Latin America Leadership Program

Georgetown University’s annual Innovation and Leadership in Government (ILG) program aims to equip Latin American leaders across public, social, multilateral, and international cooperation sectors with analytical frameworks and tools to design and implement innovative public policies and social initiatives. Through leadership development opportunities, participants are empowered to effectively promote new ideas and programs within their organizations. A hands-on component of this flagship program is the development of a project to be implemented upon their return to their respective countries, allowing them to apply program insights, collaborate with peers, and tailor the project to their organization’s needs.

The 11th edition’s curriculum featured best-in-class professors for each topic covered as well as guest lecturers. Special thanks go to Ricardo Ernst (McDonough School of Business), Denisse Yanovich (Georgetown Americas Institute), Pilar Jericó (McDonough School of Business). Silverio Zebral (OAS), Jennifer O'Donoghue (Brookings), and Alberto Rodríguez (New America) for their commitment, support, and participation.

Furthermore, ILG alumni served as project mentors throughout the program’s six weeks, demonstrating a remarkable commitment to the region and the university by enthusiastically supporting the next generation of ILG graduates. LALP expresses its gratitude to these dedicated mentors for their invaluable contributions to the program.

“I learned from all the modules; these are topics I don’t work with in my day-to-day, so each one was extremely valuable. Perhaps the one that impacted me the most was design thinking, or user-centered design, which I believe is a methodology that can be very useful across all fields—social sciences, public policy, peacebuilding. It’s a different way of approaching things we traditionally do.” - Lucy Malo Rodriguez, ILG 2024, Colombia

In addition to the virtual and on-campus sessions, the cohort had the opportunity to visit the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and National Endowment for Democracy (NED) at Washington, DC. At IDB, they had a conversation with Miguel Porrúa and José Luis Hernández on digital government and security. Similarly, at the NED, they learned more about the foundation's work to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world in an open dialogue with experts Miriam Kornblith, Luisa Guzman, Gabriela and Ondrej Jurk.

During the last day of the program, participants presented the projects they have been working on during the ILG program, and which they are planning to implement as they return back to their counties. These impactful and impressive projects were shared with their cohort, a select group of ILG alumni, and the LALP team. The diverse, innovative and thoughtful range of projects showcased the participants' drive, determination and call to action to improve their communities and the region. 

 “I really enjoyed the visit to the IDB; I loved discussing interoperable information systems as a source of power. The ease of access to all government procedures, along with the technology, processes, and advancements related to it, was impressive.” - Jose Enrique Hernandez Meza, ILG 2024, México.

The graduation ceremony featured a fireside chat with distinguished columnist and best-selling author Moises Naim moderated by Professor Ricardo Ernst. The speakers emphasized the importance of institutional credibility, the impact of technology and the need for resilient leadership to meet the rising expectations of citizens while navigating global polarization, populism, and rapid technological advances. Naim also emphasized the importance of these leaders’ return to home, since they will now be diffusers of new technologies. 

“We are seeing progress in experimenting with new ideas and technologies. You all talk about technology, but within your organizations, there isn’t much knowledge yet. Through you, a massive transfer of technology will take place within your countries and institutions.” - Moises Naim. 

Daniel Morales (ILG 2015), honored as the winner of the 2024 ILG Impact Award for his distinguished career in leading transformative initiatives that enhance financial inclusion and education in Ecuador through process innovation and new technologies, was celebrated on this occasion. He addressed the newest cohort of the program, reminding them that change begins with culture and processes, and assuring them that implementing impactful projects is invaluable. He also reflected on the significance this program had for his career.

“This program, in particular, opened my eyes by providing me with a toolbox—a treasure from Georgetown that you carry with you, perhaps without fully realizing its value. Whenever I encounter a problem, I open my little box and draw on my adaptive thinking.” - Daniel Morales (ILG 2015), winner of the 2024 ILG Impact Award

Two members of the cohort shared closing remarks in representation of their cohort, thanking the LALP team, reflecting on the last 6 weeks, and calling their colleagues to continue being actors of change. Francia Montero spoke about the lifelong friendships she formed, the need for Latin America and the Caribbean to push beyond comfort zones to drive meaningful change, and the power of small, often unrecognized efforts in creating unstoppable collective action. Pedro Pittaluga,  expressed his deep gratitude for the program's invaluable tools and the network of esteemed colleagues, urging the cohort to stay united as agents of change, tackling Latin America’s shared challenges through regional collaboration, stepping out of comfort zones, and continuing to transform realities—big or small.

Ricardo Ernst, LALP Executive Director, delivered his closing remarks, emphasizing the commitment these leaders have to their communities and to themselves. He noted that they have discovered their call to action and life project, and it is now up to them to follow through. He encouraged them to reframe some of the common questions that changemakers often see as obstacles and urged them to maintain their enthusiasm and optimism.

Upon the culmination of the program, ILG 2024 participants joined the broader LALP alumni network, which now encompasses 949 GCL and ILG graduates spanning 23 countries who collaborate for the common good, promoting best practices and interregional initiatives across different generations, sectors, and countries.

At LALP, we are committed to supporting the region and empowering leaders who strive to build their skills, leadership, and networks through our program. This cohort, like those before it, has shown that Latin America is rich in talent, with skilled leaders and, above all, individuals driven to create change. We look forward to showcasing these leaders, their projects, and their initiatives and to witnessing the significant impact our alumni will make in the years to come.