Creating Indigenous Human Security through Co-Leadership: an Interview with Beth McFadyen (MAHA F22)
Creating Indigenous Human Security through Co-Leadership: an Interview with Beth McFadyen (MAHA F22)
By: Virginia Ambeliotis
Beth McFadyen (MAHA F22) is a nonprofit board consultant based in Massachusetts. Her philanthropic and board work includes roles such as Governance Officer for Cristosal, a leading human rights organization in Central America, and Chairperson for Natün Guatemala, a non-profit partnering with the indigenous Maya in the highlands of rural Guatemala. Virginia Ambeliotis (MALD F25) interviewed McFadyen over email in April 2024 about the most pressing issues in Central America and her work to address them. It has been lightly edited for publication in PRAXIS.
VA: You have been involved in board work at two great organizations in Central America which I think can be described as promoting human security. You’re also a recent Fletcher alum with a career that started in corporate America and now looks very different. Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself and your career trajectory, why you decided to come to Fletcher, and what you currently work on now?
BM: I followed in my Dad’s footsteps and started my career in finance after earning a business degree with a concentration in labor relations. My heartstrings pulled me to human resource management where I found my true calling in training and organization development. While working full time as a corporate trainer, I earned my first graduate degree (a Master of Science in Organizational Development & Training) and traveled throughout the US and Europe conducting professional skills training and team building workshops.
When I needed to cut back on travel as our family grew, I moved into a consulting role and continued to work for technology and consulting firms, primarily on curriculum and course development and team-building.
After child number four joined our family, I paused full-time work but continued to flex my organizational development muscles in voluntary roles with nonprofit organizations. During those years, I was invited to serve on the Board of Directors of an INGO based in Guatemala that was experiencing significant organization challenges. After leading the nonprofit as Board President through a crisis which required operational involvement (rather than simply oversight), I became well aware of my limited understanding of the context of working in international development in Central America. I completed my term of service and felt deeply motivated to fill those knowledge gaps.
An email from Tufts in my inbox (my husband is a Jumbo) introduced me to the MAHA program (Master of Arts in Humanitarian Assistance), and my year at Fletcher and Feinstein was one of the most rewarding of my life. The academic experience and the personal connections with faculty and fellow students made me a more impactful and credible nonprofit consultant. I currently serve as Governance Officer for Cristosal, the leading human rights organization in Central America, and my professional focus is building organization-strengthening frameworks.
VA: Although you are now based at Cristosal, you remain actively engaged with Natün Guatemala, which advocates for Maya communities in the Lake Atitlán region of Guatemala. Could you tell us more about these communities and break down some of the protection issues that they face?
BM: You’ll find Lake Atitlan on the list of the top 10 most beautiful lakes in the world, but the indigenous Maya living in this region are plagued with protection issues. Located in the rural Highlands—a three-hour drive from Guatemala City—reliable public services provided by the Guatemalan government are severely lacking. Infrastructure (like roads, electricity, clean water, healthcare, and schools) is weak and not tailored to the Maya culture and belief system. Language is a significant barrier, as many Maya in this region do not speak Spanish and only understand their indigenous language of Kaqchikel. Children, especially girls, often leave formal schooling during their primary education years to either work to support their families or to care for younger siblings.
In recent years, climate change has impacted agriculture, one of the primary livelihood opportunities. A now unpredictable rainy season and drought season featuring massive flooding and extreme temperatures can not only reduce or destroy crops but also complicates access to markets.
Throughout Central America, where “machismo” is ever-present, gender-based violence and alcoholism is prevalent. Women in partnered relationships with men rarely have decision-making power or control of household finances and, because this is culturally expected, there is limited support for women suffering abuse.
VA: From what I have read, Natün doesn’t just “serve” Maya communities; to the contrary, Maya community members lead and work at the organization. Could you share a bit about Natün’s organizational structure and what practices the organization utilizes to make sure that local, indigenous perspectives and priorities are setting the organization’s agenda?
BM: Natün’s focus on community-centered leadership is one of its greatest strengths. There are three major elements to the leadership structure. First, in addition to the U.S.-based Board of Directors, there is a Guatemalan-based Board of Directors (or a Junta Directiva). This board functions as an independent Association and is composed of local Guatemalans. The local Junta ensures that the work of the organization is connected to community priorities. Second, the seven-member leadership team (six of whom are indigenous) uses a collaborative leadership model which is in alignment with Maya culture. The non-hierarchical model requires that decisions be collectively made by the leadership team. This practice is also followed at the department level in their three program areas: education, nutrition and health, and economic development.
And the third element is a shared executive leadership model, which will be implemented at the end of this year. Rather than a single Executive Director, Natün will adopt a co-leadership model in which their foreign leader focuses on fundraising, donor relations, and strategic partnerships abroad while their indigenous leader presides locally over staff, development programming, and operations. Although there is a strong international push toward community-based leadership, there are very few examples of co-leadership. I am excited for Natün to formalize these new roles, and I feel confident that they will be thoughtful and deliberate as they develop this best practice.
VA: What are the most pressing issues that Natün is focused on right now?
BM: Migration is on the rise in recent years, and Natün has created a youth leadership curriculum through the Learning Communities arm of their education program to address it. Young people who are empowered by new skills, a sense of purpose, and confidence are more likely to find success through further education and sustainable employment, making remaining in Guatemala a far more attractive option than migrating.
Another pressing issue due to current political events is advocacy. The recent election of the Seeds of Change party’s Presidential candidate, Bernardo Arevalo, has given rise to hope for government reforms. Natün is working within their networks to insert indigenous voices into important conversations so that they can influence outcomes. Because Natün is a respected INGO, they have been able to amplify indigenous voices at key agencies like the Ministry of Health and the Secretariat of Nutrition and Food Security.
PRAXIS would like to thank Beth McFayden for sharing her insights about the state of human rights in Central America.
To learn more about Natün Guatemala, check out their website and follow them on Instagram and LinkedIn.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Virginia Ambeliotis is a dual degree MALD/JD student and aspiring immigration lawyer from Gloucester, MA. She studies international law and the protection of vulnerable populations at Fletcher.