Professional Experience:
8 years working for the United Nations:
2008-2013:
UN and Intergovernmental Affairs Specialist (Governance, UN and Multilateral Affairs Division), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Headquarters, New York, USA
• Managed UNICEF’s engagement with the UN General Assembly (GA): Advised Member States on child rights issues, informing their negotiations of intergovernmental documents;
• Advised senior management on current intergovernmental discussions, opportunities, and sensitive issues that may impact the organization’s work;
• Jointly coordinated several inter-divisional committees for high-level Conferences, i.e. 2010 MDG Summit, 2011 LDC IV Conference, and yearly GA General Debates;
• Managed the preparation of several Secretary-General’s Reports;
• 2010-2011: Acting Executive Manager of UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director Hilde F. Johnson;
• 2008-2009: Acting Senior Advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean.
2006-2008:
Programme Officer for Latin America and Caribbean (Regional & Interagency Affairs Section), UNICEF New York, USA
• Represented UNICEF country and region-specific issues in interagency and interdivisional fora, i.e. Integrated Mission Task Force on Haiti, Regional Directors Focal Points team, and advisory groups in support of furthering UN coherence;
• Chaired the UN Inter-Agency Framework Team for Coordinating Early Warning and Preventive Action Working Group for Bolivia, and member of the Expert Reference Group on conflict prevention;
• Monitored and analyzed inter-regional and country developments for trends in socio-political environments;
• Provided briefings and support to Executive Director or senior staff on all issues/visits relevant to the region.
2005-2006:
Emergencies and Disaster Risk Management & Amazon Programme - Consultant, UNICEF Quito, Ecuador
• Pilot Initiative on Emergencies and Disaster Risk Management: Coordinated Municipal Risk Management Plans in high hazard zones along the Colombian border, generating disaster preparedness through the educational sector;
• Gave capacity building workshops to local and provincial authorities; developed teaching material on School Emergency Preparedness Plans, and on managing the effects of the humanitarian conflict;
• Prepared project proposals to government and financing institutions (USD 4 million), including the first UNICEF/UNHCR/WFP Ecuador protection project successfully approved by the UN Trust Fund for Human Security;
• Assisted UNICEF’s response team during massive refugee flows, and the political crisis of April 2005.
2004-2005:
Resettlement Unit – JPC, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Quito, Ecuador
• Assessed legal merits of refugees’ cases for resettlement, interviewing refugees with special protection needs (security threats, medical needs, women at risk, child protection);
• Collaborated with resettlement countries' embassies, local governments, IOM, NGOs and Field Offices to seek durable sol