the team
Elizabeth Couse
Elizabeth is an environmentalist and food justice advocate who has been community organizing in Latin America for the past decade. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in International Agriculture & Rural Development and minors in Education and Community Food Systems.
​
​
​​​
Cristina Chan
Elizabeth is an environmentalist and food justice advocate who has been community organizing in Latin America for the past decade. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in International Agriculture & Rural Development and minors in Education and Community Food Systems.
​
​
​​​
The Zuniga Family
Elizabeth is an environmentalist and food justice advocate who has been community organizing in Latin America for the past decade. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in International Agriculture & Rural Development and minors in Education and Community Food Systems.
​
​
​​​
Elizabeth is passionate about creating harmonious ecosystems that include humans and all other life within them.These passions have led her to the permaculture world with a special interest in social permaculture. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in International Agriculture & Rural Development and minors in Education and Community Food Systems.
Elizabeth has worked in community food systems around the world focusing on the intersections of social justice and food. She strongly believes in the power of local food systems and has been working in environmental activism for the last decade.
She traveled to Costa Rica for the first time 8 years ago and relocated full time to the country 5 years ago, which she now calls home. You can read more about the conception of this retreat here.
Cristina is very creative person. She has a degree in marketing, and while her passions lie elsewhere she has been able to use it as a creative outlet to pursue other things in life. Cristina has been a ballet and contemporary dancer for over 15 years and was born and raised in San José, Costa Rica.
In 2021 she moved to the Caribbean of Costa Rica where she discovered another part of herself. Now she wants to share and express what she knows about the dancing world while also continuing to learn about other ways to express herself through movement. She is also passionate about guiding people with their emotions through somatic movement and practices.
Being immersed in the Caribbean jungle gave her another perspective on what self expression can look like, and today she is inspired to share that with others that want to fulfill the highest expression of themselves as a human beings.
Javier and Raquelle started Villas Mastatal in 2007 and have over a decade of experience in permaculture, off grid living, community building, and hosting international groups. They have transformed their 50 hectare property and inspired thousands all while raising two beautiful children, Andres (8) and Ayanara (3).
​
They have deep roots in Mastatal with Raky's 9 siblings all still residing in the community and running other projects in town. Javi is a master permaculturist and has reforested their land which was formerly a barren cattle pasture, while creating a thriving and abundant food forest. Raky primarily runs the kitchen, with a decade of experience cooking farm to table meals for large groups.