Keynote speakers
Paola Neira, Latú Seguros (Brazil)
Paola Neira is the founder of Latú Seguros, a company based in São Paulo (Brazil), which offers risk management solutions that protect companies and leadership teams against compliance and cybersecurity risks. The company managed to raise over USD 6.5 million in one of Latin America's largest seed rounds, attracting investors such as Monashees and CRV.
Before Latú, Paola was pivotal in developing Rappi’s logistics technology, leading a team of over 200 engineers in building multiple data products and models for the company. She studied computer science in New York and had a career in investment banking and private equity investing across emerging markets before her most recent roles.
With roots in Bogota, she has lived in Dubai, New York, London and Paris, among other locations.
Paola is a strong advocate for the significance of data and people, ensuring their protection through Latú Seguros’ directors & officers insurance and cyber insurance.
Paola’s insights are highly sought-after, making her an influential voice in the tech landscape.
Marcelo Smarrito, Serial entrepreneur, Founder of PicPay
Marcelo is an Italian-Brazilian International Lecturer. Graduating in Engineering from UFRJ (Federal University of rio de Janeiro) he holds a Masters degree from The Liverpool John Moores University in the UK.
An expert from Harvard and Yale, he is an Executive, Teacher, Author and Advisor. He is also a serial entrepreneur. In addition, he is the Founder of PicPay the 1st Brazilian Digital Wallet and Academia Foguete, the largest synchronous digital fitness operation in the world. Having worked in Health since 2016, he is a digital advisor at Seguros Unimed. He hold a Board seat at UNIO and is Professor of Digital Marketing at Faculdade Unimed.
Ariel Scaliter, Agrotoken (Argentina)
Ariel Scaliter is co-founder and CTO of Agrotoken, a reference startup in tokenization of agricultural commodities, a pioneer in the world in the creation of fungible tokens fully backed by natural resources. He has more than 30 years of experience in the technology market. He is director of the Department of Blockchain and Cryptoeconomics at the University of Cema (Ucema), in Buenos Aires, and director-advisor of Argentine agtech IOF Company, partner of Agrotoken; and British startup TravelX.
He is also a director at XN Company (networking and communications infrastructure), Indexaris (blockchain and emerging technologies) and WisePlant (industrial cybersecurity). He is a Telecommunications Engineer from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and the author of several works related to smart cities, blockchain and business models linked to new technologies.
Liz Green, CEO Designate
On 11 July 2023, Liz Green, former Executive Vice President of ICMIF, was appointed by the Board as ICMIF’s CEO Designate following Shaun Tarbuck’s announcement that he will retire from his current role as Chief Executive Officer in November 2024.
As CEO Designate, her role is to continue to run the core business, as she has done since the start of 2023, but to also work with Shaun to ensure of smooth transition of all the CEO duties by November 2024.
Liz’s former role as Executive Vice President focused on ensuring that ICMIF’s members gain optimum value and that the Federation understands each member organisation’s strategic priorities and competencies.
She is working towards her Master’s Degree in Executive Coaching and Mentoring and has achieved Master Practitioner Level in Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). Liz has previously held a board seat at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and sat as a Governor on two school boards.
Before joining ICMIF in 2012, Liz spent 13 years working in senior communications roles for the UK life insurance sector at Swiss Life (UK) and then for Royal Liver Group before it was acquired by the UK’s largest mutual, Royal London Group. Before then she was a PR consultant specialising in financial services accounts.
She has spoken at a wide variety of ICMIF conferences, board and executive meetings as well as representing the Federation at other non-ICMIF conferences and symposiums.
Eduardo Avila, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Eduardo Avila is an economist from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, specializing in energy and finance, and has worked in the financial market. While a student at UFRJ, he was president of the students’ league of Finance and Investments and co-founder of the Energy and Technology League.
A volunteer since 2018, he is now the executive director of Revolusolar, an NGO created in 2015 with the aim of promoting the sustainable development of low-income communities through solar energy.
Eduardo is a member of the Board Of Advisors of the BRICS CCI Young Leaders, and was one of the 5 finalists from Latin America and the Caribbean for the United Nations Environment Program (UN) 'Young Champions of the Earth 2020' global award. Other awards include: Global Energy Heroes 2022 (Stanford University), 1st Habitability Prize (MRV and Trip Magazine), Shell Youth Initiative 2020 (Energy, Smart Cities and Fighting COVID-19
Ana Fontes
Ana Fontes is a Brazilian social entrepreneur, founder of Rede Mulher Empreendedora (RME) and Instituto RME.
Vice-president of UN Brazil’s Global Compact Council, member of Presidency of the Republic of Brazil’s Economic, Social and Sustainable Development Council, chief leader of W20, a group of engagement of G20 and counsellor of Unimed Assist, Avon Institute, and, management of brazilian universities, UAM/Grupo Ânima.
She's elected one of Brazilian most powerful women by Forbes Brazil magazine, in 2019, and was also cover of the edition about "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion", last year.
In March 2022, Ana release her first book called “Negócios: um assunto de mulheres - A força transformadora do empreendedorismo feminino”, our "Business: a subject for women - The transformative power of female entrepreneurship."
Speakers
Exequiel Arangio, Grupo San Cristóbal (Argentina)
Exequiel holds a degree in Social Communication from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario, and attended training programs in Leadership, Sustainability and Strategic Communication at ITBA and Austral and Di Tella Universities. He has more than 18 years of experience in strategic management of Communications and Sustainability.
Luiz Assi, OAB/PR Insurance Law Committee (Brazil)
Luiz Assi, lawyer, partner at Cabanellos Advocacia, specialist in Applied Law, chairman of the Insurance Law Commission of OAB-PR (terms 2019-2021 and 2022-2024), member of the GNT (National Working Group) of Civil Procedure of AIDA Brazil - International Association of Insurance Law, Brazil Section, consultant of the Innovare Award, guest professor at Universidade Positivo in the Specialization in Insurance Law and Supplementary Pensions.
Betina del Valle Azugna, Sancor Seguros (Argentina)
Betina holds a degree in Marketing from Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales (UCES) and an MBA in Business Administration from Universidad de Belgrano.
Since 1999 she has been working for the Sancor Seguros Group and since the end of 2005 she has been coordinating the Corporate Responsibility Process of the group and is currently the Group's Sustainability Manager for companies in Argentina and Latin America.
She has a diploma in CSR from several universities in Argentina, Chile and Spain and teaches CSR in the Diploma in Associativism at the University of Rosario and in the Diploma in Sustainability and Compliance at the University of Aconcagua.
Marigeli Báez-Segarra, COSVI (Puerto Rico)
Ms. Marigeli Báez obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Labor Relations and a Master's Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Human Resources and Administration, with honors, both from the University of Puerto Rico. As part of her academic preparation, she was a teaching assistant at the Institute of Cooperativism and participated in the student exchange program for human resources students at New York University.
She also holds the following designations: SHRM-CP (Society for Human Resource Management Professional Certification); PHR (Human Resources Professional) and Neuroscience Applied to Mindfulness from the Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico. Baez is certified by COSSEC to offer change leadership courses to cooperative leaders.
Her professional career consists of more than 20 years in local and multinational companies, 12 of them in COSVI as Director of Organizational Development and Human Resources. Among her achievements, we can highlight the implementation of the New Work Modality in COSVI, the Strategic Plan and the Succession Plan.
Liliana Cardozo de Cano, Aseguradora Tajy S.A (Paraguay)
She currently holds the position of General Manager at Aseguradora Tajy S.A. Her career in the insurance industry has been a constantly evolving journey.
She began her academic training at the Faculty of Economic, Administrative and Accounting Sciences of the National University of Asuncion, where she obtained a degree in Accounting Sciences. From the beginning, she was passionate about accounting and financial management, which led her to explore opportunities in the world of finance and insurance.
Her journey in the insurance industry began at Tajy in 1998, where she initially held the position of Accounting Assistant and over the years, she assumed roles of greater responsibility, including Accountant, Administrative Manager and finally, General Manager. During her time at Tajy Insurance, she has had the opportunity to gain extensive experience in insurance and reinsurance management, as well as in team leadership and general management of the company.
Dr. Adelson Severino Chagas, Unimed Participações (Brazil)
Graduated in Medicine from the Center for Biological and Health Sciences of the Federal University of Sergipe. He has a postgraduate degree in Management at Tiradentes University (Unit). He was a member of the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board of Unimed Sergipe, as well as coordinator of the Fiscal Council of Unicred Aracaju.
He chaired Unimed Sergipe from 2008 to 2012 and the Interfederative Federation of Medical Societies of the Equatorial Region from 2011 to 2015. From 2013 and 2021, he was Administrative, Financial, Technical and Legal Director at Seguros Unimed, as well as AETQ Director of Multicoop - Multipatronage Pension Fund from 2013 to 2023.
He is currently president of Unimed Participações, Administrative-Financial Director of the Foundation and Faculdade Unimed and Managing Director of InvestCoop Asset Management, as well as Chairman of the Boards of Directors of ADM Developer and Unimed Pay.
Amílcar Córdoba, Seguros FEDPA (Panama)
Amílcar Córdoba has studies in Industrial Engineering at the Technological University of Panama and a Law Degree at the American University of Panama.
His professional career has been developed in the public sphere, as Recovery Manager and Sub-Administrative Manager at the Agricultural Development Bank.
In the private sphere he has served as President and Treasurer of the Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives of Panama.
President and Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Seguros FEDPA, S.A.
He served as a member of the LARG Group holding various positions, currently he is president of said organization, and he has also served as a member of the ICMIF Reinsurance Committee.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Panamanian Association of Insurers -APADEA, holding the presidency and other positions.
He currently serves as General Manager of Seguros FEDPA, S.A., a cooperative capital company, which he has directed from 2005 to date.
Dennis Córdoba López, Sociedad de Seguros de Vida (Costa Rica)
Dennis Córdoba López is a systems engineer and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Sociedad de Seguros de Vida in Costa Rica. With a solid experience of more than 15 years, he has successfully led significant projects in systems development, cloud migration and digital transformation. He holds a postgraduate degree in Digital Transformation and specializations in Agile Project Management and Digital Product Development. In addition, he has participated as a speaker at conferences on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
Georgina Díaz Sánchez, Chair of ICMIF Americas
General Manager-Life Insurance Society of the National Teachers' Union- Costa Rica and Chair of ICMIF Americas
Georgina Díaz Sánchez is an outstanding professional with 30 years of experience in the insurance sector in Costa Rica. She has held various roles, including internal auditor and General Manager, which has given her a comprehensive vision of the business and leadership skills and effective decision making.
Among her achievements, it is worth mentioning her successful management as General Manager of the Sociedad de Seguros del Magisterio Nacional, where she promotes sustainable growth and innovation in the insurance sector. She served as director of the Corporación de Servicios Múltiples del Magisterio Nacional, contributing to the strengthening of the organization and improving efficiency in the provision of services to members.
Her academic background includes Business Administration, Public Accounting and specialization in Insurance, Reinsurance, Risks, Social Responsibility, ISO 9001 and Sustainability.
Andres Elola Curuchaga, Compañía Cooperativa de Seguros SURCO (Uruguay)
An economist by training, Andrés Elola graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Administration of the Universidad de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (University of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay) in 1987. Continuing with his academic education, he returned to the same university faculty in 2001 to complete a postgraduate degree in Administration and then a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance.
Since 1992, he has worked for Compañía Cooperativa de Seguros SURCO as General Manager; fulfilling the main objectives of coordinating and controlling the strategic direction and operations of SURCO in Uruguayan insurance market.
Elola served on the executive board of the Uruguayan Chamber of Insurance Companies (AUDEA) for 14 years, of which he was President for three years. He also participated in and presided over the country's Commercial Defense League (LIDECO).
In the world of cooperative and mutual insurance, Elola say he has had the good fortune of knowing ICMIF for more than 30 years. Influencing regulators and policy makers through ICMIF's experience has been a great achievement for his organisation.
Elola is a father and a grandfather. A businessman who still believes that the best is yet to come.
Almudena Fernández, UNDP Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean
Almudena Fernández is UNDP's Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean, she led the SDG and Development Policy Team, providing strategic policy advice on economic trends, forecasts and challenges across the region and their impact on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
She is also leading the research and knowledge production of the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), including the production of the Regional Human Development Report, in close collaboration with the UNDP-wide network of economists.
Almudena has 15 years of experience in technical positions at UNDP, where she has led the development of content and knowledge products in the region and specializes in issues related to inequality, poverty, innovation, and sustainable development in LAC. She is the lead author of the report "Leaving No One Behind: A Primer on Social Protection".
As part of the Poverty Group, she co-authored "Humanity Divided: Inequality in Developing Countries", and with the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean she participated in initiatives to mitigate the impacts of the financial crisis on vulnerable populations.
Before joining the UNDP team, Almudena worked at the Instituto Libertad y Democracia, in Lima, Peru, where she participated in the diagnosis of the informal economy in countries such as Guatemala and Tanzania. Almudena holds a master's degree in public administration from Columbia University, and a bachelor's degree in economics and anthropology from the University of Chicago.
Helton Freitas, Unimed Seguros (Brazil)
Graduated in Medicine from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), with specialization in Planning and Administration of Health Services and in Occupational Medicine. In the public sector, he worked at the Hospital das Clínicas of the Federal University of Minas Gerais and at the Health Secretariat of Belo Horizonte. For 35 years, he has worked in medical cooperatives in the areas of consumption, labor, credit and health, especially with the Unimed System, which he joined in 1998.
He presided over Unimed Medicina e Saúde between 2006 and 2014, a period in which the cooperative consolidated Unimed's operations in the metropolitan region of the capital of Minas Gerais, expanded its own network of hospitals and health services and increased its client portfolio from 570,000 to more than 1.2 million beneficiaries. Since 2015, he has chaired Seguros Unimed and, since 2018, he has been CEO of InvestCoop Asset Management. In 2021, he was elected president of Fundação Unimed and CEO of Faculdade Unimed, and is currently also chairman of the board of Multicoop.
Lisa Gardi, Shelter Insurance (USA)
Lisa Gardi is an Account Executive with Shelter Insurance based in Columbia, Missouri in the United States. With more than 20 years’ experience in the insurance industry Lisa currently has responsibility for Shelter Re’s Latin American and Caribbean territories.
Lisa has a BA in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a master’s degree in Information Science and Learning Technologies at the University of Missouri. Her insurance designations include the CPCU (Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter), Associate in Insurance Data Analytics (AIDA) and ARe (Associate in Reinsurance) certifications.
Belen Gomes, Río Uruguay Cooperativa de Seguros (RUS) (Argentina)
PhD in Economics, Economist specialised in sustainability management in organisations and development of Inclusive Businesses (mainly Inclusive Insurance). In the field of sustainability: university lecturer and researcher; advisor to organisations and columnist in national and international media; international speaker.
In Río Uruguay Cooperativa de Seguros (RUS), member of the Board of Directors and the Company's Board of Directors, Coordinator of its Corporate University and Human Capital Management.
Juan Carlos Mosquera, ADIRA (Argentina)
Dr. Juan Carlos Mosquera, holds a law degree from the National University of Rosario in 1990.
He has worked for 28 years in the Insurance Group "La Segunda” and has held different positions in the last 15 years: HR Manager - Manager of La Segunda Occupational Risk Insurance limited and currently as Director of Operations.
He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Occupational Risk Insurers for a period of 6 years.
In his trajectory, it is worth mentioning innumerable participations in National and International Congresses, as assistant and lecturer.
He is currently President of ADIRA.
Yves Pellicier, MAIF (France)
Involved with MAIF as a representative of the Board of Directors since 1997 and as a member's delegate in 2001, he was elected MAIF Board Member in 2008.
In 2011, he was appointed Delegate to the Chairman. In 2014, he became Chair of the MAIF SOLUTIONS FINANCIERE, then Chair of the Board of Directors of NUMA (MAIF subsidiary in charge of management and leadership training) in 2020.
At the Annual General Meeting in Rennes on May 27, 2022, Yves PELLICIER was elected Chairman of the MAIF Board of Directors of MAIF.
He has also served as Chairman of MAIF VIE (life insurance subsidiary) since June 2022.
Frederico Peret, Unimed (Brazil)
A physician with extensive experience in management and in the cooperative sector, he has been working for more than 20 years in the public and private healthcare sector in Minas Gerais in various leadership positions.
He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Barbacena and has a medical residency in gynecology and obstetrics at the Hospital do Instituto de Previdência dos Servidores do Estado de Minas Gerais (IPSEMG) and a Master's degree in Medicine from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG).
He holds an MBA in Health Services Management from Fundação Getúlio Vargas, as well as specializations in Governance and Business Development from Fundação Dom Cabral, Universidade Católica de Lisboa and University of St. Gallen.
He has worked as clinical director of the Minas Gerais State Hospital Foundation (FHEMIG) network and as deputy clinical director of the Vila da Serra Hospital.
He was also Director of the Association of Gynecologists and Obstetricians of Minas Gerais for twelve years. He held management positions at Unimed-BH for almost ten years.
He is also currently General Director of Multicoop.
Anthony Phillips, Guy Carpenter
Anthony Phillips was appointed Chairman, Latin America and the Caribbean of Guy Carpenter in November 2020. This followed a 40 year career in reinsurance broking, mainly in the Latin American and Caribbean region and also in Spain/Portugal.
From 1988 to 1994, Phillips was based in Miami, working at Guy Carpenter, producing and placing Latin American and Caribbean reinsurance business.
In 1994, Phillips co-founded Willis Re (Latin America and the Caribbean) with two partners to develop treaty reinsurance business out of a base in Miami. He was appointed Chairman in 2016, having previously acted as Managing Director.
Phillips rejoined Guy Carpenter in 2020.
He was appointed British Hon. Consul for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, in May 2019.
Gaby Polanco Sorto, Gore Mutual (Canada)
Gaby Polanco Sorto is an executive strategist with close to 20 years of experience working in multinational Financial Institutions across Environmental Sustainability, ESG, Community Investment and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). She has worked in various organizations, including Scotiabank, LoyaltyOne and Manulife Financial in progressively senior roles. Currently, Gaby is the VP and Head of Purpose and Sustainability at Gore Mutual Insurance. In this capacity, Gaby is responsible for guiding Gore Mutual’s efforts and priorities to making a difference in Canadian communities.
Reporting to the CEO, she is accountable for imbedding ESG into all areas of our business strategy and for leading the social impact, community, purpose, inclusion and sustainability activities across the organization. She is also active in the academic space, currently as lecturer for University of Toronto’s St. Michael’s College Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability Graduate Diploma program. Originally from El Salvador, she is passionate about eliminating the barriers faced by immigrants and refugees. She has held various Board positions with NGOs focused on supporting immigrants and refugees in Canada. Gaby is currently a Board Member of CUSO International and Ducks Unlimited Canada. She holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business.
Rizick Rosario Peňa, Seguros Múltiples (Puerto Rico)
Graduated from the University of Puerto Rico in 1993, with a Bachelor's Degree in Cooperativism.
In 1996, she obtained her Master's Degree in Information Sciences, also from the University of Puerto Rico. She began working at Seguros Múltiples in 1993, occupying various positions within the company such as Quality Analyst, Assistant Manager, Branch Manager, Manager of the Educational Services Department, Assistant to the President in Educational Services Department, Assistant to the President in the Cooperative Area and currently serves as Vice President of Cooperative outreach.
She has completed the Course in Insurance, offered by the Insurance Institute of Puerto Rico.
In 2004 she obtained a General Insurance Certificate from the Insurance Institute of America and holds the insurance agent and surety bond attorney licenses, granted by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner of Puerto Rico.
She has more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry in Puerto Rico, with a long career in member relations and international relations.
Mrs. Rosario has been awarded with the recognition: Cooperating Employee and also received the Cooperative Education Merit Award from the Cooperative League of Puerto Rico. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Cooperativa de Seguros Surco in Uruguay.
Ruth Soto, CoopSeguros (Dominican Republic)
Qualified professional in the different areas of insurance, graduated from the Dominican Academy of Insurance, with more than 25 years of experience in the area, both in the financial, technical and administrative areas, covering all areas in an insurance company, with strong skills in effectiveness, service vocation, teamwork, strategic relationships, analytical and strategic thinking.
Solid preparation in the management, control and application of measures and actions in the proper functioning of an insurance company, both in controls and risk-based auditing.
10 years on the board of directors of Grupo Latinoamericano de Reaseguros (Grupo Larg).
Yanybelle Yanis Alonso, Seguros Fedpa (Panama)
Yanis has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, with a Master's Degree in Industrial, Organizational and Educational Psychology from the University of Panama. With more than 20 years of experience in human resources management.
She is currently the Human Resources Manager of Seguros Fedpa, S.A. focused on generating the vision of the area of Talent Management, Compensation and Benefits, Career Development and Sustainability Strategy based on Corporate Social Responsibility.
Training and Development processes specialist in Train the Trainer, Service Essential and Assessment Center programs, she is also a facilitator in the Transformation of Entrepreneurial Mindset and Behavior, under the Empretec methodology of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in the development of Competencies and Entrepreneurial Habits.
Since 2021, Professor at Barna Business School University in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competencies course organized in partnership with the Empretec/UNCTAD Center of the Dominican Republic.
Tania Zanella, Sistema Nacional OCB, (Brazil)
Law degree from the University of Vale do Itajaí - UNIVALI. Post-graduate studies in Civil Procedural Law, Civil and Public Law and in Law and Management of Social Autonomous by the Instituto Brasiliense de Direito Público - IDP.
For 14 years she has been working to strengthen the cooperative movement, Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives - OCB, as Institutional Relations, an area she helped consolidate. Besides being the first woman to hold the positions of general manager and executive director of OCB, Tania is also vice-president of the Instituto Pensar Agropecuária (IPA), member of the Conselho Superior do Agronegcio (Cosag) of Agribusiness (Cosag).
In 2021, she was recognized as one of the 100 most powerful women in Brazilian agribusiness by Forbes magazine. She is a pioneer in many areas of cooperativism and works daily to ensure greater female participation in leadership positions.
Dr Carlos Zarco, Moncloa University Hospital, (Spain)
Dr. Carlos Zarco holds a medical degree and postgraduate studies in quality management and general management of healthcare facilities. He holds master's degrees in quality planning and management, health sciences and advanced clinical management. Dr. Zarco is a member of the Board of Directors and CEO of Fundación Espriu, President of the International Health Cooperative Organization, IHCO, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Health Promotion.
As a member of the Asisa-Lavínia healthcare cooperative, he is Medical Director of the Moncloa University Hospital in Madrid (Spain). He is also a member of Asisa's Bioethics Committee and Vice-Chairman of Asisa's Quality Committee. Dr Zarco teaches at the School of Industrial Organization, the European University of Madrid and the Complutense University of Madrid.
Catherine Hock, ICMIF
For the past 20 years, Catherine Hock has been involved at international level in promoting the mutual and cooperative model in the field of insurance.
In 2013, she joined the International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF) as vice-president in charge of international relations. Prior to this, she held the position of Deputy Secretary General at the Association of Mutual and Cooperative Insurers in Europe (AMICE).
In 2001, an assignment at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the Belgian Presidency of the European Union Council enabled her to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of European institutions. Prior to this, various positions at the United Nations in New York, Vienna and Angola introduced her to the challenges of multilateralism.
In 2016, she joined the Board of Directors of Handicap International Belgium on a voluntary basis.
She holds a Master's degree in Philosophy from the University of Liège and is an accredited professor of higher education.