With BAIN Downtown, all of our members are strongly encouraged to develop new activities that appeal to them and participate in planning the recurring activities throughout the year. If you are interested in helping with the organization of BAIN Downtown, have a question or concern about the group, or want to know more about any aspect of BAIN Downtown, contact with our Board of Directors is a great place to start! Meet our Board!
Toni Quintana, Chair
Toni was born in Wyoming, lived in Eritrea, Bavaria, Paris, Arizona, Indiana, Georgia, New York, Massachusetts, Los Angeles, and is now settled in the MicroCenrtro with her Argentine husband. A recently retired business development executive, Toni is re-experiencing the joys of language acquisition – teaching English and “perfecting” her Spanish (long way to go on that one!). Theater, contemporary fiction, wine tasting, and eating well are particular interests. Contact her at tonilin@aol.com for social media questions, contributions to the website, or any other schemes and plans.
Jennifer Griffith, Treasurer
Jennifer Griffith (aka JennG) is a musician and composer, living many years in New York, but moved to Buenos Aires in 2019. She is also an editor and loves to cook. JennG was student body accountant in high school and has always enjoyed numbers.
Silvia Portelanza
Silvia is originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador and has also lived in Chile and Mexico. In Argentina she worked for several years in Iguazu – the land of the waterfalls. She is a language teacher, concentrating on teaching English to hotel staffs, Argentinean bank executives, and coordinating Spanish and English immersion programs. Silvia has done some Spanish teaching, and is always happy to provide references in that field. Dancing is one of the great joys of her life as are other cultural possibilities that this beautiful city offers. For information about forthcoming events and to volunteer as a host or guide, contact Silvia at silporta@hotmail.com.
Cliff Wiliamson
Cliff Williamson is a “Gringo Argentinizado,” with 25 years in Argentina after being born and raised in the Chicago area. He has been a school teacher and a business owner of a moving and relocation company. He is a country musician and an author of plays, poetry, and novels. He loves living in Argentina.
Silvia Simonet
Silvia was born in Argentina. After graduating as a Certified English Translator from the Universidad del Salvador (Buenos Aires), she spent some time at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, in the US, as part of an exchange program for foreign students. She worked at the Argentine newspaper Clarin for 33 years as a translator. She was part of the International Politics Desk for 19 years. Subsequently, she was the coordinator of a team of free lance translators that worked for Clarin. Her hobby is art and she loves animals. Currently she is retired and spends her time teaching English, doing translations and painting.
Paula Frederick, Membership Chairperson
Paula’s equestrian-based travels brought her to Argentina to enjoy a ride in Corrientes. This first amazing Argentine experience resulted in her relocation from San Francisco where she worked with an investment management firm. Paula is able to pursue her horseback riding hobby and savor the joys of retirement in a foreign country – a lifelong dream come true. Favorite things about Argentina? Wine, choripan, learning the Porteño spin on the Spanish language, discovering local fashion designers, and mastering the art of “life in the leisure lane.” Paula is happy to share any helpful hints about living in Argentina that she has picked up over the years to help you with your transition as a newcomer.
Venetia Featherstone-Witty
Venetia is an award winning photographer, world traveler, former business owner and private chef, who has been living in Buenos Aires for 9 years. Venetia organizes the BAIN monthly Wine and Tapas gatherings. She loves meeting new people and helping them to connect, feel at home, and make new friends. Contact her at chefvenetia@yahoo.com.
Wendy Huebner
Wendy was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She lived in Minneapolis, MN for 25 years before retiring to Buenos Aires. She has always loved to travel and started traveling in college: Japan, India, Greece, Portugal and Thailand. Wendy worked in private practice as a dental hygienist, taught dental hygiene in Green Bay, WI for 10 years, taught ballroom dance and competed for 10 years, owned and operated a prototyping machine shop where she and her partner developed an ergonomic bicycle. She enjoys partner dancing and took up Argentine tango in 2004, which brought her to Buenos Aires. She has traveled much of Argentina. She enjoys being retired, dining out and playing with her cat.
BAIN Downtown 