Ecuadorian Ambassador to the United States

Ivonne Baki

Mrs. Ivonne A-Baki presented her Letters of Credence as Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to the President of the United States Donald J. Trump on February 6 th , 2020.

She is an artist, painter, diplomat, peace negotiator, humanist, and politician. A multifaceted woman who is driven by her ideals.

She studied arts at the Sorbonne University and obtained Masters’ Degrees in Public Administration and in Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (1993).

She is fluent in English, Spanish, French, German and Arabic.

Ambassador A-Baki was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador of Arab Lebanese parents. She got involved from a very young age in the world of arts through dance and classical music that have inspired her the magic and power of art to unite ideals, cultures, people and nations.

During a visit with her parents to Beirut, Lebanon, she met her husband Mr. Sami Abd-El-Baki, and raised three children: Mohammad, Faisal, and Tatiana.

In 1990 she moved to the United States of America and became an artist in residence at Harvard University. At that time she created the Harvard Arts for Peace Foundation by organizing many joint exhibitions and art shows between countries in war as a way of achieving her goals in building bridges and finding solutions.

In parallel, she established the Beyond Boundaries Foundation to improve the health of the poor people of the Republic of Ecuador. This foundation was responsible for the eradication of river blindness (onchocerciasis). Currently, the Foundation is focusing its efforts to educate people about the diagnosis and early treatment of tuberculosis and diabetes.

Ambassador A-Baki has had a very distinguished career as diplomat, politician and academic:

• In 1981, she was appointed as Honorary Consul of Ecuador in Beirut.
• Between 1992 and 1998, she was appointed as Honorary Consul of Ecuador in Boston.
• Between 1994 and 1997, Ambassador A-Baki was member of the Board of Directors of the “Conflict Management Group”, led by Prof. Roger Fisher, in Harvard University. She participated in conflict resolution negotiations around the world during this period.
• She had an active participation on the achievement of the Peace Agreements between Ecuador and Peru, signed in October 26 th , 1998. She was advisor to the President of the Republic of Ecuador during this process.
• In 1998, she was appointed as Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to the United States of America, where she was posted until 2002. During her tenure, Ambassador A-Baki successfully procured the extension of the Andean Trade Preferences (ATP), which were granted by the United States for fighting the drug trafficking in the western hemisphere. In 2001, after the tragic spill from the oil tanker Jessica in the Galapagos Islands, Mrs. A-Baki urgently created the Galapagos Conservancy Foundation which has achieved important goals to create consciousness for protecting the environment in many countries and protecting fragile species. She is a founding member and President of the Foundation.
• In 2002, Mrs. A-Baki was a candidate for the presidency of the Republic of Ecuador. She represented a social justice platform aiming to shrink the great gap between the affluent rich and the desperately poor people, by a vision of education and sustainable development. Her message goals were to foster the cultural and economic integration of Latin America, and to eradicate corruption.
• Between 2003 and 2005, Mrs. A-Baki became the first woman to be posted as Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, Fisheries, and Competitiveness. On this position she began the negotiation of trade agreements with several significant trade partners including the United States of America and the European Union. As such, she was member of the Board of Directors of the Andean Development Corporation (CAF), President of the National Foreign Trade and Investment Council of Ecuador (COMEXI) as well as member of the Board of Directors of Petroecuador (the Ecuadorian National Oil Company).
• In 2004, Ambassador A-Baki was awarded the Global Citizen Prize by the Patel Foundation for Global Understanding, shared with Mr. Muhammad Yunus.
• Between 2006 and 2009, she represented Ecuador at the Andean Parliament. In 2007 she was elected unanimously President of this organization for a two years term. In 2007 she was elected President of the Committee of Economic Affairs of the Andean Parliament.
• Between 2007 and 2009, she was elected President of the Commission for Economic Affairs of the European Latin – American Parliament (EUROLAT).
• Between 2010 and 2013, she was designated as Chief Negotiator for the Yasuni-ITT Initiative, aimed to preserve the most biodiverse place on the planet, the Yasuni National Park (located in Ecuador).
• From 2010 to date, she has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNESCO Dialogue of Civilizations, in recognition of her contribution to the Organization’s work in the field of dialogue among cultures.
• From September 2017 to February 2020, she was designated Ambassador of Ecuador to Qatar and Ambassador Non-Resident of Ecuador to Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, Oman and Syria.

United States Ambassador to Ecuador

​Michael J. Fitzpatrick

A career diplomat with the rank of Minister Counselor, Michael J. Fitzpatrick has served as U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador since June 2019.  Prior Senior Foreign Service stints include service as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs (2016-2018); Interim U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (2014-2016) and the United States Coordinator for the 2015 Summit of the Americas;  Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d’Affaires, a.i. at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru (2011-2014), and as Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, a four-star member of the Joint Chiefs at the Department of Defense (2009-2011). Fitzpatrick also served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d’Affaires, a.i. at the U.S. Embassy in Asunción, Paraguay (2006-2009).

Earlier positions abroad include Nairobi, Kenya; Brussels, Belgium; Bogota Colombia; Manila, Philippines; and Lima, Peru.  Earlier Washington assignments include service as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, as a member of the Secretary of State’s “Line” team, and as pol-mil officer (EUR/RPM) in support of the participation of the United States and NATO during the war in Bosnia and the Dayton Peace Process for the former Yugoslavia.

Fitzpatrick has received more than two dozen Departmental awards during his diplomatic career, including the Director General’s Award for Reporting and Analysis, seven SFS Performance Awards, and six individual Superior Honor Awards.  He is also recipient of the W. Averell Harriman Award from the American Foreign Service Association.

After first joining the State Department as a Presidential Management Fellow in 1986, Fitzpatrick joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1988.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a Master’s in International Affairs (International Security Policy) from the School of Public and International Management at Columbia University.

His personal interests include mountaineering, hiking, biking, and other outdoor sports.  He speaks Spanish and French.  He is married to Silvana Valdivieso from Lima, Peru, and they have an adult daughter.

Minister of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources, Ecuador

Juan Carlos Bermeo Calderón

Juan Carlos Bermeo Calderón is Civil Engineer from the National Polytechnic School. He has two postgraduate degrees in Mediation and Resolution of Environmental Conflicts and Sustainable Development. Also, he has a master’s degree in Integrated Management Systems and a Diploma in Energy and Environment. 

The new Minister has more than 40 years of professional experience in the public sector as well as the private sector in consulting and project execution, environmental management and drilling, among other aspects related to the hydrocarbon and hydraulic industries. 

He has served in multiple positions including: General Manager of Petroamazonas EP, Vice Minister of Hidrocarbons, Regional Manager of the State Bank, General Coordinator of the Administration and Inspection Unit of the OCP Project, National Director of Hydrocarbons, Manager of the Maintenance Project of the Heavy Crude Oil Pipeline (OCP Ecuador), Consultant of the Development Bank of Ecuador, National Advisor in the Institutional Strengthening Project (WASHED) for the Ecuadorian Institute of Sanity Works and Manager of the North Branch of the Development Bank of Ecuador. 

He has technical publications related to his expertise area. He has served as a teacher and speaker in local and international level. The State Secretary will focus his work according to the fundamental principles of the Gobierno del Encuentro: commitment, transparency, and professionalism for the development of energy and mining resources that this country has.

Executive Director, American Chamber of Commerce, Ecuador

Felipe Espinosa

Felipe Espinosa has a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and a Bachelor of  Science  in  Mechanical  Engineering  from  Texas  A&M  University in  College Station, Texas. He did  an  Executive  Program  in  the  European  School  of Management and Technology in Cologne and Berlin, Germany.

He is an executive with ample experience in different fields and companies and has    occupied    important    positions    in    several industries,    ranging    from pharmaceutical,  food,  hospital  products and  automobile companies,  as  well  as logistics, medical and other services organizations for more than four decades.

He has worked with multinational companies, large national companies and has been an entrepreneur throughout his professional life. He has served in many boards, mainly from companies in the private sector, as well as for non-profit organizations.

He has been deeply involved with mentoring and  tutoring young  entrepreneurs  and  actively  participates  in an  organization from  the  civil  society called  “Dialogos  Vitales” in  pursuit  of  improvement in the way of  life  and  the  seeding and  spread  of  ethics  and  well – being among Ecuadorians.

He is at present the Executive Director of AMCHAM, where he is, among other things,  responsible  for pursuing  the  improvement  of relations,  commercial  and others between the United States and Ecuador. 

Felipe has been married for 32 plus years and has three sons.

Vice Minister of Education, Ecuador

Cinthya Game

Vice Minister Game has a Bachelor of Science in Education from the Universidad Católica Santiago de Guayaquil. He has four Higher Diplomas in Education and Research. She is also a PhD in socio-educational research from the University of the Armed Forces – ESPE and a PhD in Education from the Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos – Peru.

She also has two master degrees in Higher Education and Technologies applied to Education.

She has more than 20 years of experience as a researcher and university teacher at the Universidad Católica de Guayaquil, Universidad Casa Grande University, Universidad San Gregorio de Portoviejo, Universidad Laica Vicente Rocafuerte and Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo.

In the public sector, she has been an external consultant for Senescyt, the Council for Higher Education, CACES and CEAACES, of municipalities and the Ministry of Education, among others. She is an active member of various civil society organizations at the national and international level.

Chairman, Integra Capital | Board Member, Institute of the Americas

José Luis Manzano

José Luis Manzano is an Argentine businessman with a deep understanding of Latin American public policy and global emerging markets. He possesses significant experience in the investment, media, energy and distress industries. He speaks frequently across the world on these issues. 

He founded the international firm Integra Capital, a private equity and merchant banking firm and together with his family, they are relevant shareholders of Phoenix Global Resources, a company engaged in the exploration and production of oil and gas with activity in Argentina. 

PGR is listed in the London Stock Exchange, AIM Market, and the Stock Exchange of Buenos Aires, produces 10.000 barrels of oil per day and has more than 60 million barrels of proven reserves and 300 million barrels of unconventional resources. Dr Manzano is also a relevant investor in Interoil, an exploration and production company listed in the Oslo stock exchange that produces 3600bopd in Colombia.

Dr. Manzano is the major shareholder of Integra Oil & Gas, an oil production company that produces 4000 bopd in Venezuela. He is also a major shareholder in Integra Gas Distribution in partnership with Mercuria Energy Trading. Integra Gas Distribution is a significant shareholder of Metrogas, the gas distribution company of Buenos Aires serving more than 10 million people. He is also a relevant shareholder of Edemsa, the distribution electricity company of the province of Mendoza, HIDROELECTRICA AMEGHINO, a hydro plant producing 60 megas.

Dr. Manzano is the co-controlling shareholder of Stoneway 500 megas electricity generation company in partnership with Grammercy. Dr. Manzano and his family own Gualtallary Wines, a winery producer of premium wines in Argentina, under the brands Altus and Gualtallary. In mining, Integra has invested extensively in uranium exploration in the province of Chubut in Argentina and in lithium in Jujuy and Catamarca, at the lithium triangle where it is developing over 400.000 has. Integra is also an investor in copper exploration in San Juan in the José María Project.

He has developed activities with the climate change organization of Novel Awards Al Gore and the Clinton Global Initiative. He is also active with the UK Argentinean Chamber of Commerce and the Cámara de Comercio Argentino Norteamericana. He is a sponsor of the Chinese House of Culture in Buenos Aires. He was a member of the B20, the business group in support of the G20 Argentine presidency. Dr Manzano is a regular participant of the activities of the Council of The Americas and the Americas Society. Since 2019, he is also the Chairman of the European Chapter of the Eisenhower Fellowships. Dr Manzano is a member of the Institute of the Americas’ Energy Steering Committee, and a board member of the Institute’s Board of Directors.

Chairman, Institute of the Americas

Jorge Rosenblut

After working for decades as an executive leader in private industry and government, Mr. Jorge Rosenblut now works as an independent consultant to help clients incubate growth, encourage evolution from legacy practice, and transform business models to manage disruption and re-emerge in their industries. 

From 2000 to 2015, Mr. Rosenblut acted as president and held Chairman of the Board roles within Enel Group (Endesa Spain), a global energy leader. One of his key accomplishments was helping to direct the $16 billion split of Enersis into two separate entities –Enersis America and Enersis Chile, the largest corporate split ever executed in Latin America. 

Prior to joining the ranks of corporate executives, Mr. Rosenblut held leadership roles in the Chilean government in the 1990s. He received his master’s degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School in 1985, and that year joined the World Bank in Washington, DC. 

Mr. Rosenblut has been a Member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of the Americas since 2014 and since November 2018 is serving as the Chairman of the Board. He is based in Miami, Florida, and is the proud parent of a daughter working in Miami and a son who is now exploring his early roots in Chile.

Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, U.S. Department of State & Board Member, Institute of the Americas

Thomas Shannon

Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. brings more than three decades of government service and diplomatic experience to his practice, providing strategic counsel to clients across a range of legislative, foreign policy, and national security issues.

Most recently, Ambassador Shannon served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, the third highest ranking position at the State Department. Holding the personal rank of Career Ambassador, he was the highest-ranking member of the United States Foreign Service, the country’s professional diplomatic corps.

During his tenure as Under Secretary, Ambassador Shannon was in charge of bilateral and multilateral foreign policymaking and implementation and oversaw diplomatic activity globally and in our missions to international organizations.

He managed the State Department during the presidential transition, led bilateral and strategic stability talks with the Russian Federation, worked with our allies to oversee Iranian compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and expanded US engagement in Central Asia, among other things.

Prior to that appointment, he served as Counselor of the Department, where he acted as a troubleshooter and roving envoy for Secretary of State John Kerry. In that capacity, he focused on Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and led US support for the UN-sponsored peace processes in Yemen and South Sudan. Ambassador Shannon spent nearly 35 years in the Foreign Service and has served 6 US presidents and 11 secretaries of state.

Prior to his 2016 appointment by President Obama as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Ambassador Shannon was the United States Ambassador to Brazil. Prior to this appointment, Ambassador Shannon served as Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs from 2005-2009. He served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council (2003-2005), Deputy Assistant Secretary of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the Department of State (2002-2003), and Director of Andean Affairs (2001-2002).

Associate Vice Chancellor, Public Programs, University of California San Diego and Board Member, Institute of the Americas

Mary Walshok

Mary Walshok is a thought leader and subject-matter expert on aligning workforce development with regional economic growth. She has authored more than 100 articles, reports, and book chapters on regional innovation, workforce development and the role of research institutions in regional economies. 

As an industrial social scientist focused on the dynamics of regional economic development and transformation, Walshok has studied various communities across America. She has evaluated 13 WIRED regions funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, studied three innovative regions for a National Science Foundation-funded project and assessed one region’s efforts to grow an industry for a Lilly Foundation-funded endeavor.

As head of the continuing education and public programs arm of UC San Diego since 1981, Walshok oversees programs that educate more than 120,000 enrollees annually, which translates to more than 30,000 students in over 4,400 courses. Walshok has developed outreach efforts to help accelerate the San Diego region’s economic vitality, grow the region’s globally competitive talent pool and help college graduates transition to high-demand employment areas. She also helps provide access to a vast array of regional intellectual resources through the award-winning UCSD-TV and nationwide through UCTV.

During her tenure at UCSD, Walshok has played an active role in helping the University expand its local impact, national reputation and global reach. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Kellogg Foundation’s Leadership Fellowship and was inducted into Sweden’s Royal Order of the Polar Star. She currently serves on the boards of San Diego Connect (which she helped found in 1985), the La Jolla Playhouse, the United States-Mexico Foundation for Science (FUMEC), the Institute of the Americas (IOA), the San Diego Opera, the Smart Border Coalition and the Girard Foundation.

Walshok is a native of Palm Springs, California, she received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Pomona College in 1964, her master’s degree in sociology in 1966 and her Ph.D. in sociology in 1969 from Indiana University. She has been a visiting professor at the Stockholm School of Economics for many years and in 2004 held an international appointment in the Department of Continuing Education at Oxford University in England.

Executive Director, Global Americans

Guy Mentel

Guy Mentel is the Executive Director of Global Americans. Mr. Mentel writes and speaks extensively about U.S.-Latin American relations and hemispheric affairs. He plays a leading role in developing Global Americans’ agenda, programs, publications, and events, and frequently briefs congressional staff and other international observers about U.S. policy toward the region. 

Prior to joining Global Americans, Mr. Mentel held multiple positions in the United States Senate, working primarily on Western Hemisphere policy, immigration policy, and judiciary issues. Mr. Mentel has extensive campaign experience. He worked on the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign and in 2017, he co-founded a political action group that has endorsed and campaigned for candidates all across the country. Mr. Mentel has worked on immigration policy and Latin America policy for two high-profile campaigns in the years since.

In 2014-2015, Mr. Mentel worked as a Princeton in Latin America Fellow for the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice in Bogotá, Colombia. In Colombia, Mr. Mentel worked on transitional justice issues related to the Colombian armed conflict and on marriage equality in Colombia. Mr. Mentel has independently consulted on transitional justice issues in Colombia in the years since and has written extensively about Colombian politics. He has also worked at the law firm, Kobre & Kim LLP, and clerked at the Military Commissions Defense Organization of the Department of Defense. 

Mr. Mentel earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, with a certificate in WTO and International Trade Studies, and his B.A. from Georgetown University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude.

Secretary for Climate Change, Ministry of the Environment, Water & Ecological Transition, Ecuador

Karina Barrera

Ecuador Representative, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

Juan Carlos de la Hoz

Juan Carlos de la Hoz is the Country Representative at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Country Office in Ecuador since July 16, 2021. Prior to Ecuador he was Country representative in Barbados since 2016. Prior to Barbados, Juan Carlos worked as Chief of Operations in IDB’s Brazil and Mexico Country Offices. 

The Colombian national has over 20 years’ experience with the IDB, having joined the staff in 1999 as Senior Social Development Specialist with a particular focus on Health. From 2005 to 2006 he served as Division Chief (a.i) of the Social Programs Division in the Regional Operations Department. Before joining the IDB, Juan Carlos worked as Vice-president – Health Insurance, Corporate Planning Director and National Contracting Manager at the National Social Security Institute in Colombia. He is a Medical Doctor and received a M.Sc. in Health Economics from the University of York in the U.K.

As Country Representative, Juan Carlos leads the IDB’s dialogue with local clients in the public and private sector with the aim of supporting transformational strategies and projects that strengthen institutions, build resilience, and promote social stability. An accomplished visual artist, Juan Carlos promotes embracing creativity and innovation at the IDB.

President, Analytica Securities

Ramiro Crespo

Ramiro Crespo es Presidente Ejecutivo de Analytica Securities C.A. Casa de Valores desde 1996.

Como complemento a su experiencia como agente de bolsa y operador de valores, en 1995 y 1996 fue Apoderado General del Banco Universal S.A. UNIBANCO y desde 1987 hasta 1994 se desempeó como presidente de la financiera ESFISA, InvestBan C.A. Casa de Valores e Investleasing.

Ha realizado numerosas asesorías en rehabilitaciones, recuperaciones, fusiones y adquisiciones (M&A) y valoración de empresas de los distintos sectores económicos.

Además ha sido Director de Toachi Mining (negocia en Toronto Stock Exchange), Bolsa de Valores de Quito, Cámara Ecuatoriana Americana, Fundación Natura, Fundación Pachamama, Bolsa de Productos, Cámara de Minería, Depósito Centralizado de Valores S.A. DECEVALE, Corporación de Titularización Hipotecaria CTH, Instituto de Propiedad Intelectual, Corporación Financiera Nacional, Consejo Nacional de Aviación Civil, Programa Latinoamericano de Competitividad Global – Georgetown University, Washington D.C.-, y Mediador del Centro de Arbitraje de la Cámara Ecuatoriana Americana.

Ha sido entrevistado como analista económico en distintos medios de comunicación nacionales e internacionales como CNN, Reuters TV, China TV, Euromoney, NY Times, Miami Herald, BBC, Bloomberg, Financial Times, The Guardian, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, entre otros y ha sido conferencista invitado en universidades y organismos internacionales, como Universidad de las Américas, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Universidad del Pacífico, Georgetown University y Consejo de las Américas.

Obtuvo su B.A. en Economía en la Universidad de Maryland y su M.A. en Desarrollo Económico/Estudios Latinoamericanos en Georgetown University. Es fluente en inglés y español.

Vice Minister of Economy, Ecuador

Luis Alberto Fierro

Economista por la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Tiene una maestría en Economía por la Universidad de Oregon con especialización en Finanzas Internacionales y Desarrollo Económico. Tiene otra Maestría en Economía y completó los estudios doctorales en la Universidad de Texas en Austin, con enfoque en Economía Ambiental, Finanzas Publicas y Desarrollo Económico.

Ha laborado por 17 años en el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo como especialista líder de operaciones y movilización de recursos, coordinador y oficial de programas, entre otros cargos. También, fue representante del Ecuador y asesor senior en el Directorio del Fondo Monetario Internacional (2006).

Se desempeñó como experto en Financiamiento Climático para el programa Euroclima+, en la Agencia Francesa de Desarrollo (2021), coordinador de Programas en la Fundación EU-LAC (2016-18), asesor en Financiamiento Climático para la Asociación Independiente de América Latina y el Caribe (2014-2016), consultor en la Organización Latinoamericana de Energía (1987-1988), entre otras consultorías. Fue director de Programas y Movilización de Recursos del Grupo FARO (2014).

Posee experiencia en el diseño, financiamiento, implementación, monitoreo y evaluación de proyectos de desarrollo, incluyendo préstamos, asistencia técnica, subvenciones y proyectos de inversión.

Ha sido analista y editor económico de diario Hoy de Quito (1984-1989), y ha escrito para la Revista Gestión y diario El Universo. Ha realizado varias publicaciones sobre temas económicos, sociales y de financiamiento climático.