CALI I Fellows
Inaugural Class
COSTA RICA
Arturo Condo
Mr. Condo holds a Doctoral degree from Harvard’s Graduate School of Management, graduated a Distinguished Scholar from INCAE and holds a Systems Engineering Degree from ESPOL, in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Mr. Condo is currently Dean of INCAE where he has led the Latin American Center form Competitiveness and Sustainable Development (CLACDS). He has worked extensively in the formulation of national competitive agendas in at least eight Latin American countries and has been an international consultant in the field in Europe and Asia. Under his leadership, CLACDS has undertaken some of its most innovative work in topics of sustainability, technology in rural education and development, sustainable tourism in highly sensitive areas (such as the Galápagos Archipielago), and in supporting local governments develop their own sustainable development agendas. He is in the board of Paniamor, a foundation that seeks to protect the rights of minors, and works as a business consultant for firms all over Latin America.
Karla González Carvajal
Ms. González is the Secretary for Transportation and Public Works. From 2004 – 2006, she was a partner at Gonzalez & Uribe and representative for the Government of Costa Rica at Fundación CRUSA. From 2002-2004 she was Vice Minister of Transportation with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. From 1988-2002, she was a Founding Partner of Ross, González & Steinvorth, a specialized judicial group. Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of Costa Rica to train as a mediator and negotiator at the CMI Program at Harvard University, she is now certified as a trainer. She obtained a Law degree from the University of Costa Rica in San Jose, and an MBA from the National University in San Diego, CA. She is also a board member on the National Committee of INCAE.
Luis Javier Castro
As founding partner and Managing Director of Mesoamerica Investments, Mr. Castro has 10 years of experience, in mergers and acquisitions, capital risk assessment, investment banking and strategic consulting. He has held various positions in the Mesoamerica Group. Mr. Castro is also President of the Mesoamerica Foundation, which focuses on raising the standards of health and education in the region. Outside Mesoamerica, he serves as President of The Association of the Private Sector for Development of Costa Rica (AED), President of YPO Costa Rica, and Secretary of the CINDE Board (Costa Rican Coalition for Foreign Direct investment), and member of the Paniamor Board_(a foundation that seeks to protect the rights of minors, and works as a business consultant for firms all over Latin America). Prior to his posts at Mesoamerica, he worked for Bain & Company. Mr. Castro holds an M.B.A. from Georgetown University.
Alexandra Kissling
Ms. Kissling is the Vice President of the Association of Entrepreneurs for Development (AED - Asociación de Empresarial para el Desarrollo) an organization that she has been involved in leading since 2002. Since 1996 she has been the sub director for the PRANA Institute for the Promotion of Health (Instituto PRANA para la Promoción de la Salud). She is on the boards of INCAE- Costa Rica, The Rasur Foundation, and the IADB advisory committee for Costa Rica. From 1987-1992 she was the Director for Corporación Rostipollos. She has a psychology degree from the Central America University for Social Sciences.
EL SALVADOR
Diego de Sola
Currently CEO of Inversiones Bolivar SA de CV, a 60-year-old real estate development firm currently specializing in multi-level housing in Central America. Former CFO of UNEX SA de CV, a bi-national coffee exporter for El Salvador and Guatemala. Previously worked for Citicorp Securities / Salomon Smith Barney, in New York City. Received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his MBA from NYU Stern School of Business. Diego currently serves on the Board of FUNDEMAS, El Salvador’s leading Corporate Social Responsibility promocion organization, as well as on INCAE’s El Salvador National Committee.
Miguel Angel Simán
Director of GRUPO ALMACENES SIMAN S.A. de C.V.; since 2005, Salvadoran Director for the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE); 1999-2004, served under the Government of President Flores as Presidential Commissioner for Public Investment (COMISION PRESIDENCIAL PARA EL SEGUIMIENTO DE LA INVERSION PUBLICA) and as President of the Social Investment Fund for the Local Development of El Salvador (FONDO DE INVERSION SOCIAL PARA EL DESARROLLO LOCAL DE EL SALVADOR – FISDL); active in various non-profit foundations.
Ricardo Cohen
Managing Director and Co-founder of Agora Partnerships, a non-profit organization started in 2005 dedicated to providing talented entrepreneurs in emerging markets with the tools, networks, and financing necessary to launch successful, socially responsible businesses. He is also the CEO of LOLITA de Nicaragua, and LOLITA de El Salvador, a Uruguayan franchise boutique of women’s clothing. He was Director of Corporate Strategy at Corporación Roberto Teran G., overseeing marketing and operations strategic planning activities for Central American family and is on their executive committee. From 2001-2002 he was a Member of the Gateway Development Team at the World Bank. He is the Founder and President of Asociación de Jóvenes Empresarios de Nicaragua, a region-wide initiative with over 40,000 members. He holds an undergraduate degree in Marketing and Economics and Masters of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.
Alejandro Poma
Director of Investments at Grupo Poma since 2002; Executive Director of Fundación Poma since 2004. Director of Grupo Poma since 2006. Director of Excel Automotriz Central America’s largest auto distributor since 2003. Director of Autofacil a regional auto finance company since 2003, Founder and President of Impactos Creativos a regional place based advertising company since 1999 Since 2006 Director of Grupo Editorial E&N publisher of Central America’s leading business magazine Estrategia y Negocios. Since 2004, Vice President of COEX one of El Salvador’s largest coffee exporters since 2003, representative for Mesoamerica Capital Partners. Since 2003 Director of the Salvadoran National Committee for INCAE. He holds an undergraduate degree from Boston College, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
GUATEMALA
Edwin Escobar
Mr. Edwin Escobar holds an MBA degree from Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Northwestern University where he was recognized for his leadership with the Deans` Service Award. He also holds an Industrial Engineering degree from Rafael Landìvar University in Guatemala where he was also president of the Students Association. He completed a program called the Birthing of Giants 2004, by MIT/Inc./YEO (Youth Entrepreneur Association) at Endicott House executive campus. He served as Dean of the Engineering School at his Alma Mater where he headed the TEC Landìvar initiative to establish a world class technological center for academics, research and development, to providing to increase Guatemala’s regional competitiveness. An entrepreneur in his own right, he founded various successful regional business initiatives such as Nabla, a construction management group of companies that currently serves multinational companies in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Previously he has ventured other businesses such as international Fast Food franchises, real estate projects, and other manufacturing companies since his high school years. He has served as founder, president, and other directive positions for the YEO -Guatemala Chapter, and was also key in jump-starting the Students in Free Enterprise – SIFE – Guatemala Chapter. He has also served as member of various boards such as ANACOVI, the national home builders association; and is member of FUNDESA, a private non-profit foundation for the promotion of sound economic and social policy. He is currently involved in an incubator project for initiatives that focus on closing educational and technological gaps.
Sylvia Gereda
Ms. Gereda is the Director and Vice President of El Periodico a prominent Guatemalan newspaper and the Guatemalan. She is also the head of the Investigative Journalism Team at this newspaper, the only one of its kind in Guatemala, and writes twice a week an opinion column in the editorial section of El Periódico. In 2004, she was recognized as an honorable citizen by Guatemalan President Oscar Berger and was called to partake in the National Council Against Corruption and to implement laws in favor of Transparency. In 2006, she was appointed as Regional Vice President of the Free Press Commission under the Inter-American Press Society (SIP for its initials in Spanish), and presently occupies this post. She is a representative for Journalists Without Frontiers, a France-based organization that aims to defend freedom of the press throughout the world Both are positions she has held since 1996. From 1993-1996 she was the Chief Editor of Politics at Diario Siglo Ventiuno (21st Century). Prior to that from 990-1992 she was Director of the woman's magazine Clip. She has taken various seminars on freedom of the press and ethics in journalism. She holds a degree in literature from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala and degree in technical journalism from Universidad Rafael Landivar. She is also studying for a Ph.D in sociology at the University of Salamanca in Spain. She is a member of the Editorial Board of Director of the Centro Latinoamericano de Periodismo.
Emmanuel Seidner
For the past three years, he has been a key member of the Government of Guatemala where he heads the National Competitiveness Initiative and the Investment Promotion Agency of Guatemala, as well as represents the government as Presidential Commissioner for the Puebla-Panama Initiative. An entrepreneur in his own right, he owns and led a pharmaceutical company in Guatemala, taking it from a small local operation to a competitive regional operation. Previously he had worked in his family’s business and in the financial sector of Guatemala. Mr. Seidner holds a degree of Master in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he was nominated as “Littauer Fellow” for achieving academic excellence while also giving himself to the community, an MBA “Summa Cum Laude” from INCAE in Costa Rica, and a Bachelor’s Degree “Magna Cum Laude” from Francisco Marroquin University in Guatemala. He has served as Director of El Periodico, an import art daily newspaper in Guatemala and has held his own opinion column in this journal. He is also Vice President of the INCAE National Board for Guatemala and Honorary Consul of New Zealand in Guatemala.
HONDURAS
Aline Flores
From 1990-2006 Ms. Flores has held several positions within the Corporación Flores group, most recently as Executive Vice President, but also Deputy General Manager, Sales Manager and Marketing Manager. Form 2003-2004, she was on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tegucigalpa, was member of Fundahrse, a not for profit that promotes corporate social responsibility in Honduras, and member of the selection jury of Superbrands in Honduras. She is also the president of Board of Directors of Junior Achievement de Honduras (2005-present); Director, American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM); and President of the Automobile Distributors Association. She holds an undergraduate degree from St. Edwards University in Austin, TX; and an MBA from INCAE, class of 2005.
Lucia Melara
Ms. Melara has been the Director of the Instituto Nacional de la Juventud de Honduras (INJ) since 2006. From 2002 to 2004 she was the Executive Director at Logistic Integrated Services Group, a customs agency and distribution agent of raw materials and packaging in Central America. Prior to that, from 2000-2002 she was the Marketing Manager for Family Care Latin America and Brazil for Kimberly Clark Corporation. From 1995-1997 she held various positions at Corporación Cressida a consumer goods and manufacturing and distribution company in Central America. She holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras and an MBA focusing on Global Marketing from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management.
Guillermo Pereira
Since 2001, lawyer and notary public – civil, corporate and intellectual property – with Bufete Pereira Soto in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Clerked with the United States District Court, Northern District of Dallas. Previously served as in-house counsel with Grupo Inconhsa, S.A. Assisted the Minister of Industry and Commerce in cooperation with the BCIE in setting up a Compensation Measures Plan for Honduras in preparation for CAFTA; youngest member of the Legal Council of the Chamber of Commerce. Law degrees from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras and Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law .
NICARAGUA
Alfredo Cuadra
Since 1997, General Manager of AC SISTEMAS in Managua; 1991-1997 General Manager of SERCOMP. 2003-2005, President of the Private Sector Council (Consejo Superior de la Empresa Privada – COSEP); 2004-2006 President of the Private Sector Federation of Central America, Dominican Republic and Panama (Federación de Entidades Privadas de Centroamérica, República Dominicana y Panamá – FEDEPRICAP); 2002-2003, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Nicaragua. Degree in Systems Engineering from Universidad Autónoma de Centroamérica in San Jose, Costa Rica, business degree from Collegium Fidelitas in San Jose, Costa Rica, currently working towards a law degree at Universidad Centroamericana de Ciencias Empresariales (UCEM) in Managua.
Regina Ramirez Sandino
Born in Managua in 1963. Studied primary and part of high school at Pureza de Maria, a Catholic school. Finished studies in Miami at Santa Fe Community College right after the Nicaraguan revolution. Married for 21 years to Nicaraguan Enrique Sandino with three children. Dedicated for the last 10 years to education initiatives. Previously served as an attorney’s assistant in Miami and as General Manager of the American Chamber of Commerce in Nicaragua. Currently working at the Ave Maria College of the Americas in Carozo, Nicaragua.
Ricardo J. Teran
Director of Corporate Strategy at Corporación Roberto Teran G., overseeing marketing and operations strategic planning activities for Central American family business based in Nicaragua with retail outlets in Nicaragua, wholesale activities in the region, and logistics services in the United States since 2002. He is also the CEO of LOLITA de Nicaragua, S.A., Uruguayan franchise boutique of women’s clothing (since 2003). From 2001-2002 he was a Member of the Gateway Development Team at the World Bank. He is the Founder and President of Asociación de Jóvenes Empresarios de Nicaragua, a region-wide initiative with over 40,000 members, and Founder and Managing Director of Agora Partnerships, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing talented entrepreneurs in emerging markets with the tools, networks, and financing necessary to launch successful, socially responsible businesses. He holds an undergraduate degree in Marketing and Economics and Masters of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.
PANAMA
Mirei Endara de Heras
Executive Director of the Fundacion CALI (Central America Leadership Initiative), a not for profit created to coordinate the CALI fellows growing network, liaise with Aspen Institute’s global leadership initiatives and help brand CALI. She has been a Board Member and International Relationships Representative for FUNDACUNA since 2003, a social and education development initiative of poor semi-urban communities in Panama City. She is also a board member at the Fundación Smithsonian, a not for profit created by Panamanians to support and divulge the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s (STRI) work in Panama and Latin America a position she has held since 2000. She is also a board member of Fundacion Centro de Ciencias y Arte, which manages the children’s museum EXPLORA in Panama. From 2000-2003 she was director of the Nature Conservancy’s Panama Program. From 1998-1999 she was the Administrator General for the National Environmental Authority, and from 1994-1997 she was the Deputy Director of the National Institute for Natural Renewable Resources. She holds an undergraduate degree from Wellesley College, and a Masters in Environmental Studies (M.E.S.) from Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Management. She is married to Miguel Heras and has 2 children, Miguel and Sofia.
Victor Vial
Victor Vial is the Vice President of Finance for Copa Airlines, which provides service to 31 destinations in 20 countries in North, Central and South America, the Caribbean and the United States from its “Hub of the Americas” at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama. Vial joined Copa Airlines in October 1995 as Director de Planning. For the next five years, his responsibilities included strategic, operational and financial planning for the company. During his tenure as Director of Planning, Vial was involved in negotiations for Copa’s affiliation and strategic alliance with Continental Airlines, through which Continental acquired 49 percent of Copa, as well as the investment of approximately $516 million in the leasing and purchase of 12 new Boeing 737-700 Next Generation aircraft in 1999. In 2000, Vial was promoted to the position of Vice President of Finance & Chief Financial Officer, assuming responsibility for the company’s fleet financing, the formulation and implementation of risk management and investment strategy, and the strengthening of relationships with the international banking sector. During the past four years, Vial has overseen the second phase of the airline’s fleet renovation, which includes $650 million for the acquisition of up to 12 additional Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft and $900 million for the acquisition of up to 30 Embraer-190 aircraft. Vial graduated from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in international business administration. He is married.