Before becoming a freelance gender consultant, Cindy worked for five years at the Canadian Center for International Studies and Cooperation, where she led Florece, a program dedicated to enhancing women entrepreneurs’ access to financing, training, and strategic networks. She also directed Next Step Mentorship, a US-funded initiative supporting the business growth of women in rural areas of Guatemala and led the nationwide restructuring of Kami, implementing digital transformation and operational improvements while fostering a workplace culture centered on women’s empowerment and leadership. She then joined Pomona Impact Foundation for three years, where she was in charge of accelerator program development, notably ensuring that program design integrated a gender lens. Most recently, Cindy designed the National Sustainable Tourism Entrepreneurship Program for the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism ensuring its alignment with international competitiveness standards. During these assignments, her responsibilities covered mentoring, capacity building, program design, and investment-readiness training, notably ensuring that these were well suited for women entrepreneurs.
Cindy has experience in gender-balanced hiring, having led recruitment, onboarding, and training processes at Pomona Impact Foundation and other organizations, ensuring diverse and inclusive teams. Her work in promotion and retention of staff includes leadership roles at Kami and the Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation, where she contributed to policies that support career advancement and workplace equity. She has also been involved in Board of Directors’ diversity through her governance role at Kami, advocating for inclusive decision-making. Additionally, her experience in gender-inclusive marketing and communication is reflected in her work at the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism and the Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation, where she helped develop awareness campaigns and branding strategies to reach diverse audiences.

Cynthia is an entrepreneur and consultant specializing in educational innovation, social entrepreneurship, and gender-focused program design, with over 20 years of experience working across civil society, academia, and consulting. She served as co-founder and director of Crea Potencial for more than 7 years, where she designed and implemented training programs for youth and women, developed six methodologies certified by the Mexican National Institute of the Entrepreneur (INADEM). As an education specialist consultant with Pro Mujer for 4 years, she led the design and replication of entrepreneurship training programs with a graduation rate of over 88% in rural and indigenous communities. She has also worked as a professor of social innovation at UAM Azcapotzalco for over 3 years, teaching courses on human-centered design and participatory innovation. She currently serves as a gender mainstreaming consultant with Crea Potencial, advising organizations on gender integration in training and governance.
Her key expertise areas include gender-responsive program design, entrepreneurship education, and organizational development. She has supported NGOs and corporate foundations in strengthening internal systems and governance, mentored social entrepreneurs across Latin America, and developed educational models that have trained more than 2,100 people and strengthened women’s leadership in social innovation.

Daniela is a seasoned professional with eight years of experience in gender and communication, specializing in gender-inclusive institutional strategies, educational programs, and workplace equity. She began her career in higher education at the University of Antioquia, where she contributed to the University Network for Gender Equity, and later transitioned into corporate communication and change management at Empresas Públicas de Medellín and IBM Corporation. Daniela has also delivered courses on gender inequalities and political participation at prominent universities and led gender-sensitive initiatives at the Secretariat of Health of Medellín and the Secretariat of Women of Medellín. She then supported Cubo Social with gender audits, team training, and policy development. Throughout her career, she has focused on integrating gender perspectives into institutional strategies, communication and policies.
Daniela has experience in gender-inclusive marketing and communication, demonstrated by her work at the University of Antioquia and the Secretariat of Health of Medellín, where she developed campaigns to advance gender equity and social inclusion. Her background in gender studies and advisory work on integrating gender perspectives into communications has enabled her to design practical strategies for organizational change.

Fernando is a Gender and Diversity Specialist with over 10 years of experience in gender mainstreaming, policy development, and social inclusion. He began his career with UNICEF in China, where he focused on capacity development, human rights, and enhancing quality of life in the private sector. He then transitioned to UNDP in Mexico, where he led initiatives to integrate gender perspectives into strategic and financial planning and align projects with the Sustainable Development Goals. At UNDP, he contributed to the development of gender-responsive policies and monitoring frameworks that supported the economic empowerment of women, youth, and LGBTQ+ individuals while managing multi-stakeholder projects. He also played a role in establishing the UN Gender Equality Seal for large companies and government institutions, by facilitating sensitization workshops, strategic planning sessions, and the creation of performance metrics for gender inclusion.
His key expertise areas include gender-sensitive product design and market research, demonstrated through his work advising on the development of more inclusive, evidence-based approaches to reach underserved populations. He has also worked on gender-inclusive marketing and communication by designing campaigns and capacity-building programs that promote inclusive messaging among public and private sector stakeholders. Additionally, he has provided training for strategic suppliers by developing modules that assist partner organizations in incorporating gender perspectives into their procurement processes, and he has supported efforts to enhance diversity in distribution and sales teams to foster more inclusive business practices.

Gabriela is an independent consultant specializing in financial inclusion with over 20 years of experience across Latin America. She has a proven track record advising public and private sector institutions on designing and implementing gender mainstreaming strategies that enhance financial health and empower low-income populations. Throughout her career, Gabriela has led initiatives aimed at closing gaps in women’s financial inclusion by integrating rigorous diagnostics, capacity building, and innovative product design. She has collaborated with prominent organizations such as CGAP and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as various financial institutions such as BBVA Bancomer, to develop strategic frameworks and policies that address both supply and demand challenges in financial services, ensuring these solutions are both effective and sustainable.
Her key expertise areas include gender-sensitive product design and market research, as well gender-sensitive customer service. For instance, she has analyzed sex-disaggregated data from credit unions in Mexico to generate recommendations for enhancing product offerings, ensuring they better address women’s needs. Additionally, her efforts in gender-sensitive customer service have contributed to the development of guidelines that help financial institutions ultimately better tailor their products and services to overcome gender-specific barriers.

Hillan is a gender studies and demography professional with experience in gender analysis, research, and community engagement. He holds a degree in Gender Studies with Demography from the University of Zambia and has worked as a gender desk consultant for the World Health Organization, where he conducted a desk review covering 23 African countries using the WHO Gender and Health Planning Checklist and Rapid Gender Analysis tools, analyzed gender-related data, and developed evidence-based program recommendations. He also worked as an enumerator for the Zambia Statistics Agency, collecting demographic and socio-economic data from households as part of the 2022 Census and supporting data quality assurance and reporting. He currently works as a part-time tutor at the University of Zambia, teaching undergraduate students in gender studies and demography.

His key expertise area is gender-balanced promotion and retention, with a focus on identifying and addressing gender-related barriers that can affect women’s progression and continued participation in the workplace. His background in gender analysis provides a strong foundation for assessing gaps in organizational practices and identifying opportunities to make career progression and retention more equitable.

Inès Mazas is a social impact and gender mainstreaming consultant with over 15 years of experience supporting social enterprises, impact organizations, and ecosystem actors across Latin America and internationally. As a Gender Consultant at LeFil Consulting, Inès led the launch of the Gender Scaling Financing Facility (GSFF) and the r.rise network, supporting gender mainstreaming initiatives for impact-driven organizations and investors. Her work includes designing and facilitating gender equity workshops and organizational processes that help translate gender commitments into strategies, policies, and everyday practices. Inès is also a Transpersonal Coach affiliated with the International Association of Coaches, Therapists and Mentors (IACTM), and the founder of Hilos, a community of practitioners and changemakers dedicated to inner transformation and regenerative change. She serves as Senior Advisor to the Conscious Change Collective and Sacred Design Lab. More broadly, Inès has extensive experience designing and facilitating capacity-building programmes, conducting research and organizational assessments, developing impact measurement approaches, and supporting the implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. Through her roles as a Consultant at Hystra, Impact Manager at Alterna in Guatemala, and founder of social innovation consultancy Micelio Impact, she has advised and trained hundreds of social entrepreneurs and organizations.

She brings a systems perspective to gender mainstreaming, examining how organizational culture, leadership, and decision-making processes interact to shape more equitable and inclusive outcomes. She also has extensive experience in impact evaluation, assessing both the tangible and intangible outcomes of gender initiatives.

Karina is a corporate lawyer and consultant with over 15 years of experience specializing in gender, diversity, and inclusion. With an academic background that includes a doctorate in law and business, she has built a robust foundation in both legal and organizational strategy. As Founder and CEO of Diversidad & Inclusión Ecuador, she has led the design and implementation of comprehensive Equality Plans for organizations across Ecuador, ensuring that companies with more than 50 employees comply with national legal requirements while adopting progressive internal equality strategies. Karina has also advised public institutions on integrating best practices and national standards to create more inclusive workplaces. Prior to launching her consultancy, she developed a strong career in corporate law through her work at Exxon Mobil Ecuador in mergers and acquisitions and legal advisory services across nine countries in Central America and the Caribbean. Additionally, she contributes her expertise as a university professor, teaching DEI and law topics.
Her key expertise areas include gender-sensitive HR policies and practices, as evidenced by the guidance she offers on developing comprehensive internal equality frameworks. She has supported organizations in establishing policies against sexual harassment in the workplace by implementing preventive measures and training programs. Additionally, her work in gender-inclusive marketing and communication is demonstrated by the strategies she has crafted to promote inclusive messaging and enhance organizational reputation for clients such as retail brands, law firms, and service companies, through campaigns that challenge gender stereotypes and embed equity into internal and external communications.

Kudzai is an HR professional with over 15 years of experience driving organizational effectiveness across the international NGO sector. She currently works as Manager, People & Culture for Africa at WWF International, supporting people & culture strategy across 11 African countries and advising country leadership teams on organizational design, strategic workforce planning, talent management, performance, and change management. Previously, she served as country people manager for Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Sierra Leone at VSO, where he worked on talent retention, performance management, workforce planning, and DEI frameworks. She has also worked as an HR Consultant with UNICEF Zimbabwe, human resources and operations manager at SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, and human resources administration manager with Médecins Sans Frontières Spain. Her earlier experience includes HR policy development, learning and development, employee benefits, labor relations, restructuring, and organizational change. She holds a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Gender Development Studies and is a RIKA Fellow in human resources leadership.

Her key areas of expertise include gender-balanced promotion and retention, inclusive HR practices, talent management, and organizational development. Her extensive experience managing the employee lifecycle, talent development, performance assessment, workforce planning, and retention strategies provides a strong foundation for identifying and addressing gender-related barriers to career progression. Her experience navigating restructuring, labor relations, and organizational change further supports his ability to consider how HR systems and workplace practices can contribute to equitable opportunities for advancement and longer-term retention.

María has over 15 years of experience in Uruguay and Catalonia, focusing on strategic planning and public policy from a gender equality perspective. She has worked at local, departmental, and national levels, leading initiatives on women’s economic empowerment and advising public institutions on incorporating gender perspectives into development plans, such as at the Interdisciplinary Center for Development Studies – Uruguay. Through her involvement in El Abrojo she provides training, support, and accompaniment for women in vulnerable situations—such as those re-entering the labor market or survivors of violence—and collaborates with municipal and departmental governments to mainstream gender equality into public policies and budgeting. Her experience also includes formulating and managing cooperation projects with international funders.
María has extensive expertise in gender balanced hiring, demonstrated by assignments aiming at integrating gender considerations into recruitment processes within public institutions. She is also skilled in gender sensitive training for strategic suppliers, promoting inclusive practices in supply chains and service delivery through collaboration with NGOs and government agencies.

Natalia is a psychologist, university lecturer, and consultant specializing in sustainable human development, gender equality, diversity, and inclusion. Currently the legal representative of the consultancy Efecto Boomerang, she has advised over 200 companies and organizations across 19 countries in Latin America and the United States. Her work spans strategic planning, diagnostics, and the design of business and communication strategies that enhance both competitiveness and social impact. She has collaborated with international organizations such as UN Women, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the United Nations Development Program in Costa Rica, as well as with various government agencies, to develop public policies on gender equality. Natalia also facilitates training on unconscious bias, inclusive communication, and leadership for both academic institutions and corporate clients.
Her key expertise areas include gender-sensitive HR policies and practices, illustrated by her work guiding organizations through inclusive recruitment, retention, and flexibility measures. She has developed and implemented workplace harassment prevention policies through tailored training and compliance support. In customer service, she has helped companies align protocols with diverse client needs to ensure inclusive service delivery. She has also supported organizations in reviewing procurement practices to integrate gender criteria into supplier selection processes. Finally, she has contributed to diversifying sales teams by delivering workshops on unconscious bias and inclusive leadership in commercial environments.

Olive is an organizational development and gender inclusion specialist with over 15 years of experience supporting social ventures, NGOs, and community-based organizations across Africa. He has served as an organizational development partner with the Wangu Kanja Foundation in Kenya, a survivor-led feminist organization addressing sexual violence, and previously worked as resource mobilization Manager and acting CEO at Navigators (EPTF) Kenya Trust, where he designed and implemented gender-responsive HR policies and recruitment practices. He has also provided organizational development consulting to the Rural Education and Economic Enhancement Program (REEP), integrating gender mainstreaming into its programs, and served as director of resource mobilization at International Women’s Initiative, supporting gender equality and organizational strengthening. As a lead consultant, he has further provided organizational capacity building and strategy support to more than 100 community-based organizations across Kenya.

His key expertise area is developing and strengthening workplace policies and practices that prevent and address sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based harm, complemented by broader experience in gender mainstreaming and organizational development. His work with a survivor-led feminist organization has involved embedding gender-sensitive and trauma-informed practices across organizational systems and training staff on feminist principles and inclusive workplace practices. He has also conducted organizational gender audits, identified gaps in HR policies and practices, and developed gender-responsive HR and recruitment frameworks for civil society organizations.

Rejoice is a gender mainstreaming and inclusive development specialist with over 10 years of experience integrating gender considerations into green economy, renewable energy, youth employment, and SME incubation programs across Zimbabwe and Southern Africa. She currently works as a Green Jobs and Business Coordinator at SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, having previously served as a Green and Gender Advisor and Gender and Energy Advisor at the same organization. She has also worked as an Agri-Trade Officer at International Relief and Development (IRD) and supported assignments for UNDP and UN Women. Her experience covers the full program cycle, including gender analysis, program design, curriculum development, resource mobilization, safeguarding, and monitoring. She holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from Africa University, a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing from the National University of Science and Technology, and is certified in Gender and Environment by UNITAR.
Her key areas of expertise include gender mainstreaming, gender-transformative program design, women’s economic empowerment, and gender-responsive curriculum development. Rejoice has embedded gender and disability inclusion into climate adaptation programming, identified livelihood pathways for women in solar value chains, and developed curricula focused on women and youth’s participation in the green economy. She has also managed youth employment programs with a focus on women’s participation, supported women-inclusive youth enterprises, and convened 147 civil society organizations to strengthen collaboration around women entrepreneurs. Her experience also includes gender-responsive climate policy alignment, safeguarding, and inclusive program delivery, providing a strong foundation for supporting organizations to integrate gender considerations into programs, policies, and economic opportunities.

Rosa Aurora is an expert in gender, human rights, and public policy with over 20 years of experience. Early in her career, she built a strong foundation by designing and implementing equality programs at the municipal, state, and federal levels in Mexico, contributing to capacity-building initiatives across both government and civil sector. She then collaborated with institutions such as the National Bank of Mexico, where she conducted gender-focused research and helped design entrepreneurship programs for women. As Director at Hagamos Algo A.C., she contributed to the development and execution of equality plans and policies in large corporate and public institutions. Additionally, she has held key leadership roles within government agencies, spearheading the implementation of national equality standards and workplace harassment policies.
Her key expertise areas include gender-sensitive HR policies and practices, as she developed gender equality frameworks in both public and corporate settings in Mexico. She has also supported the development of policies against sexual harassment in the workplace by leading training programs and preventive initiatives in collaboration with institutions such as the National Center for Research on Women. Lastly, she has provided training for strategic suppliers of large organizations, equipping the former with the tools needed to integrate gender perspectives into their operations.

Sandisiwe is an economist and independent consultant with over 12 years of experience in financial inclusion, gender and women’s economic empowerment, gender-responsive finance, market systems, research, strategy, and stakeholder engagement across Africa and other emerging markets. She currently serves as an associate director at FinProbity Solutions. Since 2014, she has worked as an independent consultant, undertaking assignments for organisations including the Gates Foundation, BFA Global, UN Women, the World Bank, FinMark Trust, the Access to Insurance Initiative (A2ii), and the International Labour Organization’s Impact Insurance Facility. From 2010 to 2014, she was stakeholder engagement manager and senior researcher at the Centre for Financial Regulation and Inclusion (Cenfri), where she managed stakeholder relationships and research projects, authored and co-authored financial inclusion publications, and supported assignments across South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Earlier in her career, she worked as a researcher and consultant at the Economic Justice Network. Sandisiwe holds a Master of Commerce in Economics and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Economics from Rhodes University, South Africa, as well as an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from the Quantic School of Business and Technology, USA.

Her experience spans financial inclusion, women’s financial inclusion and economic empowerment, gender-responsive financial services and financing, digital financial services and payments, inclusive insurance and microinsurance, financial-sector policy and regulatory frameworks, consumer protection, consumer behavior and customer value proposition development, public procurement, enterprise and market-system development, and innovative financing approaches. She has conducted gender financial inclusion diagnostics and supported the development of gender-inclusive financial services and gender-smart financing approaches for development finance institutions. Her work on women’s economic empowerment and public procurement in South Africa has included supporting government efforts to advance women’s economic empowerment through revisions to public procurement legislation, while her research on women-owned enterprises and digital marketplaces in India and Uganda examined barriers and opportunities affecting women entrepreneurs’ access to markets and digital platforms. Her combination of economic analysis, financial-sector expertise, gender-responsive approaches, market systems knowledge, and stakeholder engagement experience enables her to support organizations in understanding markets, identifying barriers and opportunities, designing inclusive strategies, and translating research and evidence into practical solutions.

Tadala is a chemical and biomedical engineer with experience in engineering, innovation, entrepreneurship, and women’s leadership in STEM. She has been an advocate engineer with WoMEng Malawi since 2017, promoting women’s participation and leadership in STEM through mentorship, outreach, advocacy, and community-building activities. She is also the Managing Director and co-founder of Light Technologies, where she has applied inclusive and community-centered approaches to product and service development and supported the engagement of women and underrepresented groups in entrepreneurship and innovation. Tadala was selected as She Leads African Food Futures Fellow to strengthen women’s leadership and innovation capacity in African food systems and development ecosystems.

Her key expertise areas include gender-balanced promotion and retention, women’s leadership, and gender inclusion in STEM. Through her work with WoMEng Malawi, Tadala has supported women and young professionals to strengthen their participation and leadership in engineering and innovation spaces. Her experience in mentorship, advocacy, and community-building provides a strong foundation for supporting more inclusive pathways for women’s professional development and progression.

Teresa is an entrepreneur and consultant specializing in corporate communications, sustainability, and gender mainstreaming, with more than 25 years of experience across the private sector, international organizations, and entrepreneurship. She is the co-founder and director of Impact Hub Montevideo, a role she has held for more than 2 years, leading initiatives in social innovation and inclusive business models. For the past 7 years, she has also worked as a consultant with UN Women, supporting companies across Latin America and the Caribbean in integrating gender perspectives into business strategies. Previously, Teresa built a decade-long career at The Coca-Cola Company, where she held senior roles in corporate communications and sustainability across South America, and over 4 years at Nestlé, leading consumer engagement and corporate responsibility programmes.
Her key expertise areas include strategic communication, sustainability strategy, and gender integration in business operations. She has advised multinational companies on embedding gender equality into corporate policies, facilitated partnerships between the private sector and international organizations, and supported the design of inclusive business strategies that align social impact with business performance.

Vanessa Marcano is an entrepreneur and consultant specializing in gender equality, market intelligence, and inclusive business innovation, with more than 15 years of experience working across the private sector, civil society, and entrepreneurship. She is the founder and CEO of Pollito Inglés, an online community and platform for mothers with a presence in Latin America and Europe, which she has led for over 15 years to promote women’s entrepreneurship and peer support. Vanessa is also the founder of MOMsDATA, a market research company focused on understanding women’s and mothers’ behaviors and preferences in Latin America, which she has directed for nearly 8 years. In addition, she co-founded FemData Consultoría, a firm dedicated to gender equality diagnostics, training, and sensitization for companies and organizations, where she has worked for over 4 years to help clients integrate gender perspectives into their operations and culture. Most recently, she became Mexico coordinator for Fundación CD Mujeres Líderes, leading initiatives that connect and empower women across 25 countries.
Her key expertise areas include gender diagnostics, inclusive communication, and women’s leadership development. She has designed and implemented gender-sensitive training programs, developed research projects on women’s behaviors and markets, and supported organizations in transforming their internal practices to advance diversity and inclusion. Vanessa has also written on new masculinities, built alliances to strengthen women’s leadership networks in Venezuela, and is actively developing accelerator programs for women entrepreneurs.

Virginie Martin-Onraët is an entrepreneur and consultant with more than 15 years of experience designing and implementing gender equality programs across Latin America. She is the founder of Personas, a feminist consulting firm that develops participatory strategies to prevent and address violence from a non-binary and intersectional perspective, working with NGOs, social enterprises, and international organizations to create inclusive environments and drive lasting cultural change. Virginie also co-founded Transforma MyM, where for over 6 years she has advised governments and organizations on eliminating violence against women and promoting inclusive governance. In addition, she has served as Senior Advisor and President of the Board of Fundación Ajaraca for more than 9 years, leading strategic direction and program design, and has provided technical expertise to initiatives with the Pan American Development Foundation and TechnoServe, integrating gender considerations into security, inclusion, and development programs.
Her key expertise areas include participatory gender strategy design, prevention of gender-based violence, and organizational transformation for diversity and inclusion. She has led co-creation processes, policy advisory work, and program evaluations to support mindset change and institutional reform, helping organizations adopt intersectional approaches and embed substantive equality into their structures and practices.

Yair is an experienced facilitator and independent consultant specializing in gender and DEI, with over 10 years of professional experience working across NGOs, academia, and consulting. He has served as the Masculinities & Gender Equality Officer at Root Capital, where he developed a masculinities methodology for the Gender Equity Agenda and piloted this approach with coffee growers in Mexico and Central America. In his consulting roles, he has led thematic research, diagnostic assessments, and evaluation projects on topics such as gender-based violence, alternative masculinities, and DEI strategies, and he has collaborated with international organizations like UN Women Mexico. In academia, he has contributed to courses on gender, society, and human rights at institutions such as Tec de Monterrey.
His key expertise areas include gender-balanced hiring, gender-balanced promotion and retention of staff, and board diversity. At Root Capital he conducted comprehensive diagnostics of recruitment and promotion processes within coffee cooperatives in Mexico and Central America to identify gender gaps and developed targeted work plans to enhance workforce diversity. He has facilitated workshops with male groups to address unconscious biases in promotion practices, and has worked with corporate boards to review and adjust diversity standards to support inclusive decision-making.