Spain

Alba Giol is from Catalonia. She studied Social Work at the University of Girona. She did her final project about how this profession can contribute to fighting the climate crisis, according to how it affects vulnerable groups. That research helped her focus her professional training on sustainable development. That is how she decide to study for a Master’s degree in Environment, Sustainability and SDGs, which is focused on the UN 2030 Agenda and brings a whole view of sustainability on its three edges. Right now, Alba is doing her Master’s internship with UN Etxea, participating in some projects about environmental education, the climate crisis, and human rights. She has a particular interest in the relationship between the climate crisis, social exclusion, and inequalities. She had not particularly studied the link between these sectors in the university degree and she feels that nowadays it has become part of the base of social change. She also shares the idea that we are now facing a very complex problem, which means we need multidisciplinary solutions. This will lead everyone to be involved and contribute as much as we can, working together as a society and empowering community work, to ensure a better future for the next generations and even for ourselves.

Didac Amat Puigsech is a Ph.D. candidate in International Climate Change Law at Pompeu Fabra University (UPF). He lives in Barcelona, where he combines his research with teaching activities. Concretely, he teaches undergraduate courses on International Public Law and International Constitutional Law at the UPF, a Master’s course in International Climate Change Regime at the Centre of International Studies of Barcelona (CEI) and a Master’s course in International Relations Theory at the Barcelona Institute of International Studies (IBEI). Before his current positions, Didac studied Law and Political Science, graduating with honors from UPF, and a Master’s in legal practice at the Barcelona School of Management, also graduating with honors. During his university years, Didac developed a special interest in sustainable development and international relations. Thus, he did an exchange program at the City University of Hong Kong, worked in Greece as a legal assistant on human rights strategic litigation, and completed a pro-bono program in Peru. In 2018, Didac started his professional career at CIDOB, ranked the 35th IR think tank worldwide. During this period, he improved his knowledge of climate change mitigation strategies by completing a one-year program on Solar Photovoltaic Energy from the Open University of Catalonia (UOC). Finally, previous to his enrollment in the Ph.D. program one year ago, Didac was the chief of the cabinet of Òmnium Cultural, a cultural NGO that promotes social cohesion through the defense of civil, political, and cultural rights.

Irene Vivas Lalinde is a climate activist and a storyteller. Irene has been involved in different capacities in the fight for climate justice in organizations such as the Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG) and Juventud Verde, as a delegate to COP 26 and COP 27, as a Feminist Climate Ambassador and as the co-founder of the initiative Proyecta Valencia – Hacia el 2030. Currently, she is a board member of Verdes EQUO, the Spanish green party, and works as a project officer at Eurocities. In the past few years, she has worked in European and international organizations such as EIT Climate KIC, the European Parliament, and Women’s Link Worldwide on climate innovation, citizen science, and human rights. She holds an MSc in Public Policy and Human Development (UNU Merit – Maastricht School of Governance) and a Bachelor’s in law. To disconnect, she enjoys the company of dear friends and family. She also loves meeting new people. Doing yoga and meditation has helped her keep her mental health balanced. In her free time, Irene enjoys reading, dancing, and writing. She regularly publishes in the online magazine Hyperbole. She believes in the power of stories to change people’s minds and create new imaginaries for a greener future.

Saleta Ameixeiras is a Forest Engineer from the University of Santiago de Compostela with a Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Basque Country and a Social Innovation and Responsibility Diploma from the University of A Coruña. She has studied in various countries throughout Europe and Latin America learning about foreign languages and cultures. Her international experience makes her feel comfortable in multicultural environments and allows her to develop her ability to adapt to different working styles and groups. After her studies, she worked in the Environmental Impact Assessment department of TRAGSATEC, a Spanish state-owned company. For more than three years of working directly with political offices, she learned intensively about the field of environmental impact assessment projects, local and regional legislation, and procedures with public institutions. Afterwards, she started in a new position at ALLCOT, where she currently works as a Climate Change Consultant focusing on renewable energy projects. Since working at ALLCOT, she has learned about the carbon markets and different international carbon credit certification standards. She is also deeply skilled in working under pressure, multitasking, and teamworking. Since 2020, she has been a climate leader after completing training by the Climate Reality Project, an organization created by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and whose goals are to create climate leaders all over the world to raise awareness about climate change. Saleta is passionate about sustainability, ecosystem restoration, climate change, and believes in communication and climate leadership as the way to change climate change.

Berta Soley has worked in the fields of international development, human rights, social work, and education for more than six years and has a profound interest in gender and social innovation. Berta strongly believes that education is the key to social change. She currently works as a Knowledge Development and Editorial Associate at the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims. In her role, she embraces the potential that collaborative development, knowledge sharing, and dissemination have to advance and strengthen a global movement working toward a common purpose. She enjoys collaborating with member centers from around the world and the cultural awareness it brings. Berta holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the Faculty Pere Tarrés in Spain and a master’s degree in Development and International Studies from Aalborg University in Denmark. After that, she had the opportunity to gain experience in project management at UNDP Samoa, the Danish Institute for Human Rights and other non-governmental organizations. She has also worked in international relations, research and quality control at two universities in Barcelona. Berta believes that engaged, well-motivated, and healthy teams can contribute significantly to positive social change. It is important to her to see the positive results and impact of her work towards a more just and egalitarian world.

Luis has two years of experience working in the field of International Development. He holds a Masters of International Affairs from Ohio University and a B.A. in English from Universidad de Sevilla. As a graduate student, he worked for the Healthy Living Initiative at the Tropical Disease Institute. The program is a long-term initiative supporting the socioeconomic development of rural communities as a key component to the control of Chagas disease in the southern Ecuadorian province of Loja. After completing his graduate studies, he coordinated a development team in Loja during the implementation of program activities in the summer of 2011. After Ecuador, he returned to his home country Spain where he collaborated with Solidaridad Internacional – Andalucía by assisting the International Development department. He worked during the closing term of the 2011 in the revision, editing, and translation of final and technical reports, as well as updating the database of funding sources. Additionally, he participated with the development of upcoming projects and the renewal of existing projects for 2012. Concurrently, he took courses on local development and international development project evaluation. Luis previously worked in education at the Modern Languages Department and the Disability Services Center at Ohio University. A native of Spanish, he also speaks English, French, and Portuguese.



Host Organization: Fundación Escuela Nueva. Bogotá, Colombia

Luis has over five years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Luis graduated with a degree in Law from the Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain), and holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Development Aid from the Open University (UK), a Postgraduate Diploma in Development and Gender Relations from the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) and a MA in Applied Human Rights from the University of York (UK). He worked as a project manager at Fundacion Triangulo for two years, a Spanish LGBT organization working on development cooperation aid and advocacy. During that time, he was in charge of projects in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Panama, Peru, and at a regional level. Since the end of 2009, he has been a member of the Development Cooperation Team, the decision-making board for international advocacy and development cooperation issues at Fundacion Triangulo. He is currently working as a project manager on development aid at Candelita, a Spanish development organization, where he is in charge of productive projects with a gender perspective in Colombia. As a volunteer, Luis has more than 10 years of experience with civil society organizations. He collaborated with the Student Union, Ecologistas en Accion (an environmental organization), and Service Civil International Spain. At this moment, he is part of the Mobilization Team at Equo, a new Spanish political party endorsed by the European Green Party, helping to organize its standing at the next Spanish general election. He published an article last June with the title “Tackling corrective rape in South Africa: the engagement between the LGBT CSOs and the National Human Rights Institutions (Commission for Gender Equality and South African Human Rights Commission) and its role.”

Host Organization: Gay and Lesbian Victory Institute

Demetrio has four years of experience in the nonprofit sector in Spain, Madagascar, and Cambodia. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy issued by the UCAM University of Murcia and a Master’s degree in Management and Direction of NGO’s issued by the Esade University of Madrid. In Madagascar, he worked as the technical coordinator for a program to fight against child malnutrition with the NGO Bel Avenir in partnership with the French NGO, Enfants du Monde. This program served more than 4,000 children in southern Madagascar. Demetrio also managed the international volunteer program for the same NGO in Madagascar for 2 years, returning to his home country to continue this work in the local counterpart, Fundacion Agua de Coco. In his time with the foundation, he worked as technical coordinator in areas of awareness, communication, and volunteerism, managing more than one-hundred volunteers throughout Spain. His strides in organization, management, fundraising, graphic design and communication, such as establishing a presence in the world of social media, have made him a very versatile contributor to the nonprofit sector.

Host Organization: Habitat for Humanity

Monica has more than three years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and has earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Granada (Spain), and holds a Vocational Education in Social Integration degree from the Secondary Education Center Ramón y Cajal, Granada (Spain). She has two years experience in Community Social Services in the municipality of Granada (Spain), where she did her social integration and social work internship on topics such as the elderly, immigration, organization and management of resources, and project accounting. During those years, the University of Granada (Spain), gave her a scholarship to continue her experience in the field of Community Social Services. In the same city, she began cooperating with the Social Volunteer Platform on topics such as women, addictions, children, and immigration. Before completing her studies in social work, she received the European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students (ERASMUS Program) scholarship, and she spent five months in Umeå (Sweden), where she was volunteer at Kärngården, a social cooperative which works with people with mental illnesses. Through these experiences, she developed strong communication skills, capacity building, case management and, project management. Monica has a strong passion for mental health, equality and, multiculturalism.

Host Organization : Miriam’s Kitchen

Role at Host Organization: Monica will be working as a case manager at Miriam’s Kitchen. Monica will provide a variety of direct services to homeless individuals, complete a variety of projects to ensure smooth and efficient functioning as well as improvement of programs, and participate in provider groups and advocacy coalitions to help meet the needs of homeless individuals in Washington, DC.