Cuba

Willy Pedroso Aguiar has seven years of experience as an environmental activist, specialist in communication for development and social change (C4D), and researcher on inequalities and information poverty. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science, both at the University of Havana (UH). He also completed a Master’s in Latin American Studies at University College London. He has worked as an advocacy and actor articulation specialist, a C4D officer in international campaigns and projects, and has also been a researcher and data analyst. In addition, Willy has extensive experience in causes such as climate change, land degradation, ecosystem conservation, disaster risk management, and clean energy. Willy is very interested in continuing to work on environmental problems, especially climate change, which strongly affects small island states like his country.

Willy has seven years of experience as an environmental activist, specialist in communication for development and social change (C4D), and researcher on inequalities and information poverty. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science, both at the University of Havana (UH). He also completed a Master’s in Latin American Studies at University College London. He has worked as an advocacy and actor articulation specialist, a C4D officer in international campaigns and projects, and has also been a researcher and data analyst. In addition, Willy has extensive experience in causes such as climate change, land degradation, ecosystem conservation, disaster risk management, and clean energy. Willy is very interested in continuing to work on environmental problems, especially climate change, which strongly affects small island states like his country.

Host Organization: Generation

Role at Host Organization: As the External Relations Fellow, Willy will shadow external relations meetings and activities and begin to play a key supporter role in external relations planning and research. The Fellow will develop expertise in the various tools and measures for these activities. Willy will also work closely with senior staff to develop and execute external communications plans, develop writing skills in creating external content, and shepherd external opportunities (media and/or event) to fruition. The Fellow will understand the global/affiliate model Generation uses, and develop toolkits that can support affiliate communications.

Yery M García has been working as a researcher and practitioner in communication, development and social change for more than five years. She holds an M.A. in Media Practice for Development and Social Change from the University of Sussex in the UK and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Havana. She has worked as a communications consultant in several international cooperation agencies such as UNICEF, WFP and Oxfam. Since 2014 she has been working as a journalist in Cuban and international media outlets covering issues related to transparency, participation and accountability. She is also a non-formal educator and has been a member of several citizen capacity building projects using new information and communication technologies.

Host Organization: Transparency & Accountability Initiative

Role at Host Organization: At the Transparency & Accountability Initiative, Yery will serve as a Communications & Knowledge Sharing Fellow. She will focus on developing and implementing strategic and digital communications for TAI, managing all of its social media platforms, growing its digital presence, and providing innovative ways to communicate TAI’s unique role as a thought leader and knowledge resource for practitioners leading change around the transparency, civic participation, and accountability field.

Yuleidy has over six years of experience in nonprofit, health-related communication, journalism and marketing. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the Catholic University Saint Antony (Murcia, Spain) and a Master in Media and Communication from City University London (London, UK). Merida Gonzalez’s former job was at the National Centre for Sexual Education in Cuba, where she became Head of the Communication and Public Relations Department after 8 months working as a Communication and Marketing Manager – Senior Specialist. During that time, she was in charge of the communication, external relations and editorial teams. Her previous professional experience also includes working as a science journalist for almost 2 years and as a communication and marketing specialist for over 3 years at a nonprofit clinical research organization. Yuleidy Mérida González is mainly interested in public health, gender equality, sexual and human rights, politics and democracy.

Host Organization: International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region

 Role at Host Organization: Yuleidy will be making institutional data processes more efficient and improving data quality. She will be making data more accessible through visualization to support organizational learning, decision-making, and strategy development with the ultimate goal of improving access to sexual and reproductive health services. In addition, she will support the planning, implementation and follow up of a conference related to NGO-academic collaboration conducting research on topics of sexual and reproductive health in Latin America and the Caribbean.