Host & Speakers
Host: Pieter Van Der Meer
Program Excellence & Impact Delivery, World Vision Canada
Pieter van der Meer is a Program Manager supporting our work in 6 countries in Southern and East Africa as well as East Asia. Pieter has been with World Vision Canada for 16 years, leading teams and managing programs in every region where World Vision works. Prior to joining WVC, he spent 7 years working for various UN Agencies in the Balkans and Asia primarily focused on refugee returns and human trafficking.
Local Development professional with special interest in facilitating community empowerment processes, with profound knowledge of risk management, and humanitarian and emergency affairs. Has experience in security and emergency planning, and conducting emergency operations in response to crises, based on humanitarian international standards to provide lifesaving assistance to the affected populations. Relevant experience designing and managing cash/voucher projects, targeting vulnerable migrants/refugees and host communities.
Since 2015, Gabriela has held the position of HEA (Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs) National Coordinator for World Vision Ecuador, in charge of the implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction plans and initiatives to strengthen the capacity of communities and local actors; Gabriela has led World Vision’s Humanitarian Actions in response to emergencies related with earthquakes, floods, landslides, venezuelan migrant crisis, COVID19 and, was deployed to support the Ukraine Crisis Mulit-Country Response as CVP Project Manager.
In addition to her experience related to humanitarian and emergency actions, she has achieved the qualification as Security Risk Management Trainer and is member of the Regional Disaster Management Team (RDTM), which is a select team of experienced and highly skilled World Vision employees in LACR (Latin America and the Caribbean), who provide professional leadership in disaster management and resilience building.
Country Director World Vision Ecuador
Esteban Lasso is an expert in the field of social development and humanitarian assistance, with 31 years of successful experience in international organizations in 17 countries around the world. At a professional level, he has a degree in Law, awarded by the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador; and a Master of Arts degree from York University in Toronto. In addition, he has a Non-Profit Organization Management certification, delivered by The Manitoba Institute of Management.
As part of his work experience, he highlighted his positions as Regional Director for the Americas of Birdlife International for 3 years and Executive Director of the NGO Transforming Faces for 14 years in Toronto, Canada. He was also the President and Vice-President of the Ecuadorian Evangelical Lutheran Church. He has been working as Country Director at World Vision Ecuador for 3 años. He speaks Spanish, English, Portuguese, Dutch, and German.
Esteban Lasso is a planner, with recognition for his excellent fulfillment of results goals and effective management of resources. He has skills to negotiate strategic alliances; carries out efficient management and administration of budgets with financing from organizations such as the UN, IDB, the Canadian Agency for International Development and others. In addition, he has extensive knowledge of international relations, diplomacy and media management. Esteban received the “Ten Most Influential Hispanic-Canadians” award in 2007; and the “Esteban Lasso Transformative Impact Award”, an award created in his honor in 2018 by Transforming Faces to reward individuals and organizations that seek to promote the treatment of cleft lip and palate around the world.
Diego Plua Perea is currently National Specialist of Networks, Participation and Social Action of children, adolescents and youth in World Vision Ecuador, has held positions as a technical development of children and adolescents and Technical Projects Specialist in Protection and Social Action in advising technical teams of program areas in the implementation of projects and routes to strengthen the systems of protection of rights in the Coastal Region of the country. He has more than 16 years of experience in social activism and projects for the rights and development of children and youth in Ecuador.
Diego is a facilitator and creator of training methodology for youth leaders and manager of processes for social advocacy. He is an advisor of the “Red Nacional Wamprakunapak Yuyaykuna” “El pensamiento de los jóvenes” promoted by World Vision Ecuador, this social movement is a space for participation formed by more than 1,300 young people from 8 provinces of the country.
Diego has obtained an honorable mention as a youth leader by the Government of Ecuador and recognition by the Government of the United States and its Embassy in Ecuador as a professional leader who has changed the lives of thousands of young people in the country.
Diego has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Communication and a Diploma in Governance and United States History.
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