” In 1995 my big dream was to bring Mexico and the United States closer together….soften our boundaries, preserve and celebrate our differences and share each others rich culutural heritage. I have to say, I feel like I am losing ground but I am in it for the long haul.”

In 1997 Ron Smith had just finished designing and building an adobe home in Mexico. Adobes have been part of mexico’s building tradition for hundreds of years but when he arrived from Santa Fe, New Mexico to inspect the progress by the Archtitect/Builder he discovered “feather-light” adobes that were mostly pine needles with just enough mud to hold them together but not enough to bear heavy vigas and latillas.  So down came the walls to start over and the lesson of clear communication rang true once again.

My client was a Mexico City banker and when I finished the project I told him I was changing careers. After I told him about experiential learning and my dream to bring Mexico and the U.S. closer he called back and asked if we could do something and I told him “build it and they will come”….(from the movie Field of Dreams).  And so we began constructing one of Mexico’s first challenge courses devoted to teambuilding and leadership.

Since 1997, Ron Smith & Associates together with Santa Fe Learning Centers and Terrela, Aprendizaje Vivencial  have facilitated many organizations in their pursuit of excellence using experience-based learning tools and methods supported by solid research and pragmatic trial and error.

“I remember our first group was arriving and we were raking the gravel smooth underneath the newly constructed events. The course was ready but I was thinking …..what have I got myself into. Am I ready? In retrospect we were ready for our participants but had no idea the profound satisfaction we would experience with our groups.” Ron Smith

Using action-based learning at their leadership centers in Malinalco and San Miguel de Allende, Santa Fe Learning has improved team performance, increased leadership abilities and deepened individual self knowledge of thousands of participants and their organizations. In 2013 Santa Fe Learning constructed a challenge course in San Miguel de Allende.

Join us in either location or ask about our portable events for 20 to 2,000 participants.

Approximately 80% of our business is with corporate clients. We also work with non-profit and governmental organizations, educational institutions, families and individual groups (open enrollment).