2013 Class III Fellows

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Aldemaro Muñiz Mena

Santiago, Dominican Republic • Expertise: Criminal & Civil Law • Home Organization: Supreme Court of Justice • Host Organization: National Center for State Courts (NCSC) • Host City: Denver, CO Mr. Muñiz is a lawyer with experience in criminal law, and state law. For the past four years, Mr. Muñiz has served as a Judge of the Second Transit Court of the city of Santiago, as well as a substitute chamber judge in criminal and civil cases. His work places him directly in contact with the citizenry of Santiago and allows him to help individuals who are in conflict with the law. During his fellowship, Mr. Muñiz plans to acquire as much information as he can from different law procedures in the U.S., so that he can integrate these as new models with the existing legal system of the Dominican Republic.

Alejandra Cueto de la Cruz Santiago, Dominican Republic

• Expertise: Public Advocacy, Law • Home Organization: Office of the Public Defender of Santiago • Host Organization: Minnesota Office of the Public Defender, Ramsey County • Host City: St. Paul, MN In her role as a public defender, Ms. Cueto assists, advises, and represents those who lack the financial resources to afford a lawyer. During her time at her host organization at the Public Defender’s Office in Ramsey County, she will receive a comprehensive overview of the US criminal justice through activities such as observing adult and juvenile court proceedings and hearings, meeting with professionals who work in the legal system ranging from probation officers to judges to other public defenders.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Guillermina Ramirez Bisono

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic • Expertise: Transparency, Economic Development • Home Organization: Consejo Nacional de Competitividad (CNC) • Host Organization: IN Office of the Governor • Host City: Indianapolis, IN Ms. Ramirez works as the Transparency Program Manager and Competitive Intelligence Manager for the CNC, a public-private partnership institution whose mission is to improve the business climate of the Dominican Republic by focusing on promoting competition among the primary economic sectors.

She specifically works with the Budget Transparency and Accountability Program in providing technical expertise and policy advice regarding the implementation of a law that advances free access to public information. She also supports the formulation of public policies to promote the competitiveness of the country. Ms. Ramirez will be working with the Office of the Governor of Indiana and learn about the U.S. government system at the state level, focusing on practices in transparency, economic development, and issues of competitiveness.

Karen Pannocchia Romero Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic • Expertise: Environmental Policy, Economic Competitiveness • Home Organization: Ministry of Economic Planning and Development • Host Organization: Greater New Orleans, Inc. • Host City: New Orleans, LA Ms. Pannocchia is an analyst of economic, political, and social policies in Caribbean affairs at the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development of the Dominican Republic. Her experience over the past decade has not only been working in the fields of environmental science and development; she also has helped other people understand the importance and fragility of the environment by serving as an educator. Ms. Pannocchia has experience as educator at different institutions, such as Florida International University, the Everest Institute (Corinthian Colleges Inc), and most recently at the Mother and Teacher Pontifical Catholic University in the Dominican Republic. During her fellowship, Ms. Pannocchia will promote sustainable economic growth by conducting policy analysis and research on the integration of water management, including conservation servitudes and liens, land trusts, and similar policies/legislations.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Noriyuki Then Shimazaki

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic • • • •

Expertise: Local Government Management Home Organization: ICNET, Ltd - Project Decada Host Organization: City of Deland Host City: Deland, Florida

Mr. Then is a project coordinator for ICNET’s DECADA Project, which seeks to promote development and build capacity of local governments in the Dajabón Province. He works with various local municipalities throughout the region by providing workshops and trainings in a spectrum of topics, such as strategic planning, project management, and working with community groups among others. Mr. Then will be taking his interest in learning about and understanding the role of local municipalities in the U.S. to the City of Deland, where he will work with officials from various departments of the city hall in order to truly obtain the insider’s experience in the management and operations of government at the local level.

Carlos Guzmán Sánchez San Salvador, El Salvador • Expertise: Public Policy, Legal Affairs, Research • Home Organization: Salvadoran Foundation for Economic and Social Development (FUSADES) • Host Organization: Indiana University – Office of Government Relations • Host City: Indianapolis, IN Mr. Guzmán is a lawyer and political scientist with experience in legal research, public policy, elaboration of laws and promotion of civic participation.

He is currently working in the Legal Studies Department of FUSADES in publishing its research and advocacy of public policy. Mr. Guzmán’s responsibilities include analyzing the legal and institutional situation of the business climate and public policy for investment promotion, and he also participates in the formulation of civic engagement programs in public affairs. During his fellowship, Mr. Guzmán will assist in the research of the state and national policies that would impact the Indiana University, which involves attending meetings with academic, governmental, nonprofit, and private institutions, and meeting with individuals in these sectors to learn about the relationship between them and the university.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Gustavo Campos Flores

Iris Palma Recinos

San Salvador, El Salvador

San Salvador, El Salvador

• Expertise: Constitutional Law; Judicial Performance Evaluation • Home Organization: Supreme Court of Justice • Host Organization: National Center for State Courts (NCSC) • Host City: Denver, CO Mr. Campos has active involvement in citizen advocacy, citizen participation, and transparency. As part of the Salvadoran Constitutional Courtroom, which is one of the most representative institutions for checks and balances, he is one of the chief clerks responsible for guiding clerks in the investigative process and analysis of cases brought to the Supreme Court. During his Fellowship, he will be learning about the U.S. judicial system, specifically the decision making process within the courts, by visiting various district and state courts, shadowing local judges, attending a national conference with NCSC, as well as contributing his knowledge and insight on various aspects of domestic and criminal law as it compares to his home country.

• Expertise: e-Government, Open Data • Home Organization: Office of the President of El Salvador • Host Organization: The Sunlight Foundation • Host City: Washington, D.C. Ms. Palma is an economist with a Master in Public Policy for social development who works as a consultant for the Office of the President of El Salvador at the Department of Information and Technological Innovation. Her work is centered on e-Government and Open Data, primarily in the development of strategies and methodologies to enhance and promote government transparency by ICT. For the last few years, Palma has researched and authored a number of papers on the topic of e-Government, digital inclusion, competitiveness, and Open Data, some of which have been recognized in international conferences, such as the Korea-Latin American Cooperation Forum in South Korea and the Regional Conference of Open Data of Latin America and the Caribbean in Uruguay. During her fellowship, Ms. Palma intends to complement her skills on Open Data and Open Government related policies.

She will be working with Sunlight with their public policy department on various projects related to Open Data policies and strategies in Latin America.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Doudly Elius

Alberto Velasco González

Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Mexico City, México

• Expertise: Economic Development, Entrepreneurship • Home Organization: Fonkoze/Zafen • Host Organization: Rutgers University – NJ Small Business Development Center at New Brunswick • Host City: New Brunswick, NJ Mr. Elius has a strong inclination towards developing his community and the people in Haiti as a whole. He is currently a Small/Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Officer at Fonkoze/Zafen, where he is responsible for networking with organizations for potential partnerships, managing expenditures, and supervising the organization’s team in order for them to identify SME’s with high potential for economic and social impact in the community.

During his fellowship, Mr. Elius will be using his expertise to work on a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for the NJSBDC’s program. The M&E system would analyze data and facilitate the data entry process in order to allow for more effective decision-making and the improvement of the Small Business Development Center Programs.

• Expertise: Youth Volunteerism • Home Organization: Fundación Nosotros los Jóvenes • Host Organization: Youth Service America • Host City: Washington, D.C. Mr. Velasco is very engaged in the promotion and development of policies in order to create more opportunities for the youth in Mexico and Latin America as well. Through his work and experiences at other fellowships abroad, Mr. Velasco has developed an affinity for citizen participation, particularly among the youth, and transparency and accountability. For his fellowship, he will work with the development of Youth Service of America’s international outreach program by researching international organizations that are related to their interests, building international partnerships, especially in Mexico, as well as expanding YSA’s resources in Latin America.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Javier Berain Garza

Luis Godoy Rueda

Mexico City, México

Mexico City, México

• Expertise: Citizen Participation, Legislative Transparency • Home Organization: Arena Ciudadana • Host Organization: National Democratic Institute • Host City: Washington, D.C. Mr. Berain is a Project Consultant, working as the Communications and Civil Society liaison for Arena Ciudadana, an NGO that aims to increase citizen involvement in public affairs through the use of technology. In conjunction with Arena, he also works with the Mexican chapter of Transparency International in their Open Parliament initiative, which focuses on promoting the principles and practices of transparency within the Mexican legislature. For his fellowship, Javier will be working with the Governance unit of NDI, which is also involved in advocating and supporting Open Parliament practices.

• Expertise: Citizen Participation, Legislative Process, Technology, Open Data • Home Organization: OPI Open Intelligence • Host Organization: Code for America/BetaNYC • Host City: New York, NY Mr. Godoy is a Program Manager with OPI Open Intelligence, where he develops models for civic engagement using technology, big data, and social networks, as well as coordinates the surveys and field research tools in in different projects related to the social prevention of crime. Mr. Godoy also has previous experience working with the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. While in his host organization, Mr. Godoy will look to develop a professional network of experts in Open Data across the U.S. and to learn how local initiatives have improved Open Government.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Mara Torres Pinedo

Miguel Barrera Rojas

Mexico City, México

José María Morelos, Quintana Roo, México

• Expertise: Citizen Participation, Legislative Transparency • Home Organization: National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) • Host Organization: Citizens for the Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) • Host City: Washington, D.C.

• Expertise: Public Policy, Poverty, Transparency • Home Organization: Universidad Intercultural Maya de Quintana Roo • Host Organization: City University of New York – Malave Leadership Academy • Host City: New York, NY

As a Program Assistant for NDI in Mexico, Ms. Torres works in engaging civil society organizations (CSOs) in the political processes and working with them to bridge the gap between citizens and decision makers, specifically within the issues of security and justice in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez.

She has an extensive background in community development, most especially among marginalized groups such as women and those living in rural areas. At CREW, Ms. Torres will use her background in advocacy and government research to collaborate with the organization in projects that analyze and evaluate how Congress operates and engages the public. Another important portion of her host organization’s work that she will be involved in includes attending coalition and Hill meetings and lobbying activities.

Mr. Barrera is a public policy and economics professor at the Universidad Intercultural Maya de Quintana Roo, where the student population consists entirely of those of Mayan heritage. With an academic and professional background in the legislative processes, Miguel works with other universities in Mexico to increase public participation and bring to the forefront the issue of income inequality and poverty in indigenous areas, especially in the Mayan zone of the Yucatan Peninsula. Miguel will be working at the Malave Leadership Academy of CUNY to provide leadership training and workshops to prepare students for a career in public leadership. There, he will be involved in helping the Academy in various activities, from coordinating workshops with students, particularly with those interested in Latino affairs, to speaking in a session himself where he will share his knowledge on Mexico’s policies regarding indigenous groups and his experience in working with Mayan communities and educating them on governance and the importance of their role as citizens.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Alfredo Ocampos Ortega

Evelyn Meneses Castro

Managua, Nicaragua

Jinotega, Nicaragua

• Expertise: Human Rights (LGBT), Advocacy • Home Organization: Amigos de las Americas • Host Organization: The Latino GLBT History Project • Host City: Washington, D.C. Mr. Ocampos is a program coordinator for Amigos de las Americas in Nicaragua, where he works with the “gap” programs in providing youth with summer recreational activities in an effort to prevent them from falling behind when the school year resumes.

A deep, personal interest of his is in human rights issues, specifically in LGBT advocacy. Using his background in media and communications, Mr. Campos has produced short video documentaries that aim to raise awareness of LGBT issues, especially among youth. His fellowship with the Latino GLBT History Project will allow him to use his overall background and knowledge in the areas of program management, community organization, media outreach, and LGBT advocacy to work in planning and promoting the activities and events of the project, including coordinating with volunteers, attending coalition meetings and training sessions, supporting fundraising and marketing efforts.

• Expertise: Citizen Engagement, Volunteerism • Home Organization: Club Rotario Las Brumas Jinotega • Host Organization: Wisconsin Nicaragua Partners • Host City: Stevens Point, WI Ms. Meneses boasts over 25 years of experience in the business administration sector. She currently divides her time between being a business consultant for small businesses, managing her family farm, and volunteering within her community. Her interests lie in the area of volunteer programming, community engagement, gender empowerment, and preparedness training. During her fellowship at the Wisconsin Nicaragua Partners, she will look at volunteer engagement by providing her expertise in the planning and coordination of social programs “The Legislative Fellowship program provided me with intended and serendipitous encounters that contributed to meet my long-term goals and personal growth and strengthen my leadership skills and community service profile. The massive network that resulted from the congress itself allowed a mutual exchange of knowledge and understanding about issues of common concern. The result: a confident person with a much broaden and unique perspective ready to change the world.”

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Sergio Rugama Hernandez

Alexandra Gross Garcia

Managua, Nicaragua

Piribebuy, Paraguay

• Expertise: Education Policy, LGBT Advocacy • Home Organization: PODEMOS • Host Organization: League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) • Host City: Washington, D.C. Mr. Rugama has over 7 years of experience working in the non-governmental sector, focusing on citizen participation. He is currently the Executive Director of PODEMOS Nicaragua, which focuses on getting young professional in Nicaragua to engage in educational projects in the areas of entrepreneurship, empowerment, leadership ,and community development. During his fellowship at LULAC, Mr. Rugama will be focusing on the promotion of LGBT and women rights among young people, as well as fundraising.

• Expertise: Citizen Advocacy, Law • Home Organization: Gross-Giménez y Asociados • Host Organization: Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research (HACER) • Host City: Minneapolis, MN Ms. Gross is a lawyer in her native country of Paraguay, with a special focus on social programming.

She currently divides her time between her law practice and in developing programs in her community, with an interest and passion for education and civic engagement. During her fellowship at HACER, Ms. Gross will focus on early education programs and in community outreach strategies.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Andrés Vázquez

Maria Ramirez Ibáñez

Asunción, Paraguay

Asunción, Paraguay

• Expertise: Juvenile Rights • Home Organization: Supreme Court of Justice • Host Organization: Ramsey County Community Corrections - Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) • Host City: St. Paul, Minnesota

• Expertise: Constitutional Law • Home Organization: House of Representatives • Host Organization: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes • Host City: St. Paul, MN

As a Planning & Special Projects Program Coordinator at the Human Rights Division of the Supreme Court of Justice of Paraguay, Mr. Vázquez has focused on juvenile rights; he is responsible for coordinating with specialist groups that are involved in influencing national policy regarding the juvenile detention & rehabilitation system. Boasting nearly 20 years of experience in human rights, the extensive list of international organizations that he has worked with, such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Save the Children, World Vision, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNICEF, and Campaign to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers among others, is but a glimpse into Vazquez’s active involvement and drive to advocate for the basic rights of vulnerable groups, like children and women. During his fellowship, Mr. Vázquez will be learning from the different processes and practices of juvenile prosecutions in order to replicate better practices in Paraguay.

Ms. Ramirez works at the Science and Technology Committee of the House of Representatives. A lawyer by training, she works to draft bills and give legal advice. She has past experience working at the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, and the Office of the Ombudsman. Following her expertise in parliamentary law, Ms. Ramirez will be working with the Minnesota state government in the Office of the Revisor of Statutes, the agency responsible for providing services to members of both houses of the legislature as well as constitutional offices and all state agencies and departments.

Such services include drafting bills, amendments, and other legislative documents.

Legislative Fellows Profiles

Lourdes Paredes Galeano Asunción, Paraguay • Expertise: Institutional Management, Performance Evaluation • Home Organization: CIRD - MIDAMOS Project • Host Organization: City of Fort Lauderdale • Host City: Ft. Lauderdale, FL Ms. Paredes works at Centro de Información y Recursos para el Desarrollo (CIRD) as the Executive Director of MIDAMOS Systems, which evaluates institutional performance and management, focusing primarily on social programs and youth services.

Her work takes her to local municipalities, NGOs, and rural health centers, where her team provides training as well as technical assistance to improve institutional operation and evaluate public programs. For her fellowship, she will be working with the local government of Ft. Lauderdale and learning about the U.S. experience in institutional management. Specifically, she will be involved in the evaluation process in the city’s efforts to measure the successes, efficiency, and outputs of its social programs.