The Board
Fredy Peccerelli
President
Fredy Peccerelli serves as Executive Director of Friends of FAFG, Inc. where he is a founding board member. Mr. Peccerelli has dedicated his life to upholding human rights and dignity through the application of forensic sciences and is an internationally renowned and recognized Forensic Anthropologist and Human Identification expert. Mr. Peccerelli is a founding member of the Fundación de Antropología Forense de Guatemala (FAFG, Forensic Anthropology Foundation of Guatemala) where he leads the development and implementation of a Multidisciplinary Human Identification System.
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Mr. Peccerelli has testified as an expert witness presenting expert forensic reports and pattern analysis in the Genocide case against Ríos Montt in Guatemalan National Court, in the International Criminal Court for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. In recognition of his expertise and decades of dedication to applying forensic sciences to the search for the disappeared, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD) from the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), and an Honorary Doctorate of Sciences (DSc) from Queen’s University. Some of his international recognitions include the Distinguished Alumnus Award from his alma mater Brooklyn College in 2017 and becoming the first recipient of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) Human Rights Award, as well as being recognized as Time Magazine and CNN’s 50 Latin American Leaders for the New Millenium.
Dr. Jo-Marie Burt
Director
Dr. Burt is a Senior Fellow at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), professor at George Mason University, and was recently named President of the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) Executive Council. Dr. Burt has extensive experience covering issues of human rights, political violence and justice with special interest in the Peruvian and Guatemala contexts. In recent years, Dr. Burt’s research has focused on the ways post-conflict societies confront demands for justice and accountability after atrocity.
She currently researches and writes about war crimes trials in Guatemala for International Justice Monitor, a project of the Open Society Justice Initiative, and Plaza Pública. She has engaged in research and advocacy in relation to several high-profile human rights trials in the region, including the 2009 Fujimori trial in Peru and the 2013 Rios Montt genocide trial in Guatemala. She is a member of the international advisory boards of the Peruvian Forensic Anthropology Team (EPAF) and the Observatorio Luz Ibarburu, which monitors human rights prosecutions in Uruguay. Dr. Burt was a researcher for the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2001-2003) and has served as an expert witness in human rights cases in courts in the United States, in domestic courts in Peru, and before the Inter-American Court for Human Rights.
Hardy Vieux is the Executive Vice President and Chief Program Officer at Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), where he leads efforts to protect and advocate for the rights of refugee and immigrant children. With over 25 years of legal, nonprofit, and policy experience, Hardy has served in key leadership roles at organizations such as Human Rights First and Save the Children, and has worked extensively in refugee protection, litigation, and human rights advocacy. His work has taken him from courtrooms in the U.S. to humanitarian operations in Jordan during the Syrian refugee crisis.
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Hardy holds a J.D. and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Michigan Journal of Race & Law, and a B.A. in Public Policy from Duke University, where he served as Student Body President. In addition to his legal and advocacy career, he has served as a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy and held board leadership roles with Refugee Council USA and Duke University Trinity College of Arts and Sciences. Hardy brings to Friends of FAFG a deep commitment to justice, rule of law, and the rights of the displaced and disappeared.
Hardy Vieux
Director
Remembering Scott Greathead (1946 -2024)
We honor the life and legacy of Scott Greathead, a co-founder of Friends of FAFG and President of its Board from 2011 to 2024. Scott was a tireless advocate for human rights, accountability, and the rule of law, whose career as a lawyer and public servant left an indelible mark on international justice efforts in Latin America and Asia. His commitment to truth and justice led him to support forensic investigations into crimes against humanity in Guatemala, and his leadership was instrumental in strengthening Friends of FAFG’s mission to identify and honor the victims of the internal armed conflict. Scott’s dedication extended beyond legal advocacy—he played a key role in the production of the acclaimed documentary Finding Oscar, which brought global attention to the Dos Erres massacre and the decades-long search for justice for the victims and survivors. His ability to combine legal rigor with compassionate storytelling helped shine a light on the enduring impact of enforced disappearance. Scott’s vision, integrity, and unwavering moral compass shaped the foundation and growth of Friends of FAFG. We are profoundly grateful for his leadership, friendship, and the legacy he leaves behind. We carry forward his work with deep respect and renewed purpose.
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