Staff

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Natalie Abegesah

Vice President, Human Resources

Natalie Abegesah

Vice President, Human Resources

Natalie Abegesah is the Vice President of Human Resources and leads the global HR unit at Partners of the Americas. As an HR architect, who innovates, enhances, and improves, Natalie creates engaging and productive workforces. With over 18 years of experience in designing and implementing HR programs, she has caused cultural transformation across private, for-profit, and nonprofit/NGO sectors.   Natalie is bilingual and a triple-certified HR professional with a master’s degree from Arizona State University in Legal Studies focused on Employment Laws
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Juliana Araujo

Vice President, Organizational Advancement

Juliana Araujo

Vice President, Organizational Advancement

Juliana Araujo is the Vice President of Organizational Advancement at Partners of the Americas. Prior to this, she was the Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Innovation and earlier, the Vice President of Education and Global Citizenship when she oversaw the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund for the U.S. Department of State Western Hemisphere Bureau, the Traditional Public-Private Program, and the U.S. Exchange Alumni Career Connection and Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund for the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Juliana has more than 20 years of experience overseeing several projects for private sector organizations and research in higher education internationalization and policies at Brazilian universities.   Prior to her work in education, Juliana led business development, marketing, and communications departments for Fortune 500 corporations in Brazil, Argentina, and the United States, where she fostered her capacity for international partnership building for the implementation of corporate marketing, communications, and branding projects, and programs with economic and social impact, with an emphasis on higher education and financial inclusion, at organizations such as IBM, Santander, Providian Bank, Telefonica (VIVO), Unibanco, and Telecom Personal (Argentina), a company from France Telecom and Telecom Italia. She has further researched and advocated for financial citizenship, holding an executive program certificate in the field of financial inclusion from Harvard Kennedy School. She also participated in working groups and technical discussions in the OCDE/CVM Center for Financial Education for Latin America and the Caribbean, an initiative of the Brazilian Central Bank.   She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Catholic University of Campinas, Brazil, a master’s degree in science and technology policy from the State University of Campinas, Brazil, and an MBA from the University of São Paulo, Brazil with an international certificate in communications from California State University. Juliana also holds a master’s degree in education from the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil. She received several awards and scholarships for academic research projects, having collaborated with research groups and publications in higher education, in partnership with the University of Georgia (UGA), Federal University of São Carlos (Brazil), and Arizona State University, with funds from the U.S. and Brazilian governments research agencies. Juliana has actively participated in the DEI Committee activities at Partners since 2020. She is also a member of the American Marketing Association and has advocated for more inclusive communications. Juliana was born in Brazil and lives with her husband and son in Virginia.
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Melisa Arrázola Guerra

Communications Specialist, 100,000 Strong in the Americas

Melisa Arrázola Guerra

Communications Specialist, 100,000 Strong in the Americas

Melisa Arrázola Guerra is the Communications Specialist of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas (100K) program at Partners of the Americas. She is dedicated to the development of the 100K program in the Education unit. Her previous work experience includes an outstanding career as a marketing coordinator for the B2B Business at the pharmaceutical laboratory procaps.   Considered a multicultural person, Melisa was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but was raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, surrounded by an artistic environment that allowed her to develop a deep passion for connecting with different cultures and making friends from various countries. Her experience in marketing strategy execution is aimed at both consumers and brands. In addition, Melisa has skills in project management, creative direction, and production of experiences in events such as exhibitions, congresses, trade fairs, and ephemeral installations. Melisa is a complete professional, with outstanding communication skills and a focus on the success of the projects she tackles.
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Megan Ash

Program Officer, Labor Unit

Megan Ash

Program Officer, Labor Unit

Megan Ash is a Program Officer of the Labor Unit at Partners of the Americas. Prior to joining Partners, Megan supported education and capacity-building programming at a small nonprofit working to advance gender equity in the coffee sector in Latin America. Megan also served as an education volunteer with the Peace Corps in Costa Rica, where she discovered her passion for promoting social change and human rights through education. Megan holds an M.A. in International Education Policy from the University of Maryland, where she concentrated her studies on Gender and Development, and a B.A. in International Studies and Spanish from Colorado State University.
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Ana Aslan

Director, Labor Unit

Ana Aslan

Director, Labor Unit

Ana Aslan is the Director of the Labor Unit at Partners of the Americas.   She is a senior labor expert with over 25 years of experience dedicated to social development through improving working conditions across supply chains. Ana has collaborated with governments, worker organizations, community organizations, global brands, factory suppliers, and agriculture producers in Latin America, MENA, and Southeast Asia, overseeing more than 30 labor rights projects and designing systems for social compliance to improve working conditions while increasing productivity and boosting socioeconomic growth.   Her areas of expertise include: labor rights, trade and policy, business and human rights, gender perspective, social dialogue, stakeholder engagement, women’s empowerment, program design, and management. Ana is bilingual in English and Spanish, and fluent in Portuguese. She has worked for the U.S. Department of Labor, the International Labor Organization, the Fair Labor Association, and GAP, Inc, among others.
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Barbara Bloch

Senior Advisor, Community & Volunteer Engagement Unit

Barbara Bloch

Senior Advisor, Community & Volunteer Engagement Unit

Barbara Bloch is the Senior Advisor for the Community & Volunteer Engagement Unit. She is responsible for ensuring that the partnerships with Chapters, organizations, higher education institutions, and individual volunteer members have access to the resources, information, and opportunities to carry out Partners’ mission to connect, serve and change lives.   Prior to this position, Barbara served at Partners as a coordinator for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Leadership in International Community Development (Fellows), and program manager for USAID grants in Women in Development, the Afro-Latino Community Leadership Development in Honduras, and the InterAmerican Democracy Network. She was the previous interim director for Partners’ Education and Culture Program.   Barbara is a lifelong teacher, learner, and traveler. She started her career as a high school Spanish teacher in New York and while living overseas for nearly twenty years, she taught English as a Second Language in Guatemala, Turkey, and Afghanistan. Her career interests expanded into the business sector and after a brief stint as a stockbroker for a Wall Street firm, she did post-graduate studies in International Business. Barbara taught international banking, marketing and finance at the University of Palermo in Sicily and became a principal in a trading company in São Paulo, Brazil.   Barbara is a graduate and current member of the Alumni Board of Elmira College, with a B.S. in Education with a major in Spanish. She holds a masters from Middlebury College School of Languages (Vermont and Madrid) and a MBA in International Business from George Washington University.
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Mariana Cabrera Figueroa

Program Officer, 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund

Mariana Cabrera Figueroa

Program Officer, 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund

Mariana Cabrera Figueroa is the Program Officer for the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund. Prior to working with Partners of the Americas, she volunteered her time in multiple organizations, such as Heal the Bay, the Los Angeles Food Bank, and Step-Up Tutoring, where she tutored children from low-income families in Los Angeles.   Mariana was born in Piura, Perú, but grew up in Los Angeles, California surrounded by culturally diverse communities and friends. This sparked her passion for cultural exchange, educational exchange, diplomacy, and human rights. In 2020, she received her bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University – Northridge in Southern California. During her time at CSUN, she participated in an exchange program herself, in which she spent a semester at Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada in an intensive French program. She then received a master’s degree at Boston University in international affairs with a specialization in diplomacy.
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Debra Cooper

Chief Financial Officer

Debra Cooper

Chief Financial Officer

Debra Cooper is the Chief Financial Officer at Partners of the Americas. Over the course of Debra’s 26 years as a CPA, her path has included public accounting, several not for profit organizations, and construction. Her focus throughout has been on driving business forward by undertaking transformational initiatives, navigating complexity and ambiguity, embracing disruption, and ultimately removing obstacles.   As a champion of innovation and improvement initiatives in process, reporting, and workflow, she creates a sustainable and reliable environment. As an adept change management expert, she leads system implementations and process standardizations, assessing impacts enterprise-wide.
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Armin Cordova

Junior Accountant

Armin Cordova

Junior Accountant

Armin Cordova is a Junior Accountant at Partners of the Americas. He joined Partners as a full-time employee after working as an intern in the Finance team. His primary role is supporting the Finance and Accounting team by analyzing field office and subaward expense reports. Prior to Partners, Armin earned his undergraduate degree in finance from George Mason University and worked as a section leader in a grocery store for five years.
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Jim DiFrancesca

Senior Director, Technical Strategy and Innovation

Jim DiFrancesca

Senior Director, Technical Strategy and Innovation

Jim DiFrancesca is the Senior Director of Technical Strategy and Innovation at Partners of the Americas. Prior to this, he served as Partners’ Senior Director of the Agriculture & Food Security Unit. He has over 20 years of experience in the fields of resilience, humanitarian assistance, and disaster risk management in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Jim’s portfolio has included working closely with colleagues to design and implement resilience and humanitarian assistance programming across the sectors of food security; shelter and settlements; water, sanitation, and hygiene; health and infectious disease; protection; economic recovery; and climate change adaptation.   Jim holds a master’s degree focused on the role of education in complex humanitarian emergencies from Harvard University and a master of arts in law and diplomacy from Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, focused on humanitarian assistance and international development.
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Andres Fuentes

Senior Communications Officer, Marketing, Communications Unit

Andres Fuentes

Senior Communications Officer, Marketing, Communications Unit

Andres Fuentes is a Senior Communications Officer at Partners of the Americas. He previously served as a Graphic Design Officer at Partners. In his job, Andres helps to share Partners´ story by promoting impact, awareness, connection, and collaboration throughout all Chapters and countries across the Americas.   Andres works on the Annual Report, multimedia production, event coverage, promotional graphics, social media, web design, newsletters, infographics, the departments overall strategy, Partners’ brand management, and all external communications. He attended the Universidad de Bogota Jorge Tadeo Lozano and participated in a specialization exchange program in visual arts at the University of California, San Diego. Andres also graduated from high school in the U.S and he is currently doing a Double program Master’s in Sales and Marketing Management plus an MBA-Master in Business Administration and Management with the ENEB – Escuela de Negocios Europea de Barcelona and the Universidad Isabel I of Spain.   Before working at Partners, Andres has nine years of experience working as a graphic designer, a creative director, and brand manager for massive telecommunications, advertising, educational, and social services enterprises.
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Silvia Garcia

Associate Director, Agriculture and Food Security Unit

Silvia Garcia

Associate Director, Agriculture and Food Security Unit

Silvia Garcia serves as the Associate Director for the Agriculture and Food Security Unit at Partners of the Americas. She will work on the USDA Food for Progress Mauritania program, which is aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and trade. Before joining Partners, Silvia worked with different nongovernmental organizations, leading international cooperation projects around economic development. She supported micro and small businesses, and building business economic opportunities for vulnerable communities in Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, Panama, Kenya, and Honduras. Silvia also worked in the private sector leading shared value initiatives with micro entrepreneurs and farmers in Colombia. Silvia holds an MSc. in social innovation and entrepreneurship from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a B.A. in public affairs and international relations from Externado University in Colombia. Silvia is originally from Bucaramanga, Colombia, and is passionate about finding sustainable and systemic solutions to social and environmental challenges.
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Pablo Gonzalez

Accountant, Finance & Administration

Pablo Gonzalez

Accountant, Finance & Administration

Pablo Gonzalez is an Accountant at Partners of the Americas whose main focus is on field office and sub-award reports for programs in Colombia. His primary role is to analyze monthly expense report submissions for completeness and accuracy. Pablo makes sure all office and subawards are compliant with 2CFR and other funder-specific regulations, and reconciles general ledger accounts on a monthly basis in support of financial statements.   Prior to joining Partners, Pablo worked for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland as a Finance Specialist in the AGEA Unit. He also developed experience working at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel as an Administrative Assistant in the Financial Management section. Pablo’s additional international experience includes project analysis, software testing, and client support in the Argentinian capital market Mercado Abierto Electrónico (MAE) in Buenos Aires, and risk analysis in HSBC Bank and Banco Hipotecario in Argentina.   Pablo graduated from the Universidad Nacional del Nordeste in Argentina, specializing in Computer and Software Technology. As a family member of a diplomat, he had the opportunity to learn French at the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute. Pablo’s work has been recognized with awards from the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and HSBC Bank Argentina.
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Arlette Gutierrez

Senior Accountant, Finance & Administration

Arlette Gutierrez

Senior Accountant, Finance & Administration

Arlette Gutierrez is a Senior Accountant at Partners of the Americas. She is responsible for supporting all federal government reporting and ensuring accuracy and timely compliance with all reporting requirements, internal and external. Arlette obtained her bachelor’s degree in economics from the National Agrarian University in Peru and her master’s in accounting from Strayer University. These degrees, along with her experience in the accounting industry, have developed her passion for not-for-profit accounting. She has acquired experience with government grants, financial reports, and auditing in her last position as Senior Accountant at the Bender Jewish Community Center, as well as her previous position working at Rio Grande Foods.   Arlette was born and raised in Peru and came to the U.S in 2003. Her professional goal is to become a Certified Public Accountant in the not-so-distant future.
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Sara Jebena

Financial Controller

Sara Jebena

Financial Controller

Sara Jebena is the Financial Controller at Partners of the Americas, where she oversees the day-to-day operations of the Finance team and is the lead for Partner’s financial reporting within and outside the organization, such as for auditors, outside agencies, and funders.   Sara has extensive experience in nonprofit organizations, as well as manufacturing, construction, and educational institutions. She is a certified public accountant (CPA) with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance.
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Macarena Jiménez Granda

Senior Director, Labor Unit

Macarena Jiménez Granda

Senior Director, Labor Unit

Macarena Jiménez Granda serves as the Senior Director of the Labor Unit at Partners of the Americas. Throughout her more than 17 years of professional experience, Macarena has led diverse projects requiring the development of cross-sector partnerships between key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, non-governmental organizations, trade unions, and civil society organizations (CSOs) in Paraguay. Macarena has demonstrated experience and skills in following USG rules and regulations through the implementation of cooperative agreements and grants funded by USDOL and USDOS.   Prior to joining Partners, Macarena worked as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Paraguay Educa Association, as Director of the Observatory on Citizen Security of the Ministry of Interior of Paraguay, and as a consultant of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). She also worked in the management of social projects funded by different cooperation agencies, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).   Macarena holds a master’s degree in international cooperation for development from the Complutense University of Madrid, an MBA from the Carlos III University of Madrid, and a law degree from the Catholic University of Asunción, Paraguay, among other postgraduate studies in international development, compliance, and political marketing.   Macarena is fluent in English and Spanish.
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Penelope Kim

Director, 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund

Penelope Kim

Director, 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund

Penelope Kim is the Director for the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund. She has a background in international affairs and international development with a regional focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. Her work and studies abroad have taken her to nearly 30 countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.   One of these overseas opportunities was through the Peace Corps, where she served in Costa Rica in 2009-2011 as a Rural Community Development Volunteer working in youth development. Ms. Kim holds a Global Master’s of Arts in International Relations from Webster University through their global program, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, with a European and Asian Concentration, and a Minor in Spanish from Hawai’i Pacific University.
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Sasha Lishansky

Senior Program Officer, Labor Unit

Sasha Lishansky

Senior Program Officer, Labor Unit

Sasha Lishansky is a Senior Program Officer for the Labor Unit at Partners of the Americas. In this role, she supports the USDOL-funded projects Mexico Awareness Raising Project and Improving Substantive Gender Equality in the Mexican Workplace, as well as the USDOL-funded project, Mexico Migration Messaging.   She previously served as a Program Officer with the Agriculture and Food Security Unit. In that role, Sasha provided programmatic and administrative support to the USAID-funded Ranfòse Abitid Nitrisyon pou Fè Ogmante Sante (RANFOSE) program, which sought to address micronutrient deficiencies in Haiti by increasing the availability of high-quality fortified foods throughout the country.   Prior to Partners, Sasha has followed a meandering and purpose-driven professional path that includes founding a nonprofit supporting refugee women and children in France, providing environmental education to schoolchildren in Mexico’s Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, and co-founding an applied research firm focused on sustainability. Sasha is passionate about sustainable and equitable food and water systems and feels that she has to help make the world a better place or else her one-year-old will be mad at her when she grows up.   Sasha has a master’s of arts in development practice from the University of California Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree in Spanish literature and language from Northwestern University, where she graduated summa cum laude and joined the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.
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Summar Lyons

Associate Director, 100,000 Strong in the Americas

Summar Lyons

Associate Director, 100,000 Strong in the Americas

Summar Lyons is the Associate Director of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund. She previously served as the Director of Youth Initiatives and before that, the Director of Exchanges & Global Citizenship. Summar led international youth leadership programming by preparing youth leaders to build mutual understanding between Latin America and the United States and to develop skills that foster long-term commitment to volunteerism and service.   Throughout her professional and academic experience, she has become well-versed in Latin American culture, youth leadership capacity building and international development. Summar has had the opportunity to travel through Central America on a study abroad program in Merida, Mexico in 2006 and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica from 2009-2012.   While living in Costa Rica, she served as a project management advisor and youth development liaison in collaboration with the Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (P.A.N.I.) and the Board of Directors of two Development Associations where she helped implement children’s right and environmental awareness campaigns, youth leadership and life skills workshops and the constructions of a sports court project. Upon her return to the U.S., she was selected to be a Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Fellow. In this role, she volunteered at Woodrow Wilson High School, D.C. Bilingual Public Charter School and Next Step supporting global studies resource development and English learning initiatives.   She earned an M.A. in international development from American University’s School of International Service with a concentration in Children and Youth Development and a B.A. in political science with a minor in Spanish from Northwestern University.   Summar is deeply passionate about sharing how volunteerism abroad not only has a meaningful impact on improving the lives of others but also has a lasting effect on one’s personal and professional growth.
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Ian MacNairn

Mauritania Country Director and Chief of Party, USDA Food for Progress Mauritania Horticulture Project

Ian MacNairn

Mauritania Country Director and Chief of Party, USDA Food for Progress Mauritania Horticulture Project

Ian MacNairn is the Mauritania Country Director and Chief of Party for the USDA Food for Progress Mauritania Horticulture Project in the Senegal River Valley. He has over 30 years of experience in the fields of agriculture, food security, resilience, humanitarian assistance, and disaster risk management in Africa, Haiti, and Central America. The program will aim to increase horticultural production and support its value chain within Mauritania’s linked markets, and include private sector partners. Ian holds a master’s degree in international economics and international development from the Johns Hopkins University School for Advanced International Studies. He served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Botswana, teaching agriculture and science.
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Robert “Bo” Maher

Senior Program Officer, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Robert “Bo” Maher

Senior Program Officer, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Robert (Bo) Maher is a Senior Program Officer for the USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program at Partners of the Americas. F2F works in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guyana, Colombia, Guatemala, and Myanmar. Previously, Bo served as an Agriculture Peace Corps volunteer in the Gambia and an AmeriCorps Vista in Danville, Virginia, and worked for the USDA, on various farms, and Climate Focus. He holds a master’s degree from Cornell University in global development and international agriculture and a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from the University of Oregon.
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Danielle Martin

Program Director, Finance & Administration

Danielle Martin

Program Director, Finance & Administration

Danielle Martin is a Program Director for Finance and Administration at Partners of the Americas. She started with Partners as part of the President’s Internship Program in May 2014 working with the Professional Leadership Exchanges team. She now has joined the staff at Partners in October 2014. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Professions and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management with a focus on International Business from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.   During her studies in Wisconsin, Ms. Martin has had the opportunity to study abroad twice, once in Costa Rica and another time in Italy. In Costa Rica, she studied at a local school to obtain fluency and better understanding of Spanish. In addition, she spent two weeks living with the BriBri tribe in Costa Rica, whom are an indigenous tribal group located in the southern half of the country near Buenos Aires. During her study abroad in Italy, Ms. Martin had a great introduction to the arts, history, language and foods of the region. She is deeply passionate about international development and volunteerism abroad, and hopes to continue to help others in the Americas throughout her work at Partners.
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Kelly McNally

Senior Program Officer, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Kelly McNally

Senior Program Officer, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Kelly McNally serves as a Senior Program Officer for the Agriculture & Food Security Unit at Partners of the Americas. She previously served as a Program Officer for the AFS Unit. Kelly supports the USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer program in recruiting highly qualified volunteers for 2-4 week technical assignments. She conducts orientations for the volunteers prior to departure for their assignments and acts as a liaison between headquarters and field staff during their assignments. Kelly also conducts outreach to industry contacts, associations, universities, and other organizations to raise awareness of the Farmer-to-Farmer program and recruit potential volunteers.   Kelly is a former agricultural extensionist volunteer for Peace Corps Panama from 2016-2018. As a volunteer, she worked alongside several Panamanian government agencies to develop projects for her community and trained community members on innovative techniques to improve crop yields, pest management, and how to work in a cooperative. In this role, she developed her skills as a facilitator and project manager. Kelly holds a bachelor’s degree in Global Environments & Sustainability from the University of Virginia.
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John McPhail

President & CEO

John McPhail

President & CEO

John McPhail is the President & CEO at Partners of the Americas. He brings almost 30 years of organizational leadership and community development experience across the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean and is a seasoned expert in partnership building, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement. He is passionate about community development in Latin America and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in El Salvador. After his service, he remained in country for a total of over fifteen years, marrying a Salvadoran doctor and raising their three daughters.   John brings significant experience as a country and regional director for international nonprofits including Save the Children, World Vision, and Project Concern International. He has held leadership positions on the Boards of numerous local nonprofits and associations in El Salvador, providing operational and strategic direction. He coordinated or co-coordinated multiple national and regional networks in Central America in health, water & sanitation and agriculture/food security. John received a BSc in Civil Engineering from MIT and a Master’s in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois / Urbana-Champaign. He is fluent in Spanish and has a working knowledge of French.
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Maia Moore

Senior Program Officer, Community & Volunteer Engagement Unit

Maia Moore

Senior Program Officer, Community & Volunteer Engagement Unit

Maia Moore is the Senior Program Officer of Community & Volunteer Engagement Unit at Partners of the Americas. Since February 2021, she has supported U.S. Department of State-funded programs that promote professional development among people in the U.S. and Latin America and the Caribbean including project funding, peer-to-peer learning, and international exchange.    As an exchange alum herself, Maia grew through the power of exchange. Maia’s youth exchange in Mexico propelled a life-long pursuit of Latin American studies and Spanish language learning. She received her BA in Psychology & Spanish and MA in Teaching from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. In college, she studied abroad in Argentina, and after graduating returned for two years as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant and Coordinator.   Committed to a whole-person approach, Maia values the right to an education and sees international education as a huge asset to an individual’s (and in turn community) growth. She enjoys working with Partners on equitable and ethical youth development and exchange programming to engage global citizens in harnessing their passion and potential to make positive change.
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Michael Moscarelli

Chief Operating Officer

Michael Moscarelli

Chief Operating Officer

Michael Moscarelli serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Partners of the Americas.   Before this, he was the Vice President of the Economic Development & Health Unit (now the Agriculture & Food Security Unit). His primary responsibilities included leading strategic planning and business development efforts in the unit, establishing and maintaining relationships with donors and partners, and supporting the implementation of current programs.   Prior to his work at Partners, Michael worked on the Sustainable Food and Agriculture Systems team at International Relief and Development, where he managed food security and value chain programs in West Africa and helped develop USAID, USDA, and DFID proposals. He also spent three years working in Ecuador’s highlands and the Amazonian region as a Sustainable Agriculture Volunteer in the Peace Corps.   Michael has expertise in agronomy, horticulture, and farmer-centered research and extension. He holds a master’s degree in international agriculture and rural development from Cornell University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Mary Washington.
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Victor J. Moscoso

Director of Public-Private Partnerships, 100,0000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund

Victor J. Moscoso

Director of Public-Private Partnerships, 100,0000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund

Victor J. Moscoso is the Director of Public-Private Partnerships for the 100,0000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund program at Partners of the Americas. In his role, he works to increase financial resources that support the exchange program and expand opportunities for thousands of students and faculty in both LAC and the U.S. Victor previously served as a consultant for Partners, supporting the organization’s fundraising efforts for unrestricted funding. Prior to this, Victor managed graduate programs in Central America for the Catholic University of Chile, as well as the Guatemalan School of Government and UNESCO. He also taught courses on economics and trade at two local universities. Before that, Victor worked for a home improvement store and as a consultant for private, public, and nonprofit organizations. Victor studied engineering and economics (with the Jesuits) in Guatemala, and international development in the U.S. with the support of a Fulbright Scholarship. He recently completed coursework in Certified Financial Planning.
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Anthony Nguyen

Budget Analyst

Anthony Nguyen

Budget Analyst

Anthony Nguyen is a Budget Analyst at Partners of the Americas. In his role, Anthony analyzes Partners’ financial situation, budget and imbursement for internal control and management.   Prior to joining Partners, Anthony worked for Vietnam Investment Group, a private equity firm, where he conducted market, company, and competitor research to support the launching of three new business plans.   Anthony enjoys working for Partners as he is gaining exposure to an American professional working environment and likes the organization’s family-like work environment.   Anthony obtained his master’s degree in international finance and banking from the University of Portsmouth in the U.K.
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María Ochoa

Associate Director, Education Unit

María Ochoa

Associate Director, Education Unit

María Ochoa is the Associate Director for the Education Unit. A Colombian national and fully bilingual, María has 20 years of experience in management, operations, and leadership roles in USAID programs in different sectors. Maria’s skills help to develop strong work relations with donors, staff, stakeholders, and partners.
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Carmen Peña

Senior Vice President, Programs

Carmen Peña

Senior Vice President, Programs

Carmen S. Peña, a native Colombian, is the Senior Vice President of Programs at Partners of the Americas. In her role, she oversees the successful implementation of programs across the organization.   Prior to this, Carmen served as the Vice President of the Child Protection Unit (now the Labor Unit), where she managed Partners’ efforts to uphold labor rights (including child labor, forced labor, human trafficking, and acceptable conditions of work) and education quality (including access to education and community strengthening areas). She has led the implementation of several complex U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), U.S. Department of State (USDOS), and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded projects in Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Peru, Guyana, and Panama; conducted short-term technical assessments; and championed several winning proposals.   Carmen started at Partners as a Field Operations Officer, coordinating and monitoring international development programs in Latin America in compliance with donor rules and regulations. Her prior work experience at the Organization of American States (OAS) and her knowledge of international development in Latin America enable her to expertly research, analyze, and present opportunities to hold and expand Partners programs in the field. She has traveled extensively, studied, and worked all over Latin America and the Caribbean.   Carmen has a master’s degree in Latin American studies with a concentration in development at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. A former Georgia Rotary Scholar, she also holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management from Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia.
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Sheila Posas

Senior Director, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Sheila Posas

Senior Director, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Sheila Posas is a Senior Director for the Agriculture & Food Security Unit. She brings more than 20 years of international development experience working with USAID, the private sector, and the NGO community in Latin America. Before joining Partners, Sheila worked for USAID/Colombia as an Economic Integration Advisor in the Venezuela Response and Integration Office. There, she led the design and management of economic integration programs for Venezuelan migrants.   Sheila has professional experience in workforce development, economic integration, youth development, and corporate learning. She holds a master’s degree in public and international affairs from Princeton University and a bachelor’s degree in international business and accounting. Sheila has lived in Bogotá since 2019.
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Ben Rauch

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer, 100,000 Strong in the Americas Program

Ben Rauch

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer, 100,000 Strong in the Americas Program

Ben Rauch is the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer for the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund.   Before joining Partners, Ben developed maps to help track alternative development and coca eradication efforts for the U.S. Department of State and USAID. He also worked for TechnoServe in the LAC MEL/program development teams, where he contributed to redesigning the organization’s MEL guidance and orchestrated a comprehensive webinar series on information dissemination among country offices and donors.   Prior to this, Ben spent two years abroad living in Peru, working as an M&E Analyst on the local market for an educational research station in Oxapampa. He received a BS in evolutionary anthropology from Rutgers University and an MS in environmental science from Johns Hopkins University.
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Nilu Rimal

Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

Nilu Rimal

Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

Nilu Rimal is the Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning at Partners of the Americas. Her engagement in research, monitoring, and evaluation began 20 years ago. Over that time, it evolved with the requirements of donor agencies like USAID, USDA, the CDC, and private foundations, along with the new knowledge generated in the methodologies, techniques, and technology of developmental evaluation, as well as traditional experimental-design studies. Nilu has led research and evaluation studies across various sectors including health and nutrition, resilience, food security, and market systems, and has worked for organizations like NCBA-CLUSA. She graduated from the University of Colorado with a master’s degree in sociology.
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​Kirk Del Rosario

Human Resources Officer

​Kirk Del Rosario

Human Resources Officer

Kirk Del Rosario is a Human Resources Officer and an integral member of the global HR Unit at Partners of the Americas. Being a certified HR professional, Kirk is intimately involved in aspects of HR such as compliance, recruitment, employee relations, administration, benefits, and managing employee databases. Kirk is multilingual and fluent in Spanish, English, Filipino, Visayan, and Portuguese. He is a military veteran, having served in the U.S. Navy, and graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s in History.
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Ana Carolina Rubi

Senior Director, Education Unit

Ana Carolina Rubi

Senior Director, Education Unit

Ana Carolina Rubi is the Senior Director of the Education Unit at Partners of the Americas. She was the former Director of the Child Protection Unit. Ana has over 22 years of work experience, 18 of which are in the international development field relating to youth, education, and workforce development.   Before working at Partners, Ana worked for seven years at USAID/Honduras as a project management specialist in the education office. There, she led the design and managed several projects in the education of crisis and conflict and workforce development projects. Prior to joining USAID, Ana worked for the Education Development Center (EDC) as a workforce development specialist. She also worked for the Spanish Agency for International Development (AECID) as a project director of a workforce development program.   Before that, she was the executive director and founder of the Fundación Comayagua Colonial which implements vocational training related to cultural heritage. She holds postgraduate studies in Business Management Techniques from the University of Barcelona, a master’s degree in Local Development from UNITEC, and a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering.
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Angel Rutter

Program Officer, Community & Volunteer Engagement Unit

Angel Rutter

Program Officer, Community & Volunteer Engagement Unit

Angel Rutter is the Program Officer of Community & Volunteer Engagement Unit at Partners of the Americas. In this role, Angel supports the Associate Director with communications, member services, event planning, and volunteer leader management.   Prior to joining Partners, Angel was the membership and meetings coordinator at the National Association of Attorneys General. She also interned at the Appleseed Network, where she worked with the Mexico-based office to translate vital resources into Spanish for immigrants threatened with deportation.   Angel graduated from The George Washington University with a B.A. in human services and social justice. During her undergraduate studies, she took courses in nonprofit management, sociology, and Mandarin Chinese. Angel traveled to Boston for the Clinton Global Initiative conference, where she won an award for designing a program for those experiencing homelessness. Originally from Panama, Angel’s cultural heritage and commitment to service motivates her in her work with Partners.
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Javiera Salinas

Associate Director, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Javiera Salinas

Associate Director, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Javiera Salinas is an Associate Director for the Agriculture & Food Security (AFS) Unit at Partners of the Americas. She previously served as the Senior Program Officer for the AFS Unit. Her primary role is to support the USDA-funded Food For Progress program Cacao for Development (C4D) in Colombia aimed at strengthening the cacao value chain and improving living incomes for smallholder farmers through crop diversification.   Prior to joining the AFS Unit, Javiera worked under Partners’ Child Protection Unit (now known as the Labor Unit), supporting U.S. Department of Labor-funded projects in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and Paraguay.   Javiera holds a B.A. in Global Affairs with a concentration in global governance and a minor in Latin American studies from George Mason University. Javiera is originally from Santiago, Chile, and is passionate about sustainable and environmentally-conscious international development.
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Paola Sarmiento

Associate Director of Human Resources

Paola Sarmiento

Associate Director of Human Resources

Paola Sarmiento is the Associate Director of Human Resources at Partners of the Americas. She has over 10 years of experience working with international cooperation programs. Paola most recently worked at Mercy Corps, leading Colombia’s national human resources team. She has also worked at NGOs like MSI (Tetratech) and PADF (Pan American Development Foundation).   Before joining the NGO world, Paola was a Business Partner in Human Resources (BPHR) at Avianca. She is an expert in planning and management of HR policies, organizational environment intervention strategies, human development plans, development of selection and hiring processes, and performance evaluation programs, all framed in competency models and Colombian labor law. Paola also has English intermediate skills.   Paola holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a human resources management postgraduate degree from Sergio Arboleda University
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Melissa Simmonds

Associate Director, Organizational Advancement Department

Melissa Simmonds

Associate Director, Organizational Advancement Department

Melissa Simmonds is the Associate Director of the Organizational Advancement Department at Partners of the Americas. Prior to this, she served as the Graphic Design Officer. She is very committed to the organization’s mission, since one of her goals as a person and a professional is to put her knowledge, tools, and experience at the service of others.   Melissa has more than eight years of experience within the creative industry. She started her career in advertising agencies, obtaining experience in the design of diverse materials for advertising campaigns, editorial design, and printing, as well as creating content for social media.   Prior to joining Partners, Melissa participated in the event production and commercial furniture design sector, 360° brand design creation, and the retail industry, as a graphic designer and event planner. Melissa graduated in the field of graphic design from the Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia.
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Madeline Steiner

Recruitment Program Officer, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Madeline Steiner

Recruitment Program Officer, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Madeline Steiner is a Recruitment Program Officer for the USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program​ in the Agriculture & Food Security Unit. With over eight years of experience working at the intersection of agricultural development and food security, she is passionate about working to solve critical issues impacting farmers and communities globally.    Madeline enjoys qualitative research, meeting with farmers to perform needs assessments, cross-cultural communication, and getting her hands dirty in the field. She has worked as an Agro-Ecological Food Security Advisor in Madagascar as a Peace Corps volunteer. Experience also includes a research team member on a project analyzing nutrition-sensitive agriculture program implementation through Emory University, refugee resettlement programming with the International Rescue Committee and Afghan American Alliance of Georgia, Head of Procurement for a wholesale seed sales company, and completion of her graduate school practicum with ACDI/VOCA’s Feed the Future Livestock and Nutrition Activity in Bangladesh.   Madeline holds a master’s degree in development practice from Emory University with a concentration in combatting global food insecurity, and holds a certificate in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. She achieved a B.S. in international agricultural development from the University of California Davis.
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Stephanie Verganza

Associate Director, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Stephanie Verganza

Associate Director, Agriculture & Food Security Unit

Stephanie Verganza is an Associate Director for the Agriculture & Food Security (AFS) Unit at Partners of the Americas. She previously served as the Senior Officer of the AFS Unit. Her primary role is in assisting with the implementation of the USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer program in Latin America & the Caribbean. Prior to joining Partners, Stephanie spent a year in Brazil as a Boren Scholar studying Portuguese and Brazilian culture. Her previous professional experiences include working at the Women’s Foreign Policy Group, the US National Committee on UN Women-Los Angeles, and the Pacific Council on International Affairs.   Stephanie graduated from the University of California, Irvine with bachelor’s degrees in economics and international studies. As an undergraduate, she participated in the public policy and international affairs fellowship at Princeton University and spent two years studying security and development in Central America. As the daughter of Guatemalan parents, Stephanie is very passionate about economic development and social issues in Latin America.
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William D. Webber, CAE, CVA

Associate Director, Community & Volunteer Engagement Unit

William D. Webber, CAE, CVA

Associate Director, Community & Volunteer Engagement Unit

William D. Webber, CAE, CVA is Associate Director of Community & Volunteer Engagement where he oversees membership operations and services, the Chapter network, the Education and Culture Program, and the overall strategy for engaging volunteers and the community.   Prior to joining Partners, William worked for NAFSA: Association of International Educators where he supported professionals who assist and advise international students and scholars. His experience also includes volunteering with various associations and nonprofits as well as having chaired a conference for recently returned students to learn about how to maximize their learning from abroad.   He earned his M.A. in International Education with a specialization in Latin American & Hemispheric Studies from The George Washington University. William completed a B.S. in International Studies and a B.A. in French and Spanish from The State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia. His work, studies, and personal travel have taken him to 35 countries across the globe. He speaks, English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.   He was selected as a participant in the ASAE NextGen Association Summit in 2021. William earned his CAE (Certified Association Executive) credential in June 2023 and his CVA (Certified in Volunteer Administration) credential in April 2023. He is a member of ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership, AL!VE: Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement, VolunteerPro, Project Management Institute (PMI), and NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

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