STAKEHOLDER MEETING
Youth on the Move: Youth Entrepreneurship as a Tool for Socio-Economic Integration of Migrants and Refugees
A joint initiative of USA for IOM and YABT
Thursday, February 29, 2024
9:00 am – 12:30 pm Washington, D.C.
Format: Roundtable
OAS Main Building (17th Street and Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006)
About the Meeting
During this meeting in roundtable format, stakeholders will address how entrepreneurship can become an effective approach to overcoming challenges of economic and social inclusion for young migrants and refugees; as well as how cross sectoral collaboration can make a meaningful, long-term impact in promoting social cohesion. Both for countries of origin and for host countries, entrepreneurship can create economic opportunities through its potential to stimulate both investment and private sector development.
During the discussion, the aim is to integrate the contributions and knowledge of the interested parties, exchanging their perspectives and relevant information that will contribute to the design of a proposal for the consolidation of new partnerships for development.
Participant List
| Name | Organization/Company | Position |
| Ambassador Mayerlin Cordero | Permanent Mission, Dominican Republic | Ambassador, Permanent Representative |
| Pamela Polanco | Permanent Mission, Dominican Republic | Counselor |
| Ambassador Wendy Acevedo Castillo | Permanent Mission, El Salvador | Ambassador, Permanent Representative |
| Ernestina Reyes Reyes | Permanent Mission, El Salvador | Minister Counselor, Alternate Representative |
| Ambassador Jacinth Henry Martin | Permanent Mission, St Kitts and Nevis / YABT Board of Directors | Ambassador, Permanent Representative |
| Sherry Tross | High Commission of St. Kitts and Nevis / YABT Board of Directors | Ambassador/High Commissioner to Canada, Panama,Mexico |
| Francisco Martinez Sermeño | International Organization for Migration | Oficial Subregional de Reintegración Económica, Respuestas Integrales sobre Migración en Centroamérica (IRM) |
| Alia del Carmen Mata | International Organization for Migration | Deputy Chief of Party, Proyecto de Becas para el Crecimiento Económico |
| Maria Celina Ramos Conte | Organization of American States | Director, Summit of the Americas Secretariat |
| Yadira Pinilla | Organization of American States / YABT Board of Directors | Coordinator, Human Development and Scholarship Programs |
| Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian | Organization of American States | Director, Department of Social Inclusion |
| Maria Claudia Camacho | Organization of American States | Chief, Labor and Employment Section, Department of Human Development, Education and Employment |
| Carolina Mejia Mantilla | World Bank | Lead Specialist in Migration for the Poverty Global Practice in Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Matt Clausen | Inter-American Foundation | Partnership Specialist |
| Trinidad Ariztia | Inter-American Foundation | Foundation Representative for Guatemala and El Salvador |
| Colton Hubbard | Plan USA | Technical Advisor for Youth Economic Empowerment |
| Fred Tan | Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) | Head, Global Social Impact |
| Dr. Lizette Huezo | Tecnológico de Monterrey / YABT Board of Directors | Department Head of the Entrepreneurship Department of the Western Region |
| Sean Jones | International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) | Strategic Partnership Director |
| John McPhail | Partners of the Americas | President & CEO |
| Maria Andreina Zuluaga Hernandez | Organización Venezolana de Jóvenes para Naciones Unidas (OVJNU) – Global | CEO OVNJU-Global |
| Juan Pio Hernandez | Plan País | Director Ejecutivo |
| Angel Saltos | Moonlight International, LLC | Principal and Founder |
| Magdalena Janik | Moonlight International, LLC | Global Key Account Manager |
| Zhaybel Cardenas | Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington | Program Manager / Migrant Case Management |
| Nathalia G. Magri | Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington | Director | Migrant Case Management |
| Federico Arellano | Pitch Jams | Chief Executive Officer |
| Chinwe Effiong | Global Giving | Chief Program Officer |
| Magdalena Fulton | International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) | Director of Youth Development |
| Steve Tae | Mastercard | Global Vice President of Business Development – International Institutions |
| Marisa Alvarado | Rio Grande Foods | Chief Executive Officer |
| Fernando Alvarado | Rio Grande Foods | Vice President |
| Maria Moreno | USA for IOM | Chief Executive Officer |
| Luciano Arroio | USA for IOM | Operations and Partnership Coordinator |
| Mr. Luis Niño | Young Americas Business Trust | Chair, YABT Board of Director |
| Valerie Lorena | Young Americas Business Trust | Chief Executive Officer |
| Luis Viguria | Young Americas Business Trust | Executive Director |
| Ambassador Denise G. Antoine | Young Americas Business Trust | Director, YABT Board of Directors |
| Araceli Azuara | Young Americas Business Trust | Director, YABT Board of Directors |
The Innovation Challenge: Youth on the Move
The “Innovation Challenge: Youth on the Move”, a collaboration of YABT and USA for IOM in its first edition, is a regional innovation competition aimed at identifying, supporting, and accelerating innovative ideas and new business models initiated by young people. These initiatives aim to have a direct and positive impact on the host communities of the Venezuelan migrant, refugee, and displaced population in Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and Peru.
For additional information, please contact YABT via Edgar Maestre edgar.maestre@yabt.net, or contact USA for IOM through Luciano Arroio larroio@iom.int.
Innovation Challenge website (in Spanish): https://ticamericas.net/migracion/
Photography Release Notice
By participating in this event, I hereby authorize USA for IOM and YABT to take photographs of myself. I agree and understand that the photographs are being taken within the framework of this event. I understand and agree that future use of the photos may include, but is not limited to, use in publications, promotional material, brochures, reports, articles, presentations, future exhibitions and display on the websites of USA for IOM, YABT, and other third-party electronic format media outlets.