Ms. Maria Gilda Battagliese is the president of the Uruguay Chapter, with its counterpart in Minnesota. She works at the Binational Center in Uruguay, Alianza Cultural Uruguay – EEUU, as a teacher educator, mentor, and coordinator of a country-wide program. Ms. Battagliese has been involved with Partners since 2008 when she was elected as a Teacher in Residence to travel to Minnesota to exchange language, culture, and teaching techniques. At Partners, she has worked on projects involving different committees in both Chapters. Ms. Battagliese participated in conventions, youth engagement workshops, and is also a member of the iEARN network. In past years, she served as vice president of the Uruguayan affiliate of TESOL (Urutesol). She holds a teaching degree from the Alianza in collaboration with the University of Maryland in Baltimore County. Ms. Battagliese also holds a postgraduate degree specializing in Virtual Learning Environments. She collaborated in Massive Open Online Courses with the University of Oregon and holds certificates in leadership and project management.

Juan Pablo González is an experienced executive, advisor, and board member with over three decades working at the intersection of strategy and human capital. An expert in workforce topics, he combines his understanding of business and organization strategy with deep expertise in human capital disciplines.  He is a recognized speaker and author, co-writing two books (“Shockproof – How to Hardwire Your Business for Lasting Success” and “The Talent Management Handbook”), and his insights are frequently sought in the business press, highlighting his deep understanding of strategy and talent management.  Juan Pablo has served as a Senior Partner, industry sector, and practice leader for several prominent professional services firms, including Korn Ferry, EY, Mercer, Axiom Consulting Partners, and RSM, working closely with the employees, leaders and boards of public, private and nonprofit organizations. As a Concordia Senior Advisor and as a member of the International Board of Partners of the Americas, Juan Pablo engages in important global social and economic change initiatives. His involvement extends to local community service, including board positions with Northern Virginia Family Service and serving as an appointed member of the Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee of Fairfax County Public Schools, (10th largest school district in the US), advising on aligning and improving curriculum and resources to better meet the needs of students, families, and employers. Juan Pablo’s academic contributions include guest lecturing at his alma maters – Cornell and Columbia Universities – and serving on the Dean’s Advisory Council of Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.