Meet the Board of Directors
Leland Lazarus - FoundER
Leland Lazarus founded the Dream Scholarship (DS) in 2013. An American of Panamanian descent, he taught English in Panama as a Fulbright scholar. What he saw was a situation where Panamanian college students from disadvantaged backgrounds didn't have the same chances to develop their English skills as their wealthy counterparts. So, during the week of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, Leland started DS to give equal opportunity to young Panamanians of all backgrounds.
Born in Long Island, NY, Leland now works at the U.S. State Department as a Foreign Service Officer. He holds an M.A. from the Tufts Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a B.A. in International Relations at Brown University.
Fluent in Both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, Leland also likes to sing, write, exercise and practice Taekwondo.
Prof. Gloria de Ho - Co-Founder
Professor Ho is a senior professor of English at the University of Panama. She brings over 40 years' experience in education and expertise to the Dream Scholarship, and she is undoubtedly the “mother” of the Dream Scholars.
Prof. Ho has been teaching at the University of Panama since 1971. There she served in multiple leadership capacities, from Director of the Language Center to the Director of the English Department. She also served as the Executive Director of the Chinese-Panamanian Cultural Center in Panama City. She holds an MA in Linguistics at Ohio University, and a BA in English from Coe College.
She and her husband Hector have two adult children and live in Panama City.
Roberto Pineda - Board Member
Mr. Pineda is an ardent supporter of the Dream Scholarship and an integral part in its creation. He is currently the President of the Fulbright Alumni Association of Panama, where he organized the National Fulbright Conference in 2013 and the Fulbright regional Conference in 2014.
Mr. Pineda is also a Professor of Maritime Studies at the International Maritime University of Panama. He received his B.S. at the International Maritime University of Panama, and a MA in Port Management and Intermodal Transportation from Pontifical Comillas University of Madrid. He was also a recipient of the Fulbright Herbert H. Humphrey Professional Exchange Program.
He and his wonderful wife Sharon have two children and live in Panama City, Panama.
Oscar Leon - Board Member
Mr. Leon is an instrumental part of the Dream Scholarship team and continues to offer unwavering support. He is currently the President of Quality Leadership University (QLU) in Panama City, Panama. With his leadership and expertise, Mr. Leon expanded and strengthened QLU's academic programs and international partnerships with U.S. universities such as University of Louisville, Empire State University, and Florida International University.
Mr. Leon received a B.A. in Business Administration and an M.A. in Higher Education from the University of Louisville. He was also a recipient of the Fulbright Herbert H. Humphreys Professional Exchange Program.
A native Guatemalan, Mr. Leon lives with his wife in Panama City, Panama.
