Our Team
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Director of Communications and Social Development
Public Health Senior Advisor
Head of Research
Scientific Research
Administrative coordinator
Chief Medical Advisor
María Gloria Alarcón
Is an Ecuadorian economist and academic known for her significant contributions to public policy and economic development. She served as the first female Minister of Finance in Ecuador in 1981, marking a historic moment for women’s leadership in the country’s government. Alarcón also held key roles in academia, having taught at the Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, and was active in political advisory positions throughout her career, including in areas of economic and financial reform in Ecuador.
In June 2006, María Gloria Alarcón became the first woman to run for and win the presidency of the Chamber of Commerce of Guayaquil. She also served as President of the National Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Ecuador. María Gloria was the first female President of the Ecuadorian Business Committee and the Andean Business Advisory Council. Additionally, she was named President of the Ecuador Chapter of the Latin American Business Council (CEA) and has held honorary consul positions for Finland and Germany in Guayaquil.
Is a recognized leader in gender equality and business strategy in Ecuador. She is a LinkedIn Top Voice in Gender Equality and an Advisory Member of G100: Mission Million. She served as Ecuador’s Vice-Presidential candidate in 2020 and is currently the Secretary of the Gender Parity Initiative. Ana María co-authored the “Violet Economy” model, which promotes gender equity in Ecuador. She holds multiple leadership positions, including co-founding the 30% Club Ecuador, and chairing the DNA Foundation. Her academic background includes several master’s degrees in Public Administration, Governance, Business Management, Gender Equality, and Leadership.
Is a highly respected legal expert with over two decades of experience advising on some of Ecuador’s most significant projects in infrastructure, alternative energy, technology, and real estate.
As a partner at Pérez Bustamante & Ponce, Sandra has played a pivotal role in major initiatives, including the New Quito International Airport. Her expertise spans public-private partnerships (PPP), project finance, and joint ventures. Sandra is recognized for her leadership in the legal sector, holding key positions, including past President of the Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce and various directorships.
She holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador and is a member of the Board of Directors of Ecuadorian Scout Foundation, member of Business Committee of Sistema B Ecuador, member of the Ecuador Bar Association and she’s on the Board of the Latin American Regional Forum (LARF), International Bar Association.
Is an experienced project manager with over 27 years in the real estate industry. She has a strong background in negotiation, strategic planning, business development, contract negotiation, and business strategy.
Cristina holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication and Media Studies from Texas Christian University. Currently, she serves as the Corporate Affairs Manager at DK Corp International, where she leverages her extensive expertise to drive corporate initiatives and manage strategic relationships.
Is the Executive Director of the Foundation Alianza para la Investigación de Enfermedades Emergentes (AIE). He is an international health and development specialist with over thirty years of experience in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean working with local and national governments, universities, non-governmental, community, private and international organizations.
His work includes health and nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, technical co-operation, health management, health systems and health financing research, policy development and implementation, research and project management, training, and social and political marketing.
He received an MD degree from the Universidad Central del Ecuador Medical School, with postgraduate training in health management planning and policy at the Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development of the School of Medicine of the University of Leeds; health economics and planning at The Centre for Health Economics of the University of York; nutrition and health in emergency situations at INCAP, social norms at the University of Pennsylvania; and international health with a concentration in public policy at the Pan American Health Organization.
Dr. Solórzano has worked on the design and implementation of health sector and social development projects with emphasis on organizational changes, financing, decentralization of health services, auditing of service delivery, operational research and institutional building. He has conducted policy analysis, policy development and implementation targeting vulnerable groups.
Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Espíritu Santo (UEES), Minister of Health of Ecuador during the worst health crisis in Ecuador and humanity in the last 100 years. Awarded “Alien of Extraordinary Abilities” by the United States Department of Justice.
As founding president of the American Chronic Disease Surveillance Network (AMNET), he has established collaboration with 35 universities and non-governmental organizations in 22 countries in the Americas and the Caribbean Associate Professor at Florida International University (FIU) College of Medicine Director of the Health Services Research Endowment Center of the University of Puerto Rico, an entity funded by the NIH and accredited by UNICEF as a Center of Excellence. Doctor graduated from the School of Medicine of the Central University of Ecuador.
He received his degree in cardiology from the University of Padua, Italy. American Heart Association Fellow to study Preventive Cardiology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, United States. He completed postdoctoral studies in Field Epidemiology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, United States.
He has extensive experience in clinical and epidemiological aspects of cardiovascular diseases. He is an expert in cardiology, scientific writing and academic curriculum implementation with a solid publication record in English, Italian and Spanish.
Is the current Director of Communications and Social Development at the Harriet Joyce Foundation, bringing over a decade of experience in both public and private sectors. Selected among leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean, he was awarded a scholarship to participate in the 2025 cohort of the Global Competitiveness Leadership Program at the Latin America Leadership Program (LALP) from Georgetown University. He has held key roles, including Communication & Cooperation Advisor to Ecuador’s Minister of Sports, Chief of Staff at the Municipality of Guayaquil, and Digital & Strategy Consultant for different clients in the private sector.
Roberto holds a Degree in Communications and Advertising and a Master’s in Political Communication and Marketing, he is currently pursuing a Master’s in Corporate Social Responsibility with Leadership in Sustainability, and another in Public Administration.
He holds a certification from Harvard in ‘Power for Positive Impact,’ another in Non-Profit Management Essentials from the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University and Allstate), a Leadership Diploma from MIU, an Expert Degree in Digital Marketing from IEBS, and advanced certifications in Open Government and Social Media Era for Governments, as well as SDG Initiatives from the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of American States (OAS).
Is a specialist in Internal Medicine with extensive experience in clinical care, academic leadership, and medical education. He currently serves as a faculty member at the Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, where he teaches Internal Medicine and Pharmacology and coordinates multiple postgraduate programs, including the Medical Emergencies Diploma.
Dr. Bucaram holds a Master’s degree in Health Management and Administration from Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (Spain), a specialization in Internal Medicine from Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo, and a diploma in Medical Emergencies from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He is also the editor of Revista Hospitalaria and has participated as a speaker and researcher in national and international congresses.
His clinical and academic contributions are complemented by several peer-reviewed publications in the fields of infectious diseases, COVID-19 outcomes, pharmacology, and endocrinology. Dr. Bucaram combines scientific rigor with a commitment to strengthening medical education and healthcare systems in Ecuador and Latin America.
María Gabriela holds a Bachelor degree of Science with a major in Human Biology, and minors in Immunology, and Physiology from the University of Toronto (Canada) and a Master’s degree in Public Health from the Public University of Navarra (Spain). Her interdisciplinary training has enabled her to join relevant teams and actively participate in the design, execution, and management of health research projects. She currently works as a Lab Manager at the Universidad Espíritu Santo (UEES), where she coordinates the execution of research projects and supervises laboratory activities in areas such as molecular biology.
She previously worked as a research and operations coordinator at the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL). She also completed an internship at the Institute of Public and Occupational Health of Navarra, participating in epidemiological surveillance and community health promotion initiatives. Gabriela complements her scientific training with a growing interest in communicable diseases, especially their dynamics in population contexts and vulnerable environments.
Professional in Chemical Sciences, Analytic Chemistry, and Master of Science in Nutrition and Food. She is a professor at Espíritu Santo University, with significant experience in nutrition, biochemistry and scientific research. She has expertise in the design, implementation, execution, administration, monitoring, and evaluation of projects in health sciences: chronic, cardiovascular, metabolic, and immunological diseases.
She has directed programs on maternal and child malnutrition, micronutrient supplementation and fortification of foods, and health promotion in school-aged children and adolescents in the National Education System in Ecuador.
Is a graduate in Business Administration from Universidad Espíritu Santo (UEES). She is currently the Administrative Coordinator of the Simulation Clinic at UEES, providing essential administrative support to projects in collaboration with the Infectious Disease Alliance (AIE) and the Harriet Joyce Foundation from the United States.
Her work focuses on issues related to malnutrition, heavy metal exposure, sickle cell anemia, and genetic diseases, contributing to the management and operational success of these significant health initiatives.
Dr. Juan Carlos Fernández Cadena is a molecular biologist and microbiologist with over a decade of experience in research and academia. He earned his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences with a specialization in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
He has held key positions in academia and research, including Assistant Professor at the African Genome Center in Morocco and Molecular Biology Laboratory Coordinator at INTERLAB in Ecuador. His work has focused on genomics and molecular microbiology, contributing to public health advancements by addressing challenges such as SARS-CoV-2, antibiotic resistance, and microbial genomics.
Dr. Fernández Cadena’s research has been instrumental in improving healthcare strategies and environmental sustainability. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and actively mentors students, teaching courses in molecular biology, microbiology, and parasitology. His dedication to scientific progress continues to impact both academic and social spheres.
