AFS Board of Directors Bios

Chairman of the Board of Directors

Purpose-driven leader with over a decade of experience in global communications, change management, and customer service, known for an empathetic, people-centered leadership style. With a background in strategic business management and a strong commitment to intercultural understanding, she supports organizations through people-centered transformations, the strengthening of resilient teams, and clear, compassionate communication. She has successfully led change initiatives with global teams across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, integrating emotional intelligence, human-centered change management practices, and storytelling. She currently serves as Chair of AFS Costa Rica and Chair of the Latin American Alliance for Intercultural Education, bridging corporate and social impact work to foster positive change. Based in Costa Rica.

Director Alliance of Intercultural Education

Guatemalan intercultural educator and social entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience, firmly believing that education—particularly Global Citizenship Education and Intercultural Education—is key to building more just, peaceful, and inclusive societies. She brings extensive international experience and a strong background in education and teacher development, including leading the national expansion of CIAV and certifying over 1,500 English teachers. Since 2014, she has served as Executive Director and CEO of AFS Guatemala; she previously served on the global Board of Trustees of AFS Intercultural Programs and, since 2025, as Director of the Latin American Alliance for Intercultural Education (ALEI). She has facilitated intercultural learning processes for diverse audiences and served on multiple boards in the education and social sectors, with academic training in Education, Organizational Leadership, and Intercultural Learning.

Vice Chairman of the Board

Law professional trained at the Federal University of Pernambuco, with a career focused on strategic articulation between the public and private sectors, particularly in advocacy, environmental issues, and public administration. He currently works on fostering integration and regional cooperation among the nine states of the Legal Amazon. His experience includes serving as a counselor and representative of OAB/PE on the Pernambuco State Environmental Council and as former Vice President of the OAB/PE Environmental Law Commission, as well as being a Board Member of AFS Intercultura Brasil. Based in Brazil.

Treasurer

Executive Director with over 19 years of experience in the nonprofit and civil society sector, specializing in organizational governance, global citizenship education, philanthropy, and cross-sector collaboration. He currently leads AFS Intercultural Programs in the Dominican Republic, serves on the Board of GivingTuesday, and chairs Alianza ONG, fostering partnerships with government, the private sector, and international cooperation. He brings extensive experience in strategic leadership, crisis management, and network development, and holds an MBA in International Business from PUCMM. Based in the Dominican Republic.

Secretary

Founder and instructor at MAP English Services, a corporate English training program, and Lecturer in English for Specific Purposes at the University of Mendoza (Río Cuarto campus), where she teaches courses for professionals in Psychology, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Business English. She is a former Chair of AFS Argentina & Uruguay and ALEI, with extensive experience in educational leadership and intercultural learning.  She currently continues to volunteer with AFS and, in her role as trainer and facilitator,  trains volunteers and teachers from Argentina and other countries in the region on topics related to Active Global Citizenship.  Based in Argentina.

Prosecutor

Lawyer trained at the University of Lima (Peru) with executive education from Harvard University (Program of Instruction for Lawyers), and former lecturer at several universities in Lima. He currently serves as Director of Transactions and Contracts at Intrinsecus Legal and is a founding partner of Estudio Mansilla Abogados. A long-standing AFS Peru volunteer since 1984, he is currently Chair of the Board, combining his legal career with leadership and a strong commitment to intercultural education and civil society. Based in Peru.

Board Member

Professional with solid experience in corporate finance, specializing in risk assessment across different investment structures and vehicles, as well as leading valuation processes for diverse asset types. He complements his profile with active engagement in the social sector through AFS Chile, where he contributed to the development of the organization’s new strategic plan with a multicultural and interdisciplinary team, and through his trajectory with ALEI as a founding member and current Board member, bringing a financial and strategic perspective to strengthening the network’s institutional capacity.

Based in Chile