Our
Story
La Marea Project began not as a plan, but as a series of relationships — formed over time through shared experiences, trust, and a deep love for the Dominican Republic.
What started as individual journeys through education, service, sport, and family gradually became something more connected. Years of leading student trips, living within the community, and building meaningful partnerships revealed a common belief: the most impactful experiences are not transactional or surface-level, but rooted in authentic relationships and mutual exchange.
Here, service is not about helping from the outside, but about walking alongside others. It's about learning, listening, and being open to change.
It's about stepping into a community with humility and leaving with a deeper understanding of the world — and your place in it.
At its core, La Marea is about connection.
Meet Our
Family
La Marea is shaped by people whose connection to the Dominican Republic is personal, lived, and rooted in years of relationship.
Maddie
Maddie first traveled to the Dominican Republic in 2015 on a high school service trip — an experience that would shape the course of her life.
She later returned for a gap year, and after completing college, made the decision to move back full-time. Her deep connection to the community is rooted in authentic relationships and mutual respect.
It was at a local baseball game that Maddie met David, a moment that reflects the heart of what La Marea represents: connection born naturally through shared space, culture, and experience.
Maddie now lives in Cabarete with David and their son, Angel.
David
David was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, where baseball is more than a sport. It's a way of life.
A former player in the New York Mets development system, he grew up playing on the very field where he now leads a local recreational team. That field, known as “the pley,” sits at the heart of the community.
David takes deep pride in his country and community. His resourcefulness, resilience, and ability to create something out of very little reflect much of what he values about the place he calls home.
Through La Marea, he invites participants to experience a few days in the life of a Dominican — grounded in authenticity, connection, and everyday beauty.
Sara
Sara brings more than 30 years of experience in education, having served as both a teacher and school administrator.
She is currently a high school principal in the United States and has spent more than a decade partnering with Dominican organizations focused on expanding opportunity for young people through education.
For more than 12 years, Sara has also planned, coordinated, and led student service trips to the Dominican Republic, helping young people engage in experiences that are both meaningful and transformative.
With her two grown children and two grandchildren now living in the Dominican Republic, Sara's connection to this community is both deeply personal and enduring.
How We
Got Here
La Marea grew slowly — through people, places, and experiences that kept drawing us back.
Education opened the door. Baseball created unexpected connections. Community partnerships deepened over time. Friendships became family.
What emerged was not simply a way to travel through the Dominican Republic, but a way to experience it differently — through the relationships that already existed here.
Those relationships continue to shape the way La Marea works today: listening before leading, approaching each experience with curiosity, and creating space for people to learn from one another.
Like the tide, connection builds over time — shaping perspective, creating belonging, and leaving something with us long after the experience ends.
This is the story we've lived — and the one we invite you into.