Justin Hettinga
Regional Director
Stronger futures through America’s languages.
The Americas are where SIL’s story began. What started here decades ago continues today—stretching from the northern reaches of Canada and Alaska to the jungles of South America.
Across this vast region, we work hand-in-hand with churches and communities on Bible translation, capacity development, Scripture engagement, linguistics, literacy, and more, all supported by a workforce that increasingly comes from Latin American churches themselves.
In the Americas, we take a holistic, church-centric approach to our work. We believe that true, lasting, and sustainable impact happens when ownership rests in the hands of the people themselves, and especially the church. Our vision is a truly diverse global workforce serving under locally rooted leadership.
years SIL has been
working in the americas
communities SIL is currently working with in the americas
Our Footprint
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SIL Americas South
Jaime Ayala
South Regional Director
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SIL Americas Brazil
Kelly Smith
Brazil Regional Director
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SIL Americas North
Tom Woodward
Director
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SIL Americas South
Jaime Ayala
South Regional Director
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SIL Americas South
Jaime Ayala
South Regional Director
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SIL Americas South
Jaime Ayala
South Regional Director
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SIL Americas North
Tom Woodward
Director
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ILV AC
Instituto Lingüístico de Verano
Gama Astivia
Director
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SIL Americas South
Jaime Ayala
South Regional Director
CILTA
Curso Internacional de Lingüistica, Traducción y Alfabetización
Francisco Linares
CILTA Director
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SIL Americas North
Tom Woodward
Director
SIL US
Greg Salzman
Chief Executive Officer
Stories & News from Americas
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Stories
Migrant families help revitalize a struggling U.S. church and connect unexpectedly with a piece of home. In 2022, Pastor Phil…
September 16, 2026
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Stories
Bilingual classrooms transform learning for children in Amazonia. On a bright September day in 2025, something new spread through a…
April 7, 2026
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Stories
Literacy programs help revitalize minds and restore dignity in local Colombian communities. You would never suspect from the lines in…
July 23, 2025
