Fabiola Aguilar

Leader in international cooperation, social researcher, and specialist in sustainable development, with over 22 years of experience in international organizations and NGOs across Latin America and the Caribbean. She has integrated her deep knowledge of human rights, strategic development, and policy design, as well as monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and results-based management, to design and implement innovative programs that promote inclusion, equity, and social justice. Her career combines strategic organizational leadership, having led multidisciplinary teams as a national director, with results-oriented management focused on sustainable outcomes. Fabiola stands out for her ability to create strategic alliances between governments, civil society, and the private sector, successfully mobilizing resources and developing innovative projects that position creative and cultural industries as drivers of social transformation. Her leadership reflects a strong conviction and expertise in developing innovative solutions within creative and cultural industries, fostering social change through strategic innovation. Throughout her career, she has held positions as a public official in major international organizations such as UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, AECID, JICA, USAID, the European Union, the Canadian Cooperation, and BID-Lab, as well as with the International Film Foundation of Panama. She has also worked as an expert consultant for the same institutions. This dual experience has enabled her not only to lead projects internally within these organizations but also to provide external strategic insights for the design, monitoring, and evaluation of key programs in areas such as sustainable development, gender equality, human rights, social innovation, and environmental initiatives like REDD+. Her ability to act in both roles gives her a comprehensive perspective that optimizes project management and facilitates the creation of strategic partnerships, achieving impactful results in sectors such as food security, education, environment, gender-based violence prevention, and children’s rights. She has also worked as an evaluation expert in collaboration with NORC at the University of Chicago, contributing to the evaluation of educational programs for the World Bank. Fabiola is a co-author and contributor to the MEL Practitioner Guide: Engagement and Inclusion Theory of Change (USAID/NORC, 2023), a key publication developed by NORC at the University of Chicago, which advances the design of frameworks for engagement and inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean. Among her notable achievements, she has led the transformation of nonprofit organizations toward results-based management approaches, ensuring sustainable project financing through international fund mobilization and public-private partnerships. As a consultant and strategic advisor, she has developed conceptual frameworks adopted as best practices and has directed impact measurement studies of social programs in crisis contexts. As an international speaker on human rights and sustainable development, Fabiola continues to lead important conversations that strengthen international cooperation. She has contributed to capacity building in the region by training multidisciplinary teams, blending innovation and academic rigor in the execution of social programs. Her vision is to integrate global experiences with local realities, positioning herself as a reference in research and strategic advisory to promote long-term human development. Her academic background is solid, including two master’s degrees in Political Science and International Relations, complemented by an Executive MBA. She holds an international certification in Strategic Thinking for CEOs from Cambridge – Judge Business School Executive Education, and a Project Management for Development (PM4R – PMP) certification from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Project Management Institute (PMI). Her education is further enriched by specialized studies and diplomas in Human Rights, Inclusion Policies, Social Protection, Health, Gender, and Diversity at FLACSO, as well as strategic planning, social evaluation, gender perspectives, and women’s participation in humanitarian action. This academic focus reflects her commitment to continuous learning, enabling her to lead complex projects and design public policies aligned with local and global challenges. Her robust academic preparation has strengthened her ability to develop innovative and sustainable solutions in international cooperation contexts, positioning her as an expert capable of creating impact through the integration of strategic knowledge and advanced management practices. Fabiola actively collaborates with international organizations, companies, and global forums, contributing her leadership as a strategic advisor, researcher, and speaker, focused on strengthening international cooperation, driving social innovation, and promoting human rights protection in the region.