This is a call to reflect on our own stories as modern women of today to acknowledge outdated cultural stereotypes and social expectations, embrace more contemporary views, cultivate our own individual voices, and develop the critical skills for becoming women of influence in today’s global world.

Madeleine Maceda Heide

• Madeleine has held a variety of leadership roles in international schools around the world. Starting as an early childhood educator, she moved into expanded positions of leadership, and now serves as the Director of Academia Cotopaxi. Madeleine is invested in innovation, collaboration, and developing diverse leaders.
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible

We will take time to explore the perceived and actual differences between the leadership styles of men and women. Supported by research, survey data, popular and contemporary examples, we will focus on celebrating the leadership differences between men and women, whilst considering how to encourage more women to take the leap.

Emma Newman

• As an educator with over 25 years of experience, I have gathered much wisdom from my colleagues, students and families. As a result, I firmly believe that my role as an educator requires me to lead and nurture an environment where all the members of the community can flourish and succeed.
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible

The power of your voice is undeniable. It’s vital we consider our past, examine the present and look forward to a future where all women feel inspired to carve their own path and speak their truth. Discover your "why" to help guide your passions and focus your future aspirations.

Kara Latourell

• Kara has been an educator for over 10 years having served as a classroom teacher, Department Chair, and is currently the MYP/MAP Coordinator at the American School of Quito. She has a specialized interest in the study of history and is pursuing a second Masters in International School Leadership.
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible

More women than ever before are earning STEM degrees, yet they continue to be underrepresented in the workforce, especially at the leadership level. Our workshop will focus on practical ways in which everyone can support women in STEM, whether they themselves work in STEM or not.

Fiona Hoyle

• Dr. Fiona Hoyle has taught Mathematics and Physics for over 18 years. Fiona obtained her Undergraduate Degree from the University of Cambridge and her PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Durham. She has written over 40 peer-reviewed papers that focus on the large scale structures in the Universe.

Greta Stacy

• Ms. Greta Stacy has taught chemistry for four years. She graduated from Smith College with High Honors in chemistry, and obtained her MAT from Hamline University. Before becoming a teacher, Greta worked on an NSF grant to develop curriculum with the specific focus of building STEM identity in underrepresented groups.
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible

Young readers turn to literature to find characters to identify with, to experience life vicariously, and to find inspiration for their own ambitions. But do children’s books give girls their fair share of representation? The stories we share may be reinforcing gender bias. In this workshop will will learn about some of the common implicit biases in children’s books and how to analyze our own collections for evidence of sexism. We will find books which break down stereotypes and help dispel traditional expectations for both men and women. Participants will receive resource links and bibliographies to guide this ongoing work.

Jill Egan

• Jill Egan has been the librarian for Academia Cotopaxi since 2016. Before coming to Ecuador, she worked in school libraries in Dubai, Norway, Saudi Arabia and Hawaii, as well as bookstores in New York and Michigan. She holds a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science, a BA in English Literature and a K-12 teaching certificate. Jill is a voracious reader and loves to connect people with the information they need and the books they love. Ask her for a suggestion! jegan@cotopaxi.k12.ec
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible

How can we create a common language using our individual experiences? In this workshop we will review the tools and methodologies of two projects (Spiderwebs and Hands of Colors) and use them to create a common art piece while we reflect about our bodies, our territories and memory.

Daniela Fuentes Moncada

• I believe culture and arts are the most powerful weapon to overcome inequality. I am an anthropologist. I have a master degree in Public Policy with gender perspective (FLACSO México) and a master degree in Intercultural Communication (Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H981KlF6TE
• Bilingual workshop/Taller bilingüe

The panel will be composed of four accomplished women coming from diverse backgrounds and with different and unique life experiences. Some of the topics that will be addressed are as follows:

- Getting ahead: Challenges and successes

- Balance of family/relationships and work

- Health and self-care

- Women in relationships: Accepting and/or deconstructing traditional roles

- Openness to change and transformation in both the personal and the professional realms

Laura Fried

• PYP Coordinadora and Instructional Coach at Academia Cotopaxi; daughter in a multi-cultural family; partner within a supportive, stable, and fun relationship; seeker of information, and passionate activist of human rights. I strive for balance within work, personal, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. This leads my drive to for critical thinking of human behavior to develop an equitable society, filled with people who strive to impact themselves, their community, and our world in positive ways.

Catharine Luhtala

• Catharine Luhtala: First Grade Teacher at Academia Cotopaxi and life long international educator and nomad. In my 23 years of teaching I have had the pleasure and privilege of living and/or working in 10 countries. This history has shaped my view of both the world and education and consistently strengthened my commitment to strive towards truly multicultural education. My teaching passion is constantly inspired by the amazing talents, capabilities and viewpoints of some of our youngest learners, while my passion for life is fueled by the people and places I am lucky enough to experience.

Paloma Martínez Carbajo

• Paloma Martínez Carbajo teaches IB/HS Spanish at Academia Cotopaxi. She has a degree in English Philology from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and received both her M.A. and her Ph.D. in Spanish from the University of Washington. In the area of scholarship, her contributions involve new critical approaches to Peninsular Spanish Literature, particularly on women writers and marginal voices, as well as on texts relating to the Spanish Civil War. A second scholarly area is in the scholarship of teaching, where her emphasis has been on literary pedagogy across the learning continuum.

Mary Paty Sánchez

• My name is Maria Patricia Sanchez (Mary Paty), I was born in Quito-Ecuador 44 years ago. I am a wife, a mother of two fantastic children Martin (18) and Stephanie (13). I am a passionate educator, and I have been a teacher for 24.
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible

In this presentation, audience members will learn about how activism allows for women, in particular, to inspire change through the sharing of their personal experiences and voices, the traits activists and leaders share, as well as tips for how audiences members can engage in activism in their own lives on both a large and small scale.

Emily Moreland

• From an early age, Emily has been a passionate advocate for human rights. Towards this end, she has participated in both direct and indirect forms of activism, including protests, marches, product and company boycotts, political campaigns, and voter registration efforts. Originally from the United States, she holds a BA in English Education and a MA in Communication Studies from Colorado State University. She currently lives and teaches in Quito with her equally-passionate and socially-minded husband and their two young children.
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible

Given the 65-million-year survival success of this herd-bound prey mammal, horses have figured out leadership. Discover within you the leader any horse (or human) will follow: a trustworthy (self-aware and consistent), resourceful (possessing will and vision), and empathetic (attuned and caring) alpha mare.

Dorota Raciborska Toro

• Dorota was drawn to horses and human development from an early age. She has an MSc in social protection, a PhD in neuroscience, and for years managed health projects at international organizations. Equine-guided education uncannily combines her passions. She lives in Quito with her human and animal family.
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible

The presentation tackles the subject of engaging men and boys as partners in the advancement of women´s leadership through challenging toxic forms of masculinities that act as obstacles to women’s leadership globally. An hour long, highly interactive session on strategies that women leaders can utilise to promote positive masculinities among men and boys in institutions of learning and at home to further women’s leadership will be conducted.

Leo Wamwanduka

• I am passionate about working with Men and Boys on redefining masculinities. I have worked for 15 years on this issue with organisations such as Oxfam International and UN WOMEN. I am currently a PHD candidate focusing on women’s rights issues based at Potsdam university , Germany and FLACSO Ecuador.
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible

Reflexionar sobre el rol de las mujeres en el campo político a partir de los desafíos históricos para determinar el escenario actual frente a las oportunidades y nuevos obstáculos.

Lourdes Aviles

• Ingeniera comercial. Master en Marketing Farmacéutico, orgullosa mujer, empresaria y madre que cree en la libertad de pensamientos e igualdad de derechos. Trabaja en apoyo social a diferentes sectores vulnerables de nuestra sociedad con ACD.

Carolina Baca

• Abogada, Especialista en Derecho Constitucional y Maestra en Género. Docente de la UISEK. Trabajó en el Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados. En la Asamblea Nacional fue Secretaria Relatora de la Comisión de Justicia y en la FGE fue directora de la Comisión de la Verdad.

Cristina De Souza

• Escritora, Coach y conferencista brasilera. Su pasión por los procesos mentales la llevó a dedicarse a la investigación del pensamiento y comportamiento humano para ayudar a las personas a lograr objetivos específicos. Actualmente trabaja en su segundo libro sobre historias de éxito de personas que usan su metodología.
• Presentación en español/English translation available

SuperFoodsEcuador is a company run by a group of entrepreneurial mothers and empowered women. It promotes wellness, integral nutrition and healthy lifestyles. SF supports gender equality, fair trade, environmental awareness and generates a positive impact on society. It has received many awards and was certified as a B Corp in 2018.

Gizella Greene

• Gizella is the mother of Sebastian. She has more than 15 years of working experience in various industries. She has an MBA degree and Health Coaching studies. She cofounded Super Foods Ecuador in 2015. She is a Vital Voices Global Ambassador and part of Endeavor Ecuador scale up Program.

Natalia Greene

• She has a Master in Political Science and Climate Change. She works closely with Ecuadorian communities, especially in the rainforest. She is an expert in climate change and environmental issues. She works on conservation of Ecuador's biodiversity, protecting its natural resources with organizations such as Fundación Pachamama.
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible

Too often we women move through life directed by chance or outside influences. We fall into careers or lifestyles, we take on roles out of necessity, but then don’t realize when circumstances change. So many of us desire to live a purpose-driven life, filled with joy and fulfillment. But, often, we aren’t sure where to begin. The first step is to reconnect with our hopes and dreams. From there, we can create a path to convert them into action. For that to happen, we need to begin with clearly defined, specific, observable, measurable goals. Join us for this hands-on session where we will begin to draft meaningful personal and/or professional goals. Explore with us how to align your values, talents and aspirations to improve the quality of your life, your family’s life and our world.

Nancy Green

• Nancy started her 25-year career in human performance improvement at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in New York and London. As a business owner for 18 years, she routinely works with clients to integrate performance improvement initiatives such as business process redesign, incentive systems, custom training, and job definition into the organization's foundation to ensure success. She has also worked with a number of organizations to set professional development strategy and launch corporate universities. For the last 8 years Nancy has taught professional development courses for Emory University’s Continuing Education department.
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible

In this session we will explore some common stereotypes about leadership and how we, as women leaders can create a caring support system for ourselves and one another. We will discuss the benefits of deliberately choosing the women in your "posse" that will contribute to continued professional growth and support.

Robin Wheeler

• Robin Wheeler is an ES Associate Principal at Academia Cotopaxi. She has relished her many roles in education over the last 33 years. She has served as a classroom teacher from first grade through high school, several administrative roles within curriculum development, service learning, and experiential education, as well as her current position.
• Presentation in English/Traducción a español disponible