Our Team

Thomas has over 15 years of experience designing, implementing and evaluating donor and private sector funded programs in the areas of citizen security, justice, human rights and poverty reduction in Latin America, Europe and Africa. Since arriving in Mexico in 2014, Thomas has coordinated over 30 projects related to strengthening the rule of law in the country, collaborating with INL, USAID, the British Embassy, UNODC and GIZ, the Mexican federal government as well as local authorities of 16 Mexican states – managing multi-disciplinary teams, budgets, technical content and interaction with stakeholders of all levels.

Thomas holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a BA and MBA with a specialization in Social Entrepreneurship from ESSEC Business School (Paris).

Santiago has over 8 years of experience in the public and private sector as well as in non-governmental organizations in Venezuela, Mexico and El Salvador. He has been a public servant at the local level in the citizen security sector and has been a citizen-security policy advisor to governments at the national level and as a consultant in diverse projects and technical assistance at different government levels. Since 2013 he has worked extensively in the design, implementation and evaluation of public policies on violence prevention, transparency, police reform, citizen security strategies, strengthening of the criminal justice system, penitentiary system and legislative design. He has worked extensively with international cooperation agencies and donors such as the British Embassy, USAID, INL, UNODC, UNDP, German Embassy, among others.

Santiago is an economist from the Andres Bello Catholic University (UCAB – Caracas, Venezuela) with a Master’s in Public Administration from IESA Business School (Caracas, Venezuela) a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Oxford and a Diploma on Violence Prevention and Human Rights from IBERO University (Mexico).

Melissa has over 12 years of experience in finance, taxation, accounting, and organizational administration across diverse sectors, including technology, construction, and telecommunications. Over the past six years, she has led the finance function within civil society organizations focused on public policy and social development, managing resources from both public and private funders across multiple countries.

At LAB-CO, Melissa has led institutional strengthening efforts by implementing key administrative policies and procedures that ensure regulatory compliance and transparency in the use of funds. Her work has contributed to building and consolidating funders' trust.

Melissa holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and a diploma in Corporate Finance from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM).

Adrián Morales has more than 10 years of experience in the design, implementation, and monitoring of public policies in Mexico and Latin America. He has worked on violence prevention, citizen security, and access to justice, collaborating with police forces and municipal, state, and federal governments.

At LAB-CO, he serves as Citizen Security Projects Coordinator, where he leads police strengthening initiatives and implements violence reduction strategies such as Focused Deterrence and Problem-Oriented Policing. He has provided technical assistance to institutions including the Secretariado Ejecutivo del Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Pública (Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, SESNSP), the Fiscalía General de Justicia del Estado de Zacatecas (Zacatecas State Attorney General's Office), and state and municipal police departments in more than ten states across Mexico.

Previously, he participated in the development and implementation of Mexico's Homologated Civic Justice Model and collaborated on police capacity-building programs in states such as Nuevo León and Baja California Sur. In addition to his institutional work, Adrián has served as a lecturer in the Diploma Program in the Design and Implementation of Public Security and Justice Policies at the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (Center for Research and Teaching in Economics, CIDE) and has published several documents on LAB-CO's strategies and projects.

Adrián holds a Chevening Scholarship from the UK Government, an award granted to professionals for their academic excellence and leadership. He graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where he earned an MSc in Criminal Justice Policy, and from the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey (Monterrey Institute of Technology, ITESM) Estado de México Campus, where he completed a BA in International Relations.

Angel has spent over seven years working with civil society organizations and the public sector in Mexico. As Data and Technology Coordinator at LAB-CO, he leads technology and data analysis projects, developing tools and microservices such as APIs and specialized applications. He has coordinated international agency-funded projects to enhance the use of information in justice institutions by developing crime incidence platforms, creating citizen-service chatbots, and implementing victimization surveys. Similarly, he has experience as a trainer in technology and data for civil society organizations, law enforcement institutions, and universities.

His technical expertise covers qualitative research methods, data science, crime measurement, public-interest technologies, geographic information systems, and quantitative data analysis. His work focuses on optimizing processes and generating statistical information to improve justice administration and crime prevention in Mexico.

Angel earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (Autonomous Metropolitan University, UAM) and a Master’s degree in Administration and Public Policy from the Escuela de Gobierno y Transformación Pública del Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (School of Government and Public Transformation at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, ITESM). He has also studied at the Russian State Social University (РГСУ) and pursued coursework in Political Science and Public Administration at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM).

Luis has over 8 years of experience as a consultant in security and the rule of law, with a focus on the Criminal Justice System. He has worked with police departments, prosecutors' offices, and courts in the development, implementation, and monitoring of public policies aimed at evidence-based decision-making.

Throughout his career, he has collaborated with various Criminal Analysis Units to strengthen their capacities and improve the use of software tools for the production of criminal analysis outputs used in criminal investigations. He led these projects in collaboration with international cooperation agencies and organizations such as the British Embassy, the European Union, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

In addition to his professional experience, Luis is a university professor at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, (Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, ITESM), Universidad Anáhuac, and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM).

Luis holds a Master's degree in Strategic Foresight from the ITESM and a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences (FCPyS) at UNAM.

Lucía holds a Master's degree in Psychosocial and Community Intervention with a specialization in Needs, Rights, and Child Development Cooperation. She has experience in university teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in child development and social intervention topics. Her expertise includes research and psychosocial perspective intervention for individual and group care work, protection strategies, and care for children and adolescents who are survivors of violence. She has been part of research and intervention teams in areas of psychosocial well-being, self-care, irregular migration, violence prevention, and social exclusion.

José Manuel has over 10 years of experience in designing and implementing public policies and programs focused on violence prevention. He has worked on international development projects, within public security institutions, and in civil society organizations.

His career stands out for strengthening institutional capacities in prevention, security, and justice agencies at the municipal and state level, with a presence in nine states of Mexico. He has implemented community violence prevention programs, as well as secondary and tertiary prevention strategies from an evidence-based approach, with special emphasis on violence against women and youth violence.

At LAB-CO, he has contributed to high-impact projects, including the implementation of the Homologated Civic Justice Model in 13 municipalities across the country, the application of the Problem-Oriented Policing model in two municipalities, and the provision of services to men who perpetrate violence through the CORE model. He has also conducted risk analyses for organizations and institutions, supported institutional coordination processes related to missing persons in Jalisco, and collaborated on a research project on representations of organized crime on social media. He has also participated in the development of project proposals linked to crime prevention, the strengthening of security and justice institutions, and responses to violence against women.

As an instructor, he has taught sessions in the Senior Leadership Diploma Program at the Instituto Nacional de Administración Pública (National Institute of Public Administration, INAP), the Public Security Policy Diploma Program at CIDE-LAB-CO, and other courses on violence against women and methodologies for public policy planning and design. He complements his professional development with studies and diploma programs in violence prevention and change management tools (PDIA).

He also serves as a professor at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (Western Institute of Technology and Higher Education, ITESO).

José Manuel holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Public Management from the ITESO.

Ana brings over 10 years of experience in designing and implementing local public policies, strengthening institutions, and mainstreaming a gender perspective. In the civil society sector, she has coordinated and collaborated on international cooperation projects across multiple states in Mexico and Central America.

Since 2023, she has worked at LAB-CO, first as a gender and social inclusion specialist and currently as a project coordinator in the same area. She has worked on projects focused on psychoeducational interventions for men who have perpetrated gender-based violence; the prevention and response to gender-based violence in public transportation; and the integration of a gender perspective into public policies within police institutions.

She has also carried out applied research on topics including the National Model of Police and Civic Justice, transformative justice, women's access to administrative justice, and gender equality. She brings prior experience as a legislative advisor and as an instructor of courses on gender and social inclusion.

Ana holds a Master's degree in Public Policy and Gender from the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales Mexico (Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences, FLACSO) and a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM).

Sofía has seven years of experience collaborating with civil society organizations, the public sector, and academia, focusing her practice on projects related to human rights, gender equity, and justice. In the civil society sector, she has participated in the design and implementation of strategic litigation projects, as well as in providing support to victims of human rights violations across the country.

Through her academic experience, she has contributed to research on public security in Latin America and worked on the evaluation of judges in Mexico. She has also collaborated with the Mexico City Attorney General's Office and the Federal Judiciary.

At LAB-CO, Sofía serves as Justice Project Coordinator, where she collaborates on projects aimed at building institutional capacities to address social problems.

Sofía holds a Bachelor's degree in Law from the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (Center for Research and Teaching in Economics, CIDE) and a Master's degree in Law from Harvard Law School. She also holds a Diploma in Psychosocial Support for Victims of Violence and Disasters from the Universidad Iberoamericana (Ibero-American University).

Denisse has over 3 years of professional experience implementing public policies in citizen security and violence prevention. She holds a degree in Political Science and Public Administration from the Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), where she graduated with honors. She is pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy Evaluation and Decision-Making at the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales in Argentina (FLACSO).

Throughout her career, she has worked on projects implemented in 9 states of Mexico. Among the most notable is the implementation of the Homologated Model of Civic Justice, where she collaborated with Civic Courts at the municipal level in entities such as Baja California, Baja California Sur, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, and Jalisco. In Chiapas, she participated in the development of a Risk Assessment Tool for cases of severe violence against women, automating calculations and recommending protective measures for victims.

In the policing field, she has contributed to integrating a gender perspective within the Nezahualcóyotl Police. Additionally, she carried out the analysis and documentation of the Tourist Police Model in Ciudad de México and initial training programs in Michoacán. At the federal level, she has worked closely with the Secretariado Ejecutivo del Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Pública.

Her experience includes collaborations with international organizations such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and programs such as the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.

David has over 7 years of experience designing and communicating projects for various non-profit organizations and in the diffusion of cultural activities. He studied Graphic Communication Design at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco and the Specialty in Multimedia Design at the School of Design School of the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature and a postgraduate degree in advertising and corporate photography at l'Institut d'Estudis Fotogràfics de Catalunya. He is passionate about User-Centered Design, design projects with social impact, and sustainable design.

Alejandra has five years of experience focused on strengthening institutional capacities in response to Mexico's crisis of missing persons, with an emphasis on human rights and the use of technological tools.

At LAB-CO, she serves as a Public Policy Analyst, where she contributes to the Initiative for Technological Solutions for the Search for Missing Persons and Human Identification. She has supported improvements in search and identification processes by developing procedural manuals, state search programs, and management dashboards, among other resources. She has also participated in the development of tools such as identIA and ContextIA.

Previously, she worked on research projects related to the Dirty War in Mexico and collaborated with the Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez (Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center, Centro Prodh).

Her professional interests center on human rights, particularly contributing to effective, coordinated, and institutional responses sensitive to victims and their families.

Alejandra holds a diploma in Citizen Security and Human Rights from the Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos (National Human Rights Commission, CNDH), as well as a course in Psychosocial Support from ALUNA Psychosocial Support, focused on enforced disappearance, torture, and sexual torture. She holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the Tecnológico de Monterrey (Monterrey Institute of Technology, ITESM).

Lilia has over three years of professional experience in the civil society sector, with a focus on security, justice, and responses to violence against women. At LAB-CO, she has participated in public policy projects aimed at reducing domestic violence, developing materials for the social reintegration of youth in conflict with the law, the search and identification of missing persons, and strengthening criminal analysis capacities in prosecutorial institutions. Her work includes developing analytical products, managing communication with institutional counterparts, and collaborating in multidisciplinary teams.

In addition to her work at LAB-CO, she has collaborated with collectives such as Las Sabinas, facilitating workshops on workplace safety and violence prevention for women in Ecatepec de Morelos. Throughout her career, she has accumulated experience in accompanying survivors of sexual violence, reviewing community projects with indigenous women, and conducting applied research.

Lilia holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM), completed a research stay at the Department of Sociology of the University of Cape Town, and an exchange semester at the Institut d'Études Politiques de París. She also holds a Diploma in Gender Perspective for Community Work from the Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios de Género (Center for Gender Research and Studies, CIGU-UNAM).

Valentina has three years of experience in violence, organized crime, security, gender, the prison system, criminal justice, and data analysis applied to security contexts. At LAB-CO, she has participated in projects such as the 2024–2030 Strategic Planning for the Secretariado Ejecutivo del Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Pública (Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, SESNSP), the documentation of the Conduce Sin Alcohol (Don't Drink and Drive) program of the Secretaría de Seguridad Ciudadana de la Ciudad de México (Mexico City Citizen Security Secretariat, SSC CDMX), the design and implementation of the Diploma Program in Public Security and Justice Policies CIDE-LAB-CO, as well as initiatives such as CORE, ATENA, and CONFÍA, the implementation of focused deterrence strategies targeting domestic violence in Zacatecas, and the artificial intelligence-based analysis of organized crime presence on social media.

Previously, she participated in the Historical Clarification Mechanism of the Truth and Justice Commission of Mexico, collaborated with Amnesty International on a project with searching mothers, and worked at Resolver México, where she monitored risks on digital platforms. She has authored publications in the Routledge Handbook, the CIDE International History Journal, the Latin American Law Journal of the Universidad de los Andes, Animal Político, among others.

Valentina holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and International Relations from the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (Center for Research and Teaching in Economics, CIDE), where she wrote her thesis: "Women Who Don't Need to Be Saved: An Analysis of the Growing Participation of Women in Organized Crime in Mexico," and completed an exchange semester at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona.

Vianey holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Psychology from Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana and has a certificate in Human Rights from the Gender Perspective from the Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos (CNDH) and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). She has worked on different psychosocial intervention projects focused on vulnerable populations, sustainable communities, social welfare, and eradicating gender violence. She is passionate about gender, human rights, data analysis, and the eradication of violence.

Daniela Zamora is a political scientist and internationalist graduate of the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE). She has two years of experience analyzing issues related to violence, electoral participation, organized crime, and missing persons. She collaborated with Amnesty International Mexico on the project Buscar sin Miedo, aimed at raising awareness of the human rights violations faced by women searching for missing persons. She was also a research assistant on projects related to violence, migration, and social mobility. Her work has focused on understanding the political and social implications of violence. Her interests center on the development of public policies with a human rights and memory approach.

As part of LAB-CO, Ariadna has contributed to projects aimed at reducing domestic violence, strengthening citizen security, and promoting dialogue between government and civil society, as well as other initiatives seeking to generate more effective public policies.

She also collaborates with Conectando Edades, an initiative dedicated to reducing the digital divide among older adults. Previously, she participated in business development projects in the private sector, where she strengthened her skills in market analysis and project management. Her professional interests center on protecting the rights of children and adolescents, digital inclusion, and social justice.

Ariadna holds a degree in Economic and Financial Engineering from the Universidad La Salle México (La Salle University Mexico) and completed an International Diploma in Public Policies in Digital Societies at FLACSO México (Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences).

César Alejandro Martínez Sánchez is a graduate of the Bachelor's degree in Physics from the Faculty of Sciences at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM). He specialized in data analysis, the use of artificial intelligence-powered tools, and science communication.

He has collaborated on several public opinion projects and is particularly interested in emerging technologies and their application to the analysis and resolution of social challenges.

Paulina has over a year and a half of experience in projects related to security, justice, and criminal analysis, collaborating with international organizations such as the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and the International Centre for Asset Recovery at the Basel Institute on Governance.

Among the most notable projects she has participated in at LAB-CO is the Training and Certification Program in Criminal Analysis (ATENA), aimed at professionalizing criminal analysis. She also participated in the Police Professionalization Study. In addition, she contributed to a risk analysis project for the Internacional Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR), part of the Basel Institute on Governance. She is currently involved in a project with the Bolivian Police.

She holds a Master's degree in Political and Social Studies and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Public Administration, both from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM).

Daniela is the director of the School of Pedagogy at the Universidad Panamericana (Guadalajara, Mexico). Her work has been oriented towards educational management, curricular and didactic design of new programs and the establishment of networks for applied projects.

She is a research professor and directs a character education research project funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation, in collaboration with the Universidad de Navarra and Saint Louis University.

Daniela has a PhD in Education from the Universidad de Navarra and a bachelor's degree in Pedagogy from the Universidad Panamericana.

Angelica has an extensive experience in the public sector in the State of Michoacan, she served within the General Attorney's Office as Chief of the Department of Statistical Analysis, as well as Head of the Planning and Statistics Department, point of contact for Plataforma México, as an Instructor of the State Institute of Advanced Studies in Security and Police Professionalization in Proximity and Citizen Participation issues. Additionally, she has worked as Amber Alert coordinator, as well as a coordinator for the strengthening of the Local Civic Justice System in Morelia and Technical Secretariat within the Municipal Commission for Citizen Security, where she has provided support to the communities in the process of training and implementation of the Civic Justice Model. Currently she is the Technical Secretariat of the State Institute of Advanced Studies in Security and Police Professionalization.

Angelica is a Law graduate and has a Master's degree in Criminal Procedural Law. She has a Certificate in Violence and Crime Prevention taught by the United States Agency for International Development and a specialized training in Gender Matters in Implementation of Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security of the United Nations. As well as various continuing education courses and professional certifications in law enforcement and citizen security issues.

María del Rosario Vigueras Pliego holds a Master’s degree in Constitutional Law and Amparo, a Bachelor’s degree in Law, and certification in information analysis for intelligence, course delivery, and assessment of professional competencies (CONOCER).

With over 18 years of experience assisting and supporting victims of high-impact crimes—particularly kidnapping, missing persons cases, and gender-based crimes—she has served in strategic roles at the National Citizens’ Observatory (Observatorio Nacional Ciudadano in Spanish), the National Anti-Kidnapping Coordination (Coordinación Nacional Antisecuestro in Spanish), the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic (Procuraduría General de la República in Spanish), and the Social Prosecutor’s Office for Victim Assistance (Procuraduría Social de Atención a las Víctimas in Spanish).

She has contributed to developing protocols, trained specialized units, and strengthened inter-institutional coordination, focusing on protecting victims, ensuring access to justice, and promoting their comprehensive recovery.

César has 10 years of experience in creating web systems, using various languages and technologies such as PHP and Laravel, among others. He excels in database analysis and possesses the ability to understand and translate requirements into effective technological solutions. Cesar has a Degree in Systems Engineering from the Instituto Tecnológico de Delicias and holds a certification in Microsoft Technology Associate: Software Development Fundamentals.

Claudio has over 25 years of experience collaborating in the public and private sectors. He is an expert in Public Security, National Security, Internal Affairs, Police Oversight, Police Ethics, Police Operations, Intelligence, Counterintelligence, Crime Prevention, and Anti-Corruption matters.

He held leadership positions in the National Security and Research Center (CISEN), the Federal Police (PF), the Internal Affairs Unit of the Secretariat of Security of the State of Mexico, and within the financial sector.

He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree and a master’s degree in Corporate Business Law. He has a Certificate in Police Management from the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE), a Certificate in Senior Government Management from IPADE Business School, a Certificate in Social Crime and Violence Prevention from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as various courses from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

Jason has close to 30 years of experience working in the American criminal justice system. Jason has worked as a police officer, investigator, and supervisor in law enforcement operational and investigative assignments for much of his professional career. He has devoted considerable efforts to helping neighborhood youth, from organizing summer camp activities to creating special programs at local schools. As a specially trained, enhanced crisis intervention team member and a critical incident commander, he has also responded to countless mental health emergencies and dangerous crises where he and his team seek peaceful outcomes in complex and volatile situations. In 2023, Jason transferred from a management role at a local police training center to a shift lieutenant assignment, where he intermittently serves as the acting precinct captain and commander.

Jason is also an adjunct faculty member at two universities and a community college, where he has developed curricula for 30 distinct courses. He has assisted as a satellite instructor with the State of Oregon police academy and leadership program and has managed an advanced academy and field training program. In his spare time, over the past decade, Jason has served as a consultant on international development projects, focusing on justice sector and public safety initiatives. Jason is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, holds a Master of Arts in Behavioral Science, and recently earned a Ph.D. through the University of the Cumberlands.

Milagros Ascencio Guirado is an expert in Behavioral Sciences with over 15 years of experience. She holds a Ph.D. in Behavioral Sciences from the University of Guadalajara and dual master’s degrees: one in Education and Child Research from the Universidad Santander and the other in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy from the Institute of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Additionally, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO).

Milagros is currently the Academic Coordinator and Clinical Coordinator for child and adolescent care at “Salud Conductual, Centro Especializado en Psicología y Psicoterapia.” Her experience also includes teaching and supervising clinical practice in public and private hospitals nationwide and at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). She is an active member of the American Psychological Association (APA), the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS), and the Colegio de Psicólogos Clínicos y de Enlace de Jalisco.

Throughout her career, Milagros has specialized in trauma treatment, Schema Therapy for children and adolescents, flexible parenting, verbal behavior analysis, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy STEPS-A, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) with a focus on mindfulness, value, and love in a therapeutic context, as well as the application of mindfulness to psychotherapy. She is also skilled in addressing severe emotional regulation issues in adolescents, among other areas.

Edith brings over 20 years of expertise. She is a specialist in Gender Studies and has a distinguished career in social research projects focusing on gender, motherhood, poverty, violence, migration, and domestic economies. She has also contributed to evaluating social programs in both urban and rural areas.

Edith holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Guadalajara (UdG) and a degree in psychology from the Universidad del Valle de Atemajac (UNIVA). She earned her Master’s in Social Anthropology and a Ph.D. in Social Sciences from CIESAS-Occidente. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at CIESAS-Occidente and a professor at the Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO).

Alberto is the CEO and co-founder of Soy +. He has 4 and a half years of experience as a partner at McKinsey & Company, a technology company focused on building a next-generation ecosystem for the 50+ population in the Spanish-speaking world. Before joining McKinsey, Alberto co-founded three distinct and successful organizations: Fundación IDEA, a non-profit think tank based in Mexico City focused on education, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship policy; C230 Consultores, a political research and management consulting firm; and SaaS Intelimetrica, a technology company that had a successful exit in 2021. These three organizations became major players in their respective sectors. At McKinsey, he focused on digital and analytics functions, in addition to spending significant time working with clients in the social and public sectors.

Alberto holds a Postgraduate degree in Public Policy from Harvard's Kennedy School and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Public Administration from the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico.

Carlos Pérez Ricart is a Senior Research Professor in the Division of International Studies at CIDE (Center for Research and Teaching in Economics). He holds a degree in International Relations from El Colegio de México and a PhD in Political Science from the Free University of Berlin. Between 2016 and 2019 he was a researcher and lecturer at St. Antony's College, University of Oxford. He is a member of the SNI Level II (National System of Researchers) and was Commissioner of the Commission for Access to the Truth on Human Rights Violations (1965–1990). He is the author of the book One hundred years of spies and drugs (2022). He is currently researching the arms trade, drug policy, organized crime, and Mexico–U.S. (United States) security.

Meg Galas has more than 20 years of experience managing humanitarian and international development programs, and has lived in Central America for the past 17 years. As the IRC Country Director for Mexico and the Northern Central America region, Meg leads IRC’s humanitarian response and reintegration program portfolio in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Before joining IRC, Meg worked on peacebuilding, human rights, employability, and women’s health projects. She is known for designing and managing programs that deliver health and education services to young people, emphasizing quality control and effective behavior-change interventions. Meg has extensive experience creating effective monitoring systems, leading data analysis, and designing marketing and communication strategies. She has lived and worked in South Asia, Africa, and across the Americas.

Meg is fully bilingual in Spanish and holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Spanish Literature from Villanova University and a master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University.

Roberto Patiño is a Visiting Scholar at Columbia University affiliated with the Institute of Latin American Studies, and he is the co-founder of Institute 2100, a research center focused on democracy, migration, and technology. He founded Mi Convive, a program dedicated to reducing violence in vulnerable communities in Venezuela, and Alimenta La Solidaridad, a network of community kitchens that served more than 22 million meals to children in Venezuela (2016–2025). He is currently developing a technology platform that connects migrants with well-paid jobs, promoting their economic and social integration.

He holds a master in Public Policy from Harvard University with a concentration in citizen security, a master in Peace Process Mediation from ETH Zürich, and a bachelor’s degree in Production Engineering from Simón Bolívar University.