About — Dominican Advance

Dominican Advance

Dominican Advance creates opportunity for a brighter future through quality, Christ-centered schools and educational programs to impoverished people living in the Dominican Republic and beyond.

All of Dominican Advance's schools and programs successfully operate in areas where household incomes are little more than a dollar a day per person. Our work brings good news, hope, and a future to those trapped in a generational cycle of poverty and ignorance. Our combined enrollment for the 2025-26 school year is 900 students from grade K-12. We also have more than 20 graduates earning their degrees at three different national universities.

In October 2021, our three semi-private, Christian schools were awarded the certificate of “Model Schools for the Dominican Republic” by the Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic.

In October 2023, at the urging of the Ministry of Education, the Alta Vista High School was converted into a technical school where students earn college credits and learn valuable principles in the fields of Tourism & Hospitality and Information Systems. We are currently fundraising to expand our facilities so more students will be able to take advantage of this excellent program.

Our Brighter Future College Endowment program provides tuition-free university education for qualified high school graduates. As of December 2025, five of our students had graduated from university with degrees in School Psychology, Accounting, Industrial Engineering, and Modern Languages.

Child sponsorship remains foundational to all of our work in the Dominican Republic and has enriched hundreds of families with its cross-cultural connections in the Dominican, United States, Canada and the UK.

Our Mission

Educate

Dominican Advance's schools for quality, Christ-centered education are among the most highly regarded in the entire country. International TV & radio personalities, missionaries, educators and pastors have praised the program.

eNABLE

Through the Brighter Future College Fund, Dominican Advance enables an emerging generation of Dominican leaders to educate and equip themselves by providing scholarships for higher education.

EVANGELIZE

By sharing the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, we give children, teens, young adults the opportunity to experience new life and to reap eternal rewards and blessings.

OUR LEADERSHIP MODEL

EFFECTIVE TEAM LEADERSHIP

Dominican Advance believes strongly that leadership should be a team effort. We think that careful team building is a good part of successful leadership. Not bound by the will of the strongest personality or the weight of a top-heavy positional hierarchy, we encourage the free flow of ideas and the more effective distribution of responsibilities.

Our team members include board members who support, encourage and contribute ideas.

Our leadership team directs, decides, and determines the future of Dominican Advance.

our team

founders dr. kim & josie pensinger

**Dr. Kim & Josie Pensinger**
President & Vice President
Dominican Advance, Inc.

Dr. Kim is a trail blazer! He’s been a church planter, missionary, pastor, mentor to future pastors, educator, author, Christian musician, and conference speaker.

In 2005, the Pensingers moved their family to the Dominican Republic and launched Dominican Advance. Today, they oversee the growing mission that has championed the cause of high-quality, Christ-centered education in the Dominican. Josie’s NutriNinos program brings hope, education, and nutrition to impoverished children in Cuba and Argentina.

Based out of Tucson, AZ, they make regular trips to the Dominican Republic in their capacity as the nonprofit’s founding directors.

general director of educational programs

**Yamilka Estrada, M.Ed.**
Superintendent of Schools for Dominican Advance

Director Estrada has led our educational program for 18 years. She brilliantly combines her roles as a mother of two, principal, and community leader, demonstrating that discipline and love can go hand in hand.

She has been recognized by the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Education for managing our educational centers with an educational model that faithfully meets standards of quality and social commitment. She is proof that it is possible to lead with purpose, serve with passion, and leave a true legacy for others.

director of development / MISSION TEAM LEAD HOST

Michael Pensinger’s missions journey began when he was just two weeks old, traveling with his parents as they served across Latin America. That early exposure shaped his lifelong passion for connecting people to purpose and impact.

He brings both ministry experience and strong relationship-building skills to his work. After years in the insurance industry, Michael developed a gift for creating meaningful partnerships that help move the mission forward.

Michael and his wife, Marina, live in Wells, Maine, and he frequently travels to the Dominican to oversee projects and lead teams.