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Team XOCO Partners
Leapfrogging from education to digital jobs
 

Team XOCO

We have members across Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe with expertise in education, youth empowerment, women’s and girls’ rights, sustainable development, entrepreneurship and digital innovation. Our team members and partners have a strong network in the private sector across geographies to ensure our digital education and skills development program is closely connected to emerging trends in the labor market and the digital economy. XOCO is uniquely positioned to leverage our own experience of supporting women and girls and connecting it with the wealth of experience our grassroots partner organizations have in the local target communities.

 
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Meet the team

 
 
 
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JESSICA ESPINOZA,
CO-FOUNDER & VIVACIOUS BOLDNESS

Jessica is Chair of the 2X Challenge, Senior Investment Manager & Gender Lead at DEG, Child Protection Trainer for ECPAT , Mentor for scale-up ventures at Endeavor, Member of the IoD & Boards of Directors, and PhD Candidate. Loves pumpkin spice latte!

 
 
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XOCO,
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF EMPOWERMENT OFFICER

Xoco is an adolescent girl from Venezuela in Colombia with the vision to change the game for girls like her.

 

KARINA MARTÍNEZ,
CHIEF INSPIRATION OFFICER

Karina is an Entrepreneur, HR Training Specialist, Leadership Coach and Head of Continuous Improvement at Comdata Group.

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CONNY ZELIC,
GLOBAL HEAD OF STRATEGY

Conny is Change Manager at Newcastle University, has 20+ years of corporate leadership experience at global tech companies, and is passionate about digital transformation with a focus on the human factor. She lives in the UK and loves working at night.

 

IVONNE BENDAÑA,
CHIEF HEART OFFICER

Ivonne is Psychologist, Lecturer, Recruiter, Youth Protection & Development Specialist, and Human Resources Lead at Avanz Bank. Loves smiles, books and stars on the way.

CAROLINE KREMER,
QUEEN OF DISCIPLINE

Caro is a Global ESG Expert, Founder of the PayGapApp, and Board Member at DEG, with 20+ years development finance experience. Loves to combine the cultures most dear to her heart by being reliable, flexible and result-focussed at the same time.

 

JOSEPHINE HAMANN,
GLOBAL LEAD FOR SAFEGUARDING

Josephine is Child Protection Specialist at ECPAT and Representative of the international child protection code TheCode.Org. Loves Chili con Carne but is actually a vegetarian.

MAURO TRUJANO,
MASTER OF DISASTER

Mauro is a Tech Geek for Disruptive Trends, Branch Manager at Alnatura, and has
15+ years market research experience. Loves chilli with more chilli!

 

Merly Fiestas, Math Teacher & STEM Superstar

Founder of the education association EasyLearn empowering vulnerable children & youth through quality education opportunities in STEM. Makes Maths fun by linking it to entrepreneurship, life skills and critical thinking. Superstar in coding for girls.

 
 

Board Advisor & Energy Booster

Leanne Mair is the Founder & Managing Director of Benefactum Consulting, a firm that specialises in Gender Equality in workplace. She believes in the power of women and girls too and wants to see us win! Besides that she is a mother of two, loves food and wine.

DR. DOROTHEA CZARNECKI,OMBUDSPERSON

Doro is Deputy Executive Director of Programs and Vice President of the Board of ECPAT International. She is also a Member of the Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Committee. Loves drinking tea (lots of it) and always has her own emergency tea bags with her when traveling.

 



PAMELA CRUZ MARTÍNEZ,
HAPPINESS HEROINE

Pamela is Director of Proyecto Mati in Mexico, Gender & Empowerment Specialist, and MBA Candidate.

Alyanna carrion
whiz problem solver

Industrial Designer & an ecofeminist. She specializes in systems and service design with a focus on creating sustainable businesses using circular strategies. When not working, she enjoys baking and up-cycling items.

 
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MARLENE PÉREZ ESCALANTE,
DIGITAL EDUCATION LEAD

Marlene has a Master in Virtual Education and is a High School Teacher for, English & Spanish, Digital Content Creator, E-Commerce Enthusiast and Digital Tools Expert.

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CHERRY,
HEAD OF ALL THINGS AWESOME

Cherry is an adolescent girl from Colombia on the journey to digital jobs of the future.

 
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ANDREA SÁNCHEZ,
CATALYST

Andrea is a Psychology Student,
Co-Trainer, and Digital Tools & Collaboration Specialist.

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LAURA TORRES,
PRODIGY OF INNOVATION &
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS

Laura is an EdTech & Communications Specialist, Digital Badges Expert and Digital Transformation Advisor at Acreditta.


Eleleta surafel
empowerment fairy

Eleleta is a medical doctor with passion for women’s health and a wit to see a world of gender equality.

Valeria Medinaceli
Impact investing intern

Valeria just completed her Master of Science in Finance at HEC Lausanne. She is passionate about finance and wants to continue her professional life immersing herself in impact investment, focusing on Gender Lens Investing, because she firmly believes in the role of women in the society. In her free time she enjoys drawing and playing board games.

 

ISABELLE TUDORICA,
BEAUTIFUL HEARTS COACH

Isabelle has an M.A. Sustainable Tourism Management and is Founder of “Inimabelle - Journey to your heart”, Mental Trainer & Systemic Coach, and Child Protection Trainer at ECPAT.

Samantha Roberts
communications specialist

Samantha is from Los Angeles and is now living in Berlin, where she just completed her MBA at ESMT with a focus on innovation & entrepreneurship. She has a background in financial services with experience in leadership, project management and client experience. In her free time she enjoys yoga, drinking wine and exploring Berlin’s many parks.

 

NATHASHA DHARMAS
Impact investing intern

Final year PPE student with a Gender Studies minor, entrepreneurial skills on the side, and a will to change the game for girls. #TeamXoco
Nathasha is an inquisitive gemini who loves poetry and all things vintage. Optimistic is her middle name.

SIDNEY DAVAR
Trainee

Sidney is a secondary school graduate working with Team XOCO during her Gap Year. She is interested in global politics and willing to make a difference in the interest of peace and justice in the future. She loves dogs and the sea.

 

Gabriel Umaña Gomez
impact investing intern

Gabriel is an Environmental Engineer with an MBA from the ESMT Berlin. He has been working for years in the sustainable finance and renewable energy industry in Latin America. Loves to travel, ride his bike, and listen to all kind of music.

alix antwi-donkor
Finace & impact intern

Alix is a Master's in Economics student specializing in Finance. Inspired to improve the lives of girls in developing countries. Also loves Cappuccinos.

Youth Council

 
 

Our Youth Council, composed of young women from vulnerable communities, plays a key role in ensuring the perspectives of our target group are at the center of everything we do.

 
 

Laura Palomino
XOCO Youth council

Laura is a social communications student with a focus on youth and a digital content creator. She combines her passion for digital marketing with human rights and is convinced that digital tools are an enabler to make human rights more tangible. She loves traveling and reading detective novels.

Lineth sanguino
XOCO Youth Council

Lineth is an advisor in the comms team of CMDYM, student of social communication, design & integration multimedia specialist, freelancer, activist for the rights of women & girls, with a diploma in human rights & social inclusion at UNAD. Loves dogs & walking barefoot on the grass.

 

Pilar sanguino
XOCO YOUTH COUNCIL

Pilar is a Women’s Rights Lawyer in Colombia, specialized in international human rights and humanitarian law. She helps women & girls, especially refugees, get access to justice and defends their rights in court, collaborating closely with CMDYM.

Valeria Polo
XOCO YOuth council

Valeria is a social communication student, co-founder of the digital communication strategy for P&P in teenagers' sexual and reproductive rights "Las Mijas" and volunteer at the communications department at Corporación Mujer, Denuncia y Muévete (CMDYM). She's always dancing! even if there's no music around.

 
 
 

Join us change the game for girls!