|
|
Angela Ortiz – President Angela was born in Houston Texas and has live in 6 different countries since then, she was raised in Colombia and is very proud of feeling and thinking as a Colombian. After receiving her BA in Finance, and a post graduate degree in International Business from the Externado University in Bogota, she started her career in a brokerage firm, but then she spent two years as a project and financial manager for an environmental non profit organization in Bogota where she also helped to develop a big Natural Reserve Initiative along with a public university. In 2005 she moved to Reynosa Mexico, where her family lives. Angela is currently completing her Masters Degree in International Affairs with a concentration in Environmental Policy Studies and her research field is basically on sustainable investments and eco - efficiency. During the summer of 2007, Angela will be a research and project analyst intern for Mercy Corps (Colombia) focusing on Alternative Energy and Environmental Risk for IDP communities. Angela is a big soccer fan (she dreams about going around the world on a “stadiums tour” some day), she loves to dance, don’t be surprised if she ask for a cappuccino at 3am after being dancing all night long, and nobody knows she hides sudoku and crossword puzzles in her books “just in case” … |
|
|
Dan Scott – Vice President Dan graduated from the University of Virginia in 1999 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He put that degree to use in the Peace Corps in Bolivia from 2000 to 2002, designing water systems and trying to avoid political problems at the mayor's office. He loved Bolivia so much that he moved to Cochabamba and found a job as the English Director of a K-12 bilingual school. On the side he was the assistant coach for the boys' basketball team and second trumpet for the Cochabamba Symphony Orchestra. Upon returning to the US at the beginning of 2004, he bought a car and traveled the country, eating lots of trail mix. (He highly recommends watching the bats fly out of Carlsbad Caverns at dusk.) He lived in Brasilia, Brazil for 3 months and then Boston in 2005. In 2006, he flew to Guatemala with the Crisis Corps (part of the Peace Corps) to repair water systems damaged by Hurricane Stan. Dan is now working towards a master's degree in international affairs at SIPA and will be interning at a human rights NGO in Mexico City during the summer of 2007. He will be researching business practices of multinational corporations. It's rumored that he's addicted to SoBe energy drinks.... |
|
|
Rejane Brito – Treasurer Rejane Brito is from a small town in Brazil. She majored in International Relations at PUC-Minas University in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. She is currently pursuing a Master in International Affairs with concentration in Economic and Political Development. While in college, Rejane took part in different international organization’s models and helped create and direct the first Brazilian UN Model for high school students. She was also a member of the International Relations’ Students Organization representing PUC-Minas University. Her determination to investigate and gain more experience in International Relations led her to spend one year in the United Kingdom improving her English, participating in an internship program at the Brazilian Embassy in London, and organizing Brazilian cultural exhibitions in Europe. In Brazil, she worked in the private sector in a housing loan program for low-income people, coordinated international business roundtables, and helped with the financial activities of her family’s business. In late 2004 she came to US where she worked for a Brazilian Foundation which promotes international cooperation to bring a better quality of life and social change in Brazil. Rejane enjoys traveling, hiking and doing ‘rapel’. After completing her MIA, Rejane plans to work at an international organization with the implementation and evaluation of development programs in Latin America. During the summer of 2007, Rejane will be interning at UNDP in New York. |
|
|
Patricia Caraballo (Paty) – Secretary Patricia Caraballo is from the Dominican Republic. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra in Santo Domingo. She is currently completing her MA in Public Administration with a concentration in Advanced Policy and Economic Analysis at SIPA, Columbia University. Before moving to New York she was working at the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, in the Monetary Programming department. She also worked in the Economics Research Center of the Antillas, where she prepared different informs relating to the Dominican economy. Among her fields of interest are monetary policy and development of Latin American countries. During the summer of 2007, Patricia will be Policy Research Intern for UNDP's Poverty Group in New York. One of the most memorable experiences in the life of Patricia was to be an Exchange Student in Paris, Missouri. While living there for a year, she experienced a cultural exchange with a traditional American family. As a true Dominican, Patricia enjoys dancing and loves to cook. |
|
David Li (Chino) - Social Co-Chair David Li Fang aka. El Chino, is from San Jose, Costa Rica. He earned his BA in Political Science from the University of Rochester, where he was also awarded an International Relations Certificate. In addition, He holds an MA in Diplomacy Studies from the University of Costa Rica. Chino has also done short term studies in France, Spain, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Morocco and Ecuador. He has experience assisting the Hon. Congresswoman of California, Hilda L. Solis, and heading the South East Asian Projects at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica. Before coming to SIPA, Chino was designated as the General Consul, representing the Government of Costa Rica in Ecuador. Currently, David is an MIA 2008 candidate, with a double concentration in Economic and Political Development and Urban Policy. His professional field of interest is International Urban Development. David is a romantic guy with great humor. He is extremely outgoing and social, never fearing late night social events. Yet he also enjoys peaceful outdoor events, hiking, snorkeling, or simply enjoying the sun on any beach. Chino's weaknesses include, not being able to say "no" to people, and doing too much in too little time. |
|
|
|
Adam Minson – Social Co-chair Adam Minson is originally from West Keansburg, New Jersey. He earned a BA in Economics and Latin American Studies at Wesleyan University, where he completed a thesis on the effects of NAFTA and agricultural reforms on Mexico’s rural economy. He also studied at the University of Havana, and worked as an economic researcher at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Chiapas in Mexico. He worked for three years as a research assistant at the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington D.C. think tank on policy in the Americas. He has published articles on Latin American and Caribbean politics and economic development in the Journal of Democracy, the Baltimore Sun, and Hemisphere magazine. While in Washington, he played congas with Cuban salsa band Orquestra Ashé. He is now working toward his MIA at SIPA, concentrating in International Economic Policy and working as research assistant for the Institute for Policy Dialogue. |
|
Christie Ulman – Community Outreach Chair |
|
|
Katayoun Shahrokhi – Marketing Communications Chair |
|
|
|
Priscilla Adams – Cultural Co-Chair Hailing somewhat schizophrenically (i.e., bi-coastally) from Florida and California, Priscilla Adams graduated from Yale University in 2006 as a double major in Germanic Languages & Literatures and the Humanities. It was her Pickering Fellowship with the U.S. Department of State that led her to SIPA and her addiction to Argentine Tango that resulted in her getting involved with LASA. She has interned for the U.S Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Switzerland, for the Chief of Protocol in Washington, D.C., and is interning at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico until the end of July, 2007. Prior to attending SIPA, she was also involved with founding an NGO working in Russia and worked for a Human Rights NGO in Budapest, Hungary. Since arriving at Columbia, her focus has suddenly found itself having turned south of the border. She is a dual concentrator in International Security Policy and Latin America. She's also researching for a thesis comparing narco-related violence in Mexico and Colombia and subsequent U.S. assistance packages. When she's not studying, she's dancing tango and trying to plan her next trip to Buenos Aires . |
|
Carolina Olego – Cultural Co-Chair Carolina Olego grew up in New York but is originally from Argentina. She is currently studying an MIA with a concentration in management. She received her BA in international relations from Michigan State University . She has visited almost every country in Latin America with the exception of Brazil, which is next on her list. Before coming to Columbia she lived in Costa Rica for three years where she worked on immigration policy for the UN. In addition to New York she has lived in Honduras, Japan and Italy. Carolina is an intern in the Latin American Sovereigns Division of Fitch Ratings. |
|
|
|
Melissa D. Gonzalez (Melo) – Academic Co-Chair Melissa D. González is an MIA candidate at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, with functional and regional concentrations in Management and Latin America respectively. Her research studies focus on the role of educational opportunities in conflict resolution and development. Born in New York City, Melissa was raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and in 1999 returned to New York City to get her BA in International Studies at Marymount Manhattan College. Most recently, Melissa served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica in the Rural Community Development program. Professionally, she aspires to work in program management in international education and, in the short future, a Foreign Service career in Public Diplomacy. During the summer of 2007, Melissa will be a Research and Strategy Intern for Plaza Sésamo (Mexico) at Sesame Workshop in New York. While she has endured endless hours of commuting to attend Columbia University, her husband and her enjoy discovering the different cultural niches accessible by the NYC subway system. During those long train rides, she listens to acoustic music in Portuguese (which she hopes to understand soon), and reflects on the amazing city she calls home. |
|
Carlos Prieto – Academic Co-Chair Carlos Prieto is from Peru. He is a graduate student at Columbia University - School of International and Public Affairs – pursuing a Master Degree in Public Administration, specializing in advanced policy and economic analysis. Before coming to Columbia, he obtained a Bachelor in Economics at Universidad del Pacifico in Lima-Peru. He has seven years of professional experience in evaluating the economic and political perspectives and risks of Latin America. He worked in the principal telecommunications company and one of the biggest multinational companies in Peru, advising the company’s board and top managers on Peru’s political and economic environment. Moreover, he worked in Peru’s main economic and financial consulting firm by leading a small team to analyze Peru’s macroeconomic outlook and prepared presentations on these issues to clients. During the summer of 2007, Carlos will be working as Short Term Temporary Consultant at the World Bank Latin America & Caribbean Public Sector Unit in Washington DC. His hobbies include playing soccer, going to the beach, practicing outdoors activities (camping, walking, rafting), and reading, especially Latin-American literature. |
