school.
We rely on you to help us fund our foundation projects.
Please help!
Meet the Children’s Nature Retreat Foundation Team
Board of Directors
Agnès Barrelet
From her childhood in the south of France to becoming a start-up software executive in San Diego, Agnes’s drive has resulted in success at every organization in which she has been involved. Her consuming interest in her daughter’s education led her to chairmanship of the board of the international school her daughter attended, cementing her interest in the role of education in improving children’s lives.
Exposure to the mechanics of how education is actually delivered enlivened her concern in the quality gap between the education offered to the least privileged and that offered to the most privileged. Combined with her international sensibilities, the offer of leading Hands United for Children, now Children’s Nature Retreat Foundation, proved an irresistible draw, and her passion and results-oriented focus on ameliorating the poor opportunities available to those left behind by the world’s educational systems has energized the organization.
Her experience as a co-founder and VP of Sales of an Internet analytics company, involving a central role in capital management that helped fund the company, highlights her suitability to the role. She has recruited top-notch people to oversee the organization, and under her leadership as President, Children’s Nature Retreat Foundation has begun to make a meaningful difference in Africa and right here in San Diego.
Eileen Logue
Ms. Logue has in-depth knowledge of charter schools, and non-profits, having worked with California charter schools since 1993. Ms. Logue has been a founding charter school board member and a business manager to several charter schools. A frequent presenter at many charter school conferences and the former Chair of the San Diego Business County Business Managers group, Ms. Logue has an extensive background working with charter school finance.
In her spare time, Ms. Logue loves to travel with her daughter and spends a lot of time in Mexico, practicing her Spanish.
Ms. Logue graduated with her B.S. in Finance from San Diego State University.
Recent work experience includes being the Chief Financial Officer for several charter schools.
Jan Perry
Ms. Perry is the founder and Executive Director of America’s Finest Charter School.The school was founded in 2010. She has a Master’s Degree in Education, M. Ed., and an Administrative Credential from University of San Diego. She is a member of the California Charter Schools Association and the International Reading Association. All of her educational experience has been with socio-economically disadvantaged students in southeast San Diego. Jan Perry’s experience in elementary school teaching, coaching and managing teaching staff, and her long-standing connection to the targeted southeast community will bring experience and passion to the position as board member.
Jan has 2 beautiful grown children Natalie and Tristan. She loves nature and of course animals big and small. Jan loves to travel to places off the beaten path. She is very passionate about introducing animals to students in inner city schools and is proud to serve on the board of Children’s Nature Retreat Foundation.
Gerald Ramirez
My philosophy around wealth management is rooted in the idea of relationships. Wealth management is not just about asset allocation. It’s about helping clients live their dreams. In order to make that happen, good Financial Advisors must also be good people, working tirelessly to understand clients’ deepest concerns and priorities and ensure that every client relationship is built on unshakeable trust. As your Financial Advisor I will:
- Help you create a lifetime retirement income stream
- Work with you to craft your own retirement
- Collaborate with your CPA and attorney to help execute your plan
With over 22 years of wealth advisory experience, I have the focused insight and strategic experience to coordinate many aspects of wealth management to help your family build and protect a solid financial foundation. At the heart of my philosophy is a passion to build enduring client relationships through my commitment to providing outstanding guidance and service. It starts with listening. I will ask questions regarding your needs and dreams and then listen. It is an ongoing process through which I will strive to know you, your family, your goals and your dreams. This helps me make recommendations and design a flexible wealth plan that is uniquely yours.
Advisory Board
Jamie Nelson
Jamie Nelson has over 20 years of fundraising experience spanning everything from annual giving to estate and planned giving. She began her career at Cal State San Marcos and built a planned giving program there before being recruited to Scripps Health where she has worked in planned giving and now is a dedicated development officer for Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center. She has lived in the San Diego area for the past 26 years, where she raised her three daughters.
Martha A. Ostrom, PhD
In 1999, I established Foundation & Fundraising Consultants, LLC, a private firm, dedicated to building strong foundations in people and organizations by enhancing and strengthening the administrative and board leadership skills and the fundraising capacity and effectiveness of nonprofit organizations. In addition to consulting for organizations, I served on multiple BODs.
For the past 40 years, my life has been dedicated to modelling and teaching the importance of education, balance and wellness in all aspects of life. My education encompasses the following degrees: Registered Dental Hygienist, Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, Master of Science degree in Justice Studies and a PhD in Public Administration with a focus on Nonprofit Leadership and Management. During this time my work career also included: owning and operating private retail companies, VP for Institutional Advancement and Development for Columbia University’s Biosphere 2 Center, a satellite of NYC Columbia University, the design, development and administration of Arizona Department of Health Services Tobacco Education Office and Program, CEO of HomeBase Youth Services a NPO for persons aged out of foster care, victims of abuse and court adjudicated juveniles and adult probationers.
My husband, Dr. Lonnie Ostrom, marketing professor at Arizona State University, and I are the proud parents of 7 children, their spouses, 13 grandchildren, and at this time only one rescued cat.
The Team
Agnès Barrelet
Agnès Barrelet has recruited top-notch people to oversee the organization, and under her leadership as President, Children’s Nature Retreat Foundation has begun to make a meaningful difference in Africa and right here in San Diego.
From her childhood in the south of France to becoming a start-up software executive in San Diego, Agnes’s drive has resulted in success at every organization in which she has been involved. Her consuming interest in her daughter’s education led her to chairmanship of the board of the international school her daughter attended, cementing her interest in the role of education in improving children’s lives.
Exposure to the mechanics of how education is actually delivered enlivened her concern in the quality gap between the education offered to the least privileged and that offered to the most privileged. Combined with her international sensibilities, the offer of leading Hands United for Children, now Children’s Nature Retreat Foundation, proved an irresistible draw, and her passion and results-oriented focus on ameliorating the poor opportunities available to those left behind by the world’s educational systems has energized the organization.
Her experience as a co-founder and VP of Sales of an Internet analytics company, involving a central role in capital management that helped fund the company, highlights her suitability to the role. She has recruited top-notch people to oversee the organization, and under her leadership as President, Children’s Nature Retreat Foundation has begun to make a meaningful difference in Africa and right here in San Diego.
“My family and I loved it! Our favorite was Burkina. She was so sweet and followed us around from her enclosure. Also, we met the owner Agnes. She was super nice and chatted with us about the animals.”
“The children’s nature retreat-is not just for children. it is a magical place where one is reminded how powerful nature is-the animals and the park like setting restore a sense of awe and wonder to all of its visitors-including the grown ups.”
“This was a very fun getaway! Close to home yet far enough you feel out of the city. The grounds are maintained very well and all of the staff are very friendly l. I can’t wait to go back.”
Partners
Children’s Nature Retreat Foundation would like to thank our sponsors and partners!
