Colombia Team

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Barometer Initiative in Colombia Leadership Team

Josefina Echavarría Álvarez

Dr. Josefina Echavarría Alvarez is the Director of the Peace Accords Matrix (PAM) program at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. As the director of PAM, Josefina leads the Barometer Initiative in Colombia, which carries out official monitoring of implementation of the 2016 Final Agreement between the government and the former FARC-EP. Josefina earned her Ph.D. in Peace, Conflict, and Democracy from the Jaume I University (Spain), an M.A. in Peace, Development, Security and International Conflict Transformation from the University of Innsbruck (Austria) and a B.A. in Government and International Relations from the University Externado (Colombia).

Ángela María Ramírez Rincón

Ángela is the Executive Director of the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She is a lawyer and has a master’s degree in international law with an emphasis in human rights from American University. She has worked as a teacher, researcher, and consultant on issues related to the protection of human rights. Her work in the public sector has given her the opportunity to learn about the dynamics of the Colombian armed conflict and work closely with victims and victim organizations on issues related to public policy and transitional justice.

National Team

Mateo Gómez Vásquez

Mateo Gómez Vásquez is the Technical Research Leader for the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. He is a lawyer with a degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, and master degree in Democracy and Good Governance from Universidad de Salamanca. He has worked as Director of the Early Warning System of the Ombudsman Office and Coordinator of National Advocay of the Comisión Colombiana de Juristas.

Brenda Forero

Brenda Forero is the Report Editor for the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She is a lawyer with a master’s degree in International Law from the University of La Sabana, Colombia. She has worked international organizations, academic and litigation teams as a writer and editor. She has prepared expert opinions on human rights, international humanitarian law, and transitional justice, and litigated before the Inter-American System for the protection of human rights.

Jaime Márquez Díaz

Jaime Márquez Díaz is a Researcher for the Barometer Initiative and monitors the implementation of the Comprehensive Rural Reform component of the Final Agreement. He is a graduate of the Universities of Deusto (Spain) and Uppsala (Sweden) through the Joint Master’s Degree in International Humanitarian Action (NOHA Network). Additionally, he completed the Specialization in Conflict Resolution at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and is a political scientist from the National University of Colombia.

Tatiana Menjura Roldán

Tatiana Menjura Roldán is a researcher for the Barometer Initiative in Colombia and monitors commitments related to the Development Programs with a Territorial Focus (PDET) and the National Comprehensive Program for the Substitution of Crops Used for Illicit Purposes (PNIS). Tatiana is a public administrator and has a Master of Arts in Governance and Development from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. She has worked as a consultant and researcher in public policies related to the protection of vulnerable populations (victims of the internal armed conflict in Colombia and migrants)

Alejandro Robayo Corredor

Alejandro Robayo Corredor is a researcher for the Barometer Initiative and monitors the participation component of the Final Agreement. He is a political scientist and has a master’s degree in Political Studies from de National University of Colombia. He has been a teacher and researcher and has also worked in the public sector. His professional and research experience has focused on participation, social mobilization, and peacebuilding.  

Enrique Gutiérrez

Enrique Gutierrez is a Researcher for the Barometer Initiative and monitors accord stipulations related to Point 3. He holds a master’s degree in human rights from the University of Essex, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the Pontifical Xavierian University (Colombia). His professional experience focuses on the work with vulnerable communities and peacebuilding in post-conflict environments like Colombia and Kosovo.

Natalia Restrepo Ortiz

Natalia Restrepo Ortiz is a Researcher with the Barometer Initiative and monitors transitional justice issues. She is a lawyer with a degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia, with a specialization in administrative law and an LLM in public international law from New York University. During her professional career, she has focused on working for victims’ recognition from the public sector, as well as by international organizations, including the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Ivonne Zúñiga

Ivonne Zúñiga is a Researcher for the Barometer Initiative and monitors accord stipulations related to Point 6.  She has a master’s in public administration and a bachelor’s in psychology. She has 10 years of experience in the formulation of projects and intersectionality in public policy, both in governmental and non-governmental entities and international organizations.  Her academic achievements include a Fulbright fellowship, Colfuturo scholarship, and a scholarship granted by the United Nations.

July Samira Fajardo

July Samira is a researcher for the Barometer Initiative and monitors the gender approach of the Final Agreement. She is a sociologist, with a master’s in Social Policy, and she is a PhD candidate in Political Studies and International Relations at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. She has 12 years of professional experience focused on women’s rights and gender equality with an emphasis on armed conflict, peace and security. She has worked with national and international NGOs, academia, international cooperation, and the public sector in Colombia.

Luisa Bechara Cabrera

Luisa Bechara Cabrera is legal and administrative advisor to the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She is a lawyer from the Universidad Externado de Colombia with a postgraduate degree in government contracting. She has extensive experience in strategic planning and contracting and has also provided support from the public sector in the evaluation and monitoring of the implementation of public policy instruments to promote access to justice in the territories and in the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Nicolás Rojas Bernal

Nicolás Rojas Bernal is the strategic relationships specialist for the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. He is a lawyer from the Universidad Javeriana with a postgraduate degree in Justice, Victims, and Peacebuilding from the Universidad Nacional and a candidate for a master’s degree in Political Studies from the same university. His professional experience has focused on accompanying the implementation of the Final Peace Agreement and the inclusion of the differential approach in the design of national and district public policies.

Mariafernanda Burgos

Mariafernanda Burgos is the monitoring and evaluation specialist for the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She is a political scientist from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana from Bogota with a master’s in Advanced Practice in Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution from the University of Bradford, England. With experience in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects, Mariafernanda has worked in peacebuilding, humanitarian, development and international cooperation projects in Colombia as well as in Spain, Greece, Turkey, and Syria.

Mariana Balen Giancola

Mariana Balen Giancola is the Project Coordinator for the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She is a lawyer with a degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia. She has worked with civil society organizations as well as with the public sector in the analysis of public policy aimed to satisfy the rights of victims of the Colombian armed conflict. Particularly, she has focused on the analysis of the access to transitional justice mechanisms.

Mauren Sánchez

Mauren Sánchez is the Administrative Assistant for the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She holds a degree in accounting and finance, and is finishing advanced studies in business administration. She has four years of professional experience in administrative support and accounting.

Luz Dary Hernández

Luz Dary Hernández is the financial consultant for the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She is a public accountant from the Universidad Externado de Colombia. She has more than twenty years of experience in monitoring and financial management of social projects that comply with Colombian regulations, guidelines for the execution of resources from organizations such as CSO, USAID, the MPTF and cooperation agencies such as AECID, the European Union and the Norwegian Government.

Regional Barometer Team

Ever Estyl Álvarez Giraldo

Ever is the Coordinator of the Northwest Regional Barometer. He has a postgraduate degree in Theories, Methods, and Techniques in Social Research and a master’s degree in Socio-spatial Studies from the Institute of Regional Studies (INER) of the University of Antioquia. He has been a teacher and researcher in projects that analyze territorial strategies for peacebuilding, the reconfiguration of the armed conflict, and the artistic and cultural management practices in Urabá.

Rosa Imaira Mosquera Martínez

Rosa Imaira Mosquera Martínez is an analyst for the Northwest Regional Barometer of the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She is a public accountant and has a postgraduate degree in public finance. She has worked with community organizations, public entities, and international cooperation organizations. She participated in the PDET construction process in the municipality of Riosucio (Chocó) and worked as a territorial analyst in the strategy to strengthen local governments for the implementation of the PDET in the Darién Chocoano municipalities.

Erich Mauricio Córdoba

Erich Mauricio Córdoba is an analyst for the Northwest Regional Barometer of the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. He is an anthropologist and candidate for a master’s degree in peace, development and citizenship at UNIMINUTO University. Mauricio has experience with civil society organizations, departmental and municipal governments in capacity building for participation. He was a delegate of the National Government in the Local transition point for normalization of Tierralta (Córdoba).

Marisela Vahos Pamplona

Córdoba

Marisela Vahos Pamplona is an analyst of the Bajo Cauca y Nordeste Antioqueño Regional Barometer of the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She is a psychologist, specialist in psychosocial interventions, and candidate for a master’s degree in Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding at INCCA University (Colombia). She has worked for governmental entities and international organizations leading the management of projects within the framework of the Colombian Final Peace Agreement. She has focused on gender research and peacebuilding.

Laritza Hernández

Laritza is the Coordinator of the Southwestern Regional Barometer of the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She is a psychologist and has a postgraduate degree in Social Management from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. She has more than 9 years of experience as a leader of social projects aimed at overcoming extreme poverty, rural development with emphasis on the productive sector, and the construction of territorial plans that include the exercise of consultation and ethnic participation and gender approach.

Jaime Andrés Astaíza Bravo

Jaime Andrés Astaíza Bravo is an analyst for the Southwestern Regional Barometer of the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. He is an economist, with a postgraduate degree in Government and Public Policy from the Universidad del Cauca (Colombia). He has experience in the implementation and follow-up of substitution and action plans for regional transformation, in development programs with a territorial, ethnic and gender approach. Additionally, he has experience with international cooperation in the execution and monitoring of alternative rural development projects.

Mónica Villamizar

Mónica Villamizar Ríos is the coordinator of the Northeast Regional Barometer of the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She is a professional in biology and has a master’s degree in social intervention in knowledge societies from UNIR. She has experience in coordinating international cooperation programs in peace building with a gender and ethnic approach, as well as in the strengthening of civil society organizations and technical assistance to departmental and municipal governments to strengthen their capacities in the management cycle.

Zina Tavera

Zina is an analyst for the Northeast Regional Barometer of the Barometer Initiative in Colombia.

Paola Campos Cáceres

Paola Campos Cáceres is an analyst for the Southwest Regional Barometer of the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. She is a sociologist and candidate for a master’s degree in Musicology at the National University of Colombia. She has experience in the field of social and academic research, as well as the formulation and implementation of social projects on cultural studies and public policies.

Edwin Andrés Mosquera Sánchez

Edwin Andrés Mosquera Sánchez is an analyst for the Northwest Regional Barometer of the Barometer Initiative in Colombia. He is a political scientist with a master’s degree in human rights, management in transition and post-conflict from the Escuela Superior de Administración Pública (Colombia). He has worked as a university professor, researcher, columnist and mainly as a consultant in the management and coordination of social projects with international cooperation regarding public policies, peace-building methodologies and strengthening of social, community and ethnic-territorial organizations.