16 years of GCL, 8 years of ILG, 7 years of LALP custom programs
GCL alumni 572, ILG alumni 206
Dear friends of LALP,
The 2021-2022 academic year, much like the previous one, was once again marked by swift changes and a great deal of uncertainty, but it also brought a feeling of regained hope, as it opened new horizons by allowing us to apply the lessons learned during the early stages of the pandemic. For all of us at the Georgetown University Latin America Leadership Program (LALP), this period heightened our sense of responsibility and commitment to our many program participants and our growing alumni base as the region faced one of the most challenging educational crises of its history.
Since the launch of the Georgetown Americas Institute (GAI) last year, LALP has joined similarly well-established Georgetown University initiatives that aim to strengthen the pivotal role that the university can play in the region. For LALP, building a brighter future means developing innovative leadership programs that can equip the next generations of change agents with knowledge, tools, and a meaningful network to responsibly lead and effectively respond to tomorrow’s challenges. With over 16 years of program implementation and almost 800 alumni spanning the region, LALP has witnessed the infinite possibilities that await the region if we continue to invest in educating, connecting, and inspiring those who can foster a multiplier effect in their communities and beyond.
I encourage you to review this annual report to learn about the diversity of initiatives undertaken by LALP during these extraordinary times, thanks to the commitment of Georgetown University faculty, program staff, guest lecturers, program participants, alumni, and generous donors and sponsors that continue to advocate for our vision of leadership in action for the common good.
With my very best wishes and sincere appreciation,
Ricardo Ernst
Executive Director, LALP
Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, Venezuela
Events Slider
What are the obstacles faced by those who seek to transform a country? Change always faces enormous hurdles, yet in the face of such obstacles, is change possible? And, if so, how? For many decades Argentina has been trapped in a cycle of high inflation, debt restructurings, economic stagnation, and deteriorating social conditions.
Are leaders born or made? How does one learn to lead? Former Argentinean President Mauricio Macri was named one of the top 100 most influential people in the world by TIME magazine in 2016 and 2018. In 2005, he founded a political party that led him to be elected president of Argentina - breaking with 70 years of two-party dominance in the country.
The 2022 LABC Conference was presented by the Latin American Business Club (LABC), a Georgetown University student-led club that strives to promote the business vibrance of Latin America across campus, with the support of Georgetown University´s Latin America Leadership Program (LALP).
COVID-19 has claimed the lives of well over 1.6 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean. The health crisis has had an outsize impact on the region’s economy with a staggering increase in poverty and unemployment, pushing inequalities in access to health care, quality education, and digital connectivity.
Several LALP alumni have recently taken oaths to work for their cities, municipalities, and countries, designing and implementing public policies that benefit the region. In this sense, LALP held a public forum to better understand their key public policy proposals for their countries and the region
The Journal of Globalization, Competitiveness and Governability, published by Georgetown University, aims to become a source of new ideas about the effects of globalization on the competitiveness and governability of businesses and countries in Latin America, and particularly on the tools available to managers and politicians to design better strategies to benefit their respective businesses and countries.
Access the journal at gcgjournal.georgetown.edu
Editor in Chief: Professor Ricardo Ernst, Georgetown University, United States
Senior Editor: Professor Jose Ignacio López-Sánchez, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
Publications in this period Slider
Message from LALP Alumni Presidents Slider
“During 2022, the challenges we have faced as a society have been immeasurable. We have had to reinvent ourselves, adapt to change, and create new ways to connect with others. This year, we had a strong inclination to rethink our Alumni Network, and to that end, we created the first strategic planning workshop that allowed us to connect with our purpose and create clear routes on how to achieve our goals as a Network. We also wanted to redefine ourselves and think of a new way of communicating, which is why we redesigned the image of the GCL Network, making it more faithful to our identity. Finally, we fulfilled one of our main promises by creating virtual exchange spaces for our community. We launched our first ever Coffee Houses, where members of the GCL community leverage their connections and share their expertise. Two Coffee Houses have taken place already and I hope to have more in what remains of the year. Heading into next year, our objectives are strengthened, and accordingly, we will launch the first Mentor Training program of the GCL Network, where tools and knowledge will be shared with alumni who will be mentors of the new GCL 2023 cohort!"
Carina Silva, GCL 2020, Uruguay, and President of the GCL Alumni Network 2022-2024
“The return to a "new normal" post-Covid forced us to rethink the role of the state and public institutions, as well as the priorities on the agenda for public servants in the region. The pandemic invited us to reflect on our leadership and communication practices. Listening and showing empathy became fundamental values for our daily "doing" and collaboration with others became a fundamental requirement. In order to prepare ourselves to travel this new path, from our end at the ILG alumni presidency, we have taken charge of identifying the interests and concerns of the alumni network, working accordingly with each of the members in a more effective and coordinated way. During the Annual Reunion of LALP Alumni in 2021 in Panama and within the context of other activities that we have carried out virtually, we set out to address the issues that present the greatest challenges in the region, such as climate change, human rights, education, forced migration, empowering emerging leadership, and the future of minorities, among others. It was an opportunity to connect in order to transform reality and innovate to provide solutions. It was a year marked by greater collaboration, synergy, exchanges, and contributions to strengthen this great team that already has more than 200 colleagues, which I have the great honor of representing."
Ana Romina Sarmiento, ILG 2019, Argentina, and President of the ILG Alumni Network 2020-2022
Georgetown Americas Table: In Conversation with the 2020-2022 GCL Impact Award Winners Video Player
Georgetown University’s Latin America Leadership Program particularly thanks the Latin American Board, the LALP Advisory Committee, as well as all the sponsors and donors who have supported our programs throughout the years and helped LALP connect and empower the next generation of Latin American leadership in action. For questions about LALP programs, please contact
Cristina Ruiz,
Associate Director of Programs and Operations
Michael Guarino,
Program Manager
