Meet our team!

Executive Director

Blair Quinius loves children, youth and Honduras.  In 2008 he had a vision to combine these three passions and implement the first UrbanPromise site in Central America.  Post-graduation from Southwestern University with a degree in Animal Behavior, Blair spent time working with children/youth education; in varying capacities from ski instructor to 5th grade teacher. While teaching at Mayatan Bilingual School in Copán Ruinas, he began building relationships and exploring the possibilities for the UrbanPromise model in Honduras. Since 2008 he has been blessed with the opportunity to see this vision become a reality for the children of Honduras.  Now happily married, Blair lives with his wife, Lauren, in Copan Ruinas, Honduras where he serves as Executive Director for UrbanPromie Honduras. Blair is an avid fan of salsa, baseball and the Texas Rangers

 Youth Director

 Rachel Nelson grew up in Texas surrounded by her loving family.  Being the oldest of 6 children, Rachel innately learned to be driven, ambitious and adventurous.  She completed her bachelor’s degree at Texas A&M University in International Studies, and then took off to experience and know the world she was so fascinated by and drawn to.  She lived for various amounts of time in Uruguay, Spain, France, and Ecuador before joining the vision of what would become UrbanPromise Honduras.  Being a part of this organization has been the most powerful and meaningful experience of her life.  She marvels at how through each previous step in her life, God was clearly preparing her to come to Copan Ruinas and build a ministry from the ground up.  By far, teenagers have the greatest tug on her heart.  Having grown up with so many younger siblings, having worked at high-school camps all through college, and having poured into high school church groups, Rachel’s heart aches and connects with teenagers in a way that God uniquely designed.  Rachel’s passion is for the teenagers of UPH, these amazing powerful young people that God has specifically chosen to come through the doors of this ministry. 

Camp Hope Program Director

Katie Sugg loves Latin American culture and loves working with kids, and especially loves putting the two together! She first came to Honduras when she was 15 years old on a mission trip, and this trip inspired her to learn Spanish and to seek further service opportunities in Latin America. Six years later, in September of 2010, Katie moved from her home in Boston, Massachusetts to Copán to join the UPH team. She works as director of the after-school program Camp Hope, with over 40 adorable, hilarious, and brilliant kids and some pretty amazing youth leaders.  Ask anyone at UPH about Katie, and they will probably tell you about her enthusiasm for food or her talkativeness. Katie is somewhat infamous for her love for chocolate (and all sweets), and can be seen peeking into the office fridge at 15 minute intervals throughout the day. She is also known to strike up a conversation with anyone!

New Program Director (will be implementing our 2nd After-school program site in January 2012)

Kourtney Burris started her love affair with Latin America on a short-term mission trip to Mexico in 2002.  Since then, her love and burden for the people, especially children, of Latin America has grown exponentially.  Considering herself a bit of a nomad, Kourtney has traveled to Mexico a handful of times, and after graduating from TCNJ with a Bachelor’s in Spanish and El. Ed, worked in Ensenada, Mexico for a year as a missionary apprentice with the Christian & Missionary Alliance.  Right before UPH initiated full-time work in Copan, Kourtney heard about what they were doing and knew she had to be a part of it.  In September of 2009, Kourtney journeyed to Copan with UPH as a volunteer at Camp Hope.  After a short time working in Philadelphia, Kourtney rejoined the UrbanPromise Honduras team officially in May 2011, unable to keep herself away from the children and work of UPH.