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Panelists

ABDIAS ZAMBRANO

Lawyer specialized in public policy and digital law

Abdías Zambrano is a young Panamanian lawyer specialized in public policy and digital law. During the last four years he has worked in the area of public policy in Central America and the Dominican Republic, participating in the organizing team of the IGF Panama, the board of directors of the Internet Society Panama Chapter and the Open Data working group of the Government of Panama. During the last year he has been involved in national politics in his country managing two campaigns to collect signatures for deputies by free nomination. He currently serves as a parliamentary advisor in the National Assembly of Panama and is a consultant for non-profit organizations.

Adriana Castro

Director (e) of the Business Law Department

Lawyer and Specialist in Business Law from Universidad Externado de Colombia, Master in International Business Law (LLM) from Queen Mary, University of London. She has worked as a research professor of the International and Business Law Research Group. Intern at the UNCITRAL Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RCAP) (Incheon, Republic of Korea, 2012), ISOC Ambassador for the Global Internet Governance Forum (Guadalajara, 2016), fellow of the research stay program UNIDROIT-Universidad Externado de Colombia (Rome, 2018), fellow of the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and Private International Law (Hamburg, 2019). She is a Member of the Colombian commission of the International Chamber of Commerce, in the thematic areas of “Digital Economy” and “Commercial Law and Practices”; she is correspondent for Colombia of UNIDROIT in the period 2022-2025; and she is a member of the Colombian Internet Governance Roundtable.

Alejandra Erramuspe

Sociologist and social psychologist

Alejandra is a sociologist and social psychologist with a diploma in international studies and internet governance. She has 30 years of experience in public policy design and evaluation, strategic advice to authorities and technical expertise in the field of social public policies and digital transformation. She is committed to sustainable human development and human rights through the design, implementation and evaluation of integrated, innovative and quality public policies that enable opportunities and improve people’s living conditions.

Alondra Arellano

IA Leader, Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, Chilean Government

Advisor in Artificial Intelligence in the cabinet of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation of Chile. Political scientist, Master in government and public policies, with professional experience in the National Center of Artificial Intelligence as responsible for gender and reports.

Anna Bentes

Professor and Adjunct Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies at FGV ECMI

She holds a doctorate and master’s degree in Communication and Culture from UFRJ and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UFRJ. She is the author of the book “Quase um tique: economia da atenção, vigilância e espetáculo em uma rede social”, published by UFRJ (2021), and member of the Board of Directors of the Latin American Network of Studies on Surveillance, Technology and Society (LAVITS). She is currently a Digital Rights Fellow and a columnist for Terra Byte, where she discusses topics related to technology and behavior. Her research focuses on the intersection between communication, psychology and digital media.

César Díaz

Telecommunications Affairs Leader at LACNIC

He holds a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the Technological University of Panama, with a Postgraduate Degree in Senior Management and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He held several positions at the National Authority of Public Services of Panama (ASEP), such as head of Radio Spectrum Management, head of Regulatory Strategies and Deputy Director of Telecommunications Networks.
He currently holds the position of Telecommunications Affairs Leader at LACNIC and is also a rapporteur on the topics of interoperability, infrastructure, connectivity, numbering, services and applications including international connectivity at the Permanent Consultative Council 1 – CCP1 of the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission – CITEL/OAS. He has worked in the regulation of telecommunications issues in the Republic of Panama and implemented relevant projects, in addition to participating as part of the Technical Advisory Committee in the negotiation of Free Trade Agreements between Panama and other countries.

Christian O'Flaherty

Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Internet Society

Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Internet Society collaborating with governments, businesses and technical communities for the development of the Internet in the region. He has been a teacher, operations manager and responsible for the Internet product in regional and global companies. He is a promoter and active member in forums and organizations of the Internet technical community.

Cinthya Arias

Member of the Board of the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Sutel)

Ms. Cinthya Arias Leitón is a Member of the Board of the Superintendence of Telecommunications (Sutel), with more than 25 years of experience in the regulation of the telecommunications market and in the promotion of key productive activities for the development of Costa Rica. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and a Master’s Degree in International Business from UCR-Fundepos. She is also a graduate of the Senior Management Program at INCAE. In addition, she is a professor of the Graduate Studies Program in Economics at the School of Economics of the UCR in the course of Operational Risk Management. At Sutel she held the position of Head of the General Directorate of Markets for more than a decade, and led important projects such as the Institutional Regulatory Agenda and the Telecommunications Sector Statistics System, which today is incorporated into the National Statistics System, among others. At the international level, she has also led the ITU’s Expert Group on Telecommunication Indicators (EGTI) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and participated in important forums of organizations such as Comtelca, Regulatel and the Association of Independent Telecommunications of Mexico (ATIM).

Dominique Paz

Lawyer specializing in criminal law

Dominique Paz is a lawyer from the University of Buenos Aires and a specialist in Criminal Law from the Torcuato Di Tella University, both in Argentina. She has taken undergraduate courses at Columbia University, United States, and postgraduate courses at the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands. For the last 6 years she has been working at the Cybercrime Specialized Prosecution Unit of the Argentine Public Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Dr. Horacio Azzolin, where she conducts and coordinates investigations in digital environments.

Yunuhen Rangel

Coordinator of the "Feminist Internet" program - Colectiva Luchadoras

Journalism graduate, reporter and photojournalist with training in human rights, gender, feminism, freedom of expression and the right to defend human rights. She has promoted feminist journalism 2009 and has collaborated in the creation of methodologies and dialogues with journalists. She has given more than 50 workshops to journalists in Mexico and Central America on women’s human rights, feminist journalism, sexual and reproductive health, maternal death, security and freedom of expression. From 2017 to 2020 she was Rapporteur for the Right to Freedom of Expression of the Human Rights Commission of Mexico City. Since 2020, she coordinates the “Feminist Internet” Program, in the collective Luchadoras, from where research, pedagogy, content and direct attention to digital violence are carried out through its Support Line.

Germán López Ardila

Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs of the Colombian Chamber of Information Technology and Telecommunications (CCIT).

Lawyer from Universidad de los Andes, specialist in management and regulation of telecommunications and new technologies from Universidad Externado, and master in economic law from Universidad Javeriana. He has studied law and technology at the Free University of Berlin, the University of Hanover, the University of Geneva and the University of Turin. He works as director of legal and regulatory affairs of the Colombian Chamber of Informatics and Telecommunications (CCIT), and coordinates the ICT Analysis and Creativity Tank (TicTac). He is a board member of the Youth Standing Group of the Internet Society (ISOC). He is also a professor of regulation, law and technology at Universidad Sergio Arboleda and Universidad Javeriana, where he also coordinates the Research Initiative on Digital Competence and Electronic Commerce (INCODI).

CAROL ROACH

Chair del MAG del IGF

For over 30 years, Carol has been a key player as an ICT strategist and e-government expert for the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. She has improved the efficiency and effectiveness of services through strategy development and implementation, change management, process redesign, and solution procurement and implementation. Carol has actively expanded her expertise by working with regional and international organizations such as the GEALC Network (Latin American and Caribbean e-Government Experts Network), the Organization of American States (OAS), CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market) and the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU). She is the current MAG Chair of IGF 2024. She is an advocate for Small Island Developing States, ensuring at every opportunity that their voices are not left out. She also advocates for people, prosperity and the planet through the responsible and sustainable use of the Internet and digital technologies.

Miguel Ignacio Estrada

LACNIC Strategic Relationship Manager

Miguel Ignacio Estrada es Gerente de Relaciones Estratégicas de LACNIC. Anteriormente fue Gerente General de LACTLD, Director de Políticas y Desarrollo de Internet en el gobierno de Argentina y Gerente de Comunicación de NIC Argentina. Fue miembro del Comité Asesor de Múltiples Partes Interesadas (MAG) del IGF global.

Ingrid Hernández Sierra

Presidential Advisor and Coordinator of the Digital Transformation Counselor of the Presidency of the Republic.

Lawyer from Universidad Sergio Arboleda and Law Degree from Universidad San Pablo Ceu in Spain, specialized in New Technologies and Telecommunications Law, and in Economic and Market Law, with a Master’s Degree in Strategic Business Management from the University of Barcelona, she has worked in international law in the European Community, in regulation and compliance in companies in the telecommunications sector, and has held various positions in the Min ICT, in tasks of enabling, monitoring and control of the ICT sector.

Juan Carlos Lara

Digital Rights, Chile

Julián Casasbuenas

Colnodo Director

Director of Colnodo from where he has promoted the development of ICT appropriation projects in Colombia benefiting the most vulnerable communities. He has contributed in the formation of technical capacity for the deployment of community wireless networks. He has led projects for the implementation of environmental information systems for the assembly of Environmental Observatories. He has participated in regional and national discussions on Internet governance. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Association for Progressive Communications APC. He is the liaison of the Internet Governance Forum Colombia with the Global Internet Governance Forum. Mentor of the Lacnic 2.0 Leaders Program since 2021. Member of the proposal selection committee of the IEEE Connecting the Unconnected Challenge. Served as a member of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) for the 2016-2018 Internet Governance Forum. Member of the Internet Society since 1993. Internet Society Ambassador for the Internet Governance Forum, Rio de Janeiro, November 2007 and Egypt Sharm el Sheikh November 2009.

Karen Cruz

Youth LACIGF, Costa Rica

Feminist and human rights activist, facilitator and manager of social projects. With experience working in indigenous communities, rural, marginal and urban marginal areas through Information and Communication Technologies. With experience in research and in the use and appropriation of Digital Technologies as social tools. In recent years focused on issues of Digital Rights and Inclusion and Cybersecurity.

Lia Solis

Professional Core ENTEL S.A. and General Manager of LACNOG,

Training in Systems Engineering graduated from the Escuela Militar de Ingeniería La Paz – Bolivia, Diploma in University Teaching Training, specialization in Internet, DNS, IP Services, Content and Infrastructure, IT Manager DATA CENTER certifications. To date, also in charge of Security Incident Management reported at ISP level. She has more than 18 years of experience in the Internet area. She is currently working as: Professional Core ENTEL S.A. and General Manager of LACNOG. She was Fellowship of ICANN53 – 59, MANRS Fellow, ISOC member and currently Universal Acceptance Ambassador.

Lilian Chamorro Rojas

Coordinator of the Executive Secretariat of LACIGF

Engineer in electronics and telecommunications from Universidad del Cauca, specialist in engineering project management from Universidad Javeriana. Master in Strategies and Technologies for Development from Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. She is currently part of Colnodo and coordinator of the Executive Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Governance Forum. She has been project manager of Community Telecommunications Networks in the NGO Colnodo in Colombia, and Redes AC in Mexico.

Lucas Gallitto

Director for Latin America, GSMA

Lucas leads a highly experienced multidisciplinary team to promote the impact, growth and sustainability of digital economies through collaboration between the mobile industry, policy makers, the technology ecosystem and international organizations. He is a telecommunications executive with over 15 years of commercial, operational, regulatory and external affairs experience in multinational companies in the digital ecosystem. He leads advocacy initiatives, contributing new ideas and analysis to the regional public policy dialogue at a time when emerging digital technologies and broadband connectivity are transforming society and the economy. His areas of responsibility include securing critical spectrum resources for the mobile industry, promoting best practices in fields such as regulation, taxation, security and privacy, as well as fostering digital empowerment of citizens. Lucas holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Telecommunications Engineering degree.

Lucía Camacho

Digital Rights Public Policy Coordinator

Lucía Camacho Gutiérrez, Colombian lawyer, specialist in public policy and master in human rights. Coordinator of public policies in Digital Rights. She has written about the deployment of AI in the Colombian Constitutional Court, about narrative analysis in the design of AI public policies, and now about the use of sandboxes for the regulation of AI in latam.

Mariana Salazar

ALAI's Regional Manager for Mexico and Central America

From 2019 to 2022 she was a Member of the Inter-American Juridical Committee of the Organization of American States, where she was Rapporteur for International Law Applicable to Cyberspace and for Privacy and Personal Data Protection. She is Professor of International Law at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City.

Olga Paz

Colnodo Project Manager

Social Communicator and Journalist, with studies in business administration and specialization in Communication and Culture from Universidad del Valle in Cali. She has a Master’s Degree in Communication and Society with a specialization in Public Policy for the Internet from Flacso Ecuador. She has 25 years working in the promotion of communication and Information and Communication Technologies to strengthen the quality of life in urban and rural environments. Since 2003 she has been linked to Colnodo as Project Director where she has been fortunate to design, coordinate and accompany various initiatives aimed at the use and appropriation of ICTs, so that diverse communities, networks and organizations can take advantage of the potential of the Internet to achieve social transformations and positively impact their welfare.

Pablo García de Castro

ASIET Regional Director

Paula Oteguy

LACNIC Multistakeholder Liaison Coordinator

Paula Oteguy has been a member of LACNIC’s staff since 2011 and currently serves as LACNIC’s Multistakeholder Relations Coordinator. Among her most outstanding activities, she leads the development of LACNIC’s Leaders and Policy Shapers programs, as well as supporting national, regional, sub-regional and youth IGF (NRI) initiatives. She has a degree in International Relations with several studies in Internet Governance and is currently a member of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF).

Raquel Gatto

Vice-Presidente de Internet Society Brazil Chapter.

Dr. Raquel Gatto is a lawyer, legal manager of the Núcleo de Informação e Coordenação do .br (NIC.br) and Vice-President of the Internet Society Brazil Chapter.

Raúl Echeberria

Digital rights

Solimary García Hernández

Data Science project analyst at the Information and Coordination Center of the BR Point (NIC.br).

Solimary Garcia Hernandez has a Master and PhD in Science from the University of São Paulo. She is currently working as a Data Science project analyst at the Information and Coordination Nucleus of Point BR (NIC.br). Her main research focus is on quantitative analysis projects, spatial statistics, data visualization and implementation of machine learning (AI) models with the purpose of supporting connectivity public policies and proactively contributing to the improvement of Internet quality. Recently, she has been involved in the process of creating OBIA, the Brazilian Observatory of Artificial Intelligence.

Umut Pájaro Velazquez

Chair of the Internet Society's Gender Standing Group

Umut Pájaro Velásquez is a Social Communicator with a Masters in Cultural Studies. In his role as a researcher he is dedicated to addressing ethical challenges in AI, with a focus on correcting gender, race and diversity biases in the underlying data collection. He is Chair of the Internet Society’s Gender Standing Group and coordinator of YouthLACIGF and Youth IGF Colombia, member of the research assessment panel on AI and Data Governance of the Observatory on Information and Democracy. His presence as a speaker and moderator at events such as the Internet Governance Forum, RightsCon and the Mozilla Festival reflects his commitment to the rights of young people, women, gender-diverse people and diverse communities, as well as the promotion of cybersecurity as a human right. She was Mozilla Festival Wrangler 2022, Fellow Policy Shaper LANIC 2023, research lead on the United Nations Internet Governance Forum’s Artificial Intelligence report. His research work covers media, Internet, ethics and AI Governance, Cybersecurity and Internet Governance.

Valeria Betancourt

Member of the management team of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC).

Sociologist, with graduate studies in Communication and Culture at UASB. Member of the management team of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), a network and organization working for the internet to be developed and governed for the common good. A digital rights activist and advocate, her work focuses on policy and governance with respect to the relationship between digital technologies, social, environmental and gender justice, in the context of the global South. Her work was recognized with LACNIC’s Lifetime Achievement Award and she was part of the Internet Governance Forum’s (IGF) multi-stakeholder advisory group (MAG).

JONATHAN MENDOZA

Secretary of Personal Data Protection at INAI. (Mexico)

D. and Master in Law from the Centro de Estudios de Posgrado en Derecho and a Law Degree from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He holds a Master’s Degree in the General Data Protection Regulation from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia and a certificate of proficiency in the specialization course “Cybersecurity Summer Bootcamp – Policy Makers”, organized by the University of León, Spain and the National Institute of Cybersecurity (INCIBE). He currently serves as Secretary of Personal Data Protection at the National Institute of Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data (INAI).

JOHANA OBANDO BONILLA

Congresswoman of the Republic of Costa Rica

Congresswoman of the Republic of Costa Rica, member of the Science and Technology Commission in the Legislative Assembly, she has presented the bills of the Cryptoassets Market, and co-presented the Data Protection Law and the Digital Economy Law. Her office works mostly on IT issues, for which they have developed Forums such as Metaverse, Digital Economy, Women in STEM, Cryptoassets, and will soon close the year with the AI Forum. She is a lawyer and has studies in software, she is currently finishing the Specialization in Computer Law and starting the Master in Artificial Intelligence, before being a congresswoman, she worked as a QA Analyst.

ROBERTO ZAMBRANA

Internet Society Foundation's Online Training and Trainer Management Program Specialist

Electronic Engineer, with a Master’s Degree in Telecommunications Networks.Undergraduate and graduate university professor.In his career he served as: Director of the Digital Transformation Program at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés.

Director of Emerging Technologies at FAUTAPO Education Foundation.
Director of Organizational Development and Information Technologies; and Director of Electronic Government and Management Modernization, in the Municipal Government of La Paz.
He was Senior Advisor in Digital Transformation and then Municipal Secretary of Digital City and Electronic Government of the Municipal Government of Cochabamba.
He was President of the Bolivian Chapter of the Internet Society.
He has been a member of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) of the IGF, and within that space, he is currently a member of the Policy Network on Meaningful Internet Access (PNMA).
He is a member of the Scientific Committee of the Global Citizen Dialogue on the Future of the Internet: “We the Internet”. He currently works in the team of the Internet Society Foundation, in the role of specialist in online training programs and management of trainers.

TANARA LAUSCHNER

Professor at the Institute of Computer Science of the Federal University of Amazonas.

Professor at the Computing Institute of the Federal University of Amazonas since 2002. She actively participates in the “Women in Computing” movement, is co-founder of the Cunhantã Digital Movement and consultant of the Digital Girls Program, former director of the Institute of Informatics at UFAM, member of the Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br) and Undersecretary of Science and Technology for the Amazon at MCTI.

LAURA RAMOS

Member of ISOC Colombia Chapter - Coordinator of the Chapter's Youth Working Group

Laura Victoria Ramos, abogada de la Universidad Externado de Colombia, especialista en Derecho de las Fintech de la misma Universidad. Con enfoque en Derecho Financiero, Tecnológico y Gobernanza de Internet. Miembro de ISOC Capítulo Colombia y actual Coordinadora del Grupo de Trabajo de Jóvenes del Capítulo. Ha participado como becaria en el programa Youth@IGF 2018 París, Francia; también como becaria en la South School on Internet Governance México, 2019 y Argentina 2020; Relatora del Foro Colombiano de Gobernanza de Internet; Ponente en YouthLACIGF 2020, 2021 y 2023; Coorganizadora de la Cumbre Juvenil de Gobernanza de Internet edición 2022 y 2023 del Grupo de Trabajo de ISOC Capítulo Colombia.

CARLOS VERA

Internet Society Foundation's Online Training and Trainer Management Program Specialist

He is a professional with an MBA and Master in Project Management, with 13+ years of experience in secure internet. President of the Ecuadorian Corporation of Electronic Commerce and leader in education and leadership. Current CEO of Vera Quintana Asociados and Secretary of BIM Forum Ecuador. He is also Vice President of ISOC Ecuador Chapter with international impact projects.

MARIA ELENA GARCIA

Member of PMI International, Women In Agile

Postgraduate degree in Formulation, Evaluation and Management of Investment Projects from the Technological University of Panama. Later, at the Universidad Latinoamericana de Comercio Exterior (Chile/Panama) he obtained a postgraduate degree in Strategic and Business Administration. Subsequently, he completed his MBA with emphasis in Development Projects. In 2006, she traveled to the city of Mysore, India to study projects with new technologies with a scholarship from SENACYT. She was Deputy Manager of Applications and Processes of the Latin American Export Bank (BLADEX) and Technology Coordinator for the Regional Office of Plan International. With the Government of Panama, he served for 6 years as Director of Technology of the National Land Authority (ANATI). Her experience also includes projects such as Invoicing of the New Panama Canal Exclusions, Mobile Application for the Control of entries/exits of the Colon Free Zone, Support in improvements to the SIGA for the National Customs Authority, among others. Currently she is a Senior Project Consultant at national and international level on topics such as Digital Transformation, Agile frameworks and DevOps Management. Member of PMI International, Women In Agile, holds the Secretariat of the IGF Panama 2023, has been Board of Directors of the PMI Panama Chapter for 4 terms, former member of the Board of Directors of ISOC Panama and Professor at Master’s and Bachelor’s level.

DENISE LEAL

Local Innovation Agent in the North region of the State of Goiás, by SEBRAE

Lawyer, Master of Law student at UNB (research on Biopiracy and patents), graduated in Law at PUC Goiás. Local Innovation Agent in the North region of the state of Goiás, by SEBRAE. Member of GERN (Group of Studies in Law, Natural Resources and Sustainability) of UnB, member of the Commissions of Innovation and Digital Law and Information Technologies of OAB Goiás. She is part of the organizing team of YouthLACIGF 2023-2024, was elected as representative of Latin American and Caribbean youth in the Youth Coalition for Internet Governance (YCIG) for the year 2024. She is a former fellow of the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee’s youth program and participated in IGF 2023 sessions (linked to the themes of youth, sustainability and inclusion).

ANJA GENGO

Co-founder of the Centre for Media Law

She works at the UN IGF Secretariat as an associate program expert and focal point for IGF country, regional and youth initiatives. Prior to joining the IGF Secretariat, she worked as an analyst and legal advisor in a private law firm, focusing on human rights, media and ICT law. She is a co-founder of the Centre for Media Law, where she worked as an Internet policy analyst and program coordinator. Anja Gengo has 10 years of experience as a debater, trainer and judge of the Karl Popper British parliamentary debate formats, with extensive experience in numerous national, regional and international debating tournaments. She holds a law degree and a master’s degree in international law. Her academic research focuses on the intersections between digital technologies and international law. She is also an alumna of the Monroe E. Price Program in Comparative Media Law and Policy at Oxford University and the Annenberg School of Communication.

VINICIUS W. O. SANTOS

Expert advisor to the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee, CGI.br.

His activities consist of advising CGI.br on specialized topics in the field of Internet policy and governance, mainly by monitoring international spheres of debate. Vinicius holds a PhD in Science and Technology Policy from the State University of Campinas (Unicamp) and has participated in different projects and initiatives at the interface of teaching, research and extension.