Dr. Carmen Barroso, Regional Director

A native of Brazil, her early experience includes teaching reproductive health and rights as Hubert Humphrey Distinguished Professor at Macalester College and serving as a professor of research methods at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. She also held the position of senior researcher with the Carlos Chagas Foundation, where she pioneered innovative evaluation methods and later created Brazil’s first and foremost women's studies center.

In 1991, Dr. Barroso became the first non-American woman to be appointed as director in a major U.S. foundation. She was the Director of the MacArthur Foundation’s Population & Reproductive Health program until 2003. Under her leadership, the program funded hundreds of local organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and helped bring the voices and experiences of women from the global south to international policy fora. In particular, Dr. Barroso has been recognized by the media and academics for the influential role she played in making the health and human rights central to development policy at the landmark 1994 International Conference on Population and Development.

Since 2003, Dr. Barroso has served as the Regional Director of International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere Region (IPPF/WHR). Through its 40 member associations in the Americas and the Caribbean, IPPF/WHR provides almost 27 million services annually. As the director of one of the most dynamic regions of IPPF and as a member of IPPF global senior team, Dr. Barroso has been a leader in the design and implementation of the comprehensive accreditation system created by IPPF to ensure accountability among member associations, and in the creation of IPPF’s governance and management policies.

She has served on several boards and international commissions, including the Millennium Project Task Force on MDG 3, and the Brazilian Commission on Reproductive Health, a pioneer effort for engaging multiple stakeholders in accountability for women’s health policies. Dr. Barroso currently serves on the boards of the International AIDS Alliance and IBIS, and is Co-chair of PAHO’s Panel on Gender and Health, where she plays a vital role in leading the design and implementation of a participatory accountability mechanism for the Regional Program of Action on Gender and Health at the country and regional levels.

Dr. Barroso holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University in Social Psychology, where she studied under world-renowned evaluation scholar Robert L.Thorndike. She has served as a Visiting Scholar at the Population Department of Cornell University and received numerous academic and public service awards and honors, including Ford Foundation and Fulbright Scholarships, and most recently was named among the world’s 100 most influential leaders for maternal health by Women Deliver. She has published numerous articles in professional journals and popular media in Brazil and internationally, and has consulted for numerous international and intergovernmental agencies.

Vicente Díaz Sánchez, Deputy Director

Vicente Díaz Sánchez has over 30 years experience in the areas of medicine, research and management with a focus on sexual and reproductive health.  Prior to his position as Deputy Director at IPPF/WHR, Vicente was the Executive Director of Fundación Mexicana para la Planeacion Familiar, (MEXFAM), one of the largest providers of sexual and reproductive health services and information in Mexico.   He also served as the Deputy Director for Family Planning at  the Ministry of Health in Mexico and was a Senior Medical Research Scientist in the Department of Reproductive Biology at the  nation’s National Institute of Medical Sciences.  He has authored 64 scientific publications in peer reviewed journals in the fields of reproductive endocrinology and fertility regulation methods, as well as nine book chapters in medical and social sciences.  He holds an M.D. from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences from UNAM and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

Humberto Arango, Senior Governance Advisor

Humberto Arango oversees development and implementation of IPPF/WHR’s governance strategy to strengthen leadership within Boards of Directors at Member Associations and at the regional level. He has been with the organization since 1977, advising on strategic planning, assessing unmet needs in the region, and providing training on male involvement in sexual and reproductive health. He has consulted for USAID, the European Commission, and the Ford Foundation, and headed the Department of Administration and Human Resources at the Universidad del Valle in his native Colombia. He holds a Masters in International Comparative Development from Stanford University.

Daniel Parnetti, Senior Advisor to the Regional Director/South-to-South Program Manager

Daniel Parnetti oversees the functioning of the Office of the Regional Director and provides support to all activities related to governance at IPPF/WHR. He is actively involved in an initiative to strengthen the functioning of the Boards of Directors at Member Associations across the region. He previously served as Program Officer at the Inter-American Parliamentary Group on Population and Development, advocating for changes in legislation in favor of sexual and reproductive health and rights issues in Latin America and the Caribbean. Daniel holds a Masters in Public Administration from New York University.

Giselle Carino, Deputy Director of Programs

Giselle Carino leads IPPF/WHR’s regional initiative to eradicate unsafe abortion in the region. Her experience with IPPF/WHR programs includes supporting the implementation of recent gender-based violence and emergency contraception initiatives. Prior to joining IPPF/WHR, she worked for the Inter-American Parliamentary Group on Population and Development, educating Latin American parliamentarians and advocating for legislative commitments to sexual and reproductive rights. Giselle holds a Political Science degree from Argentina and a Masters in Public Policy from New York University.

Rebecca Koladycz, Deputy Director of Programs

Rebecca provides leadership to IPPF/WHR’s organizational learning and evaluation unit. She has been conducting evaluations and social research since 1993 and has been at IPPF/WHR since 2000. In the area of organizational learning and evaluation, she manages a team of six evaluation experts who ensure the use of data for decision-making at all levels of the organization, design projects, develop monitoring and evaluation tools, provide technical assistance to Member Associations in evaluating their programs, and communicate IPPF/WHR’s results. Rebecca focuses her work to support a culture of using data for decision-making through self-evaluation and institutionalizing reflective learning processes. Rebecca holds a Masters in Social Anthropology from the University of Rochester.

Marissa Billowitz, Program Officer for Youth initiative

Marissa Billowitz, Program serves as the Program Officer for IPPF/WHR’s Youth initiative. Marissa has extensive experience in sexual and reproductive health, particularly with regard to gender, sexuality, training, and program management.  Prior to joining IPPF/WHR, Marissa served as Director of Emergency Contraception Education and Outreach at Planned Parenthood of New York City.  She previously coordinated initiatives addressing HIV/AIDS in Latin America and Latino men’s health in the U.S. at Columbia University’s Heilbrunn Center, and served as Program Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Margaret Sanger Center International.  Marissa holds a Masters in Latin American Studies from New York University.

Jomo Osborne, Program Officer for HIV/AIDS/STI initiative

As an M.D. with extensive experience in the prevention, treatment and care of HIV/AIDS/STIs, Dr. Jomo Osborne provides strategic and technical direction in the area of these diseases at IPPF/WHR.  Prior to joining IPPF/WHR, he worked as the Public Health Advisor in HIV/STI at the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization in Trinidad and Tobago. Jomo also worked for four years with Family Health International as the Director of Technical Services on the USAID funded, Guyana HIV/AIDS Reduction and Prevention project. Previously, he worked with the Ministry of Health, Guyana in the capacities of Medical Officer, Regional Health Officer and Director (Ag) of the Maternal and Child Health Department. He holds a medical degree from his native Guyana and a Masters in Reproductive Health from Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública in Mexico.

Dana Rogers, Deputy Director of Development

Dana oversees IPPF/WHR’s fundraising activities with both individual and institutional donors, including all aspects of grants management with US Foundations, and bilateral and multilateral donors. She works closely with program, evaluation and finance staff in defining the strategic direction of proposal development and project design. Dana has worked extensively in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights, including as a Research Assistant at the University of California in San Francisco and coordinating sexual and reproductive health services for Latin American immigrants at a Planned Parenthood clinic in California. Dana has a Master’s degree in Public Health from Columbia University.

María Antonieta Alcalde, Deputy Director of Public Affairs

María Antonieta Alcalde develops and implements IPPF/WHR’s advocacy strategy at the regional and international levels and supports the advocacy work of our Member Associations. She has co-founded several organizations including the Latin American Youth Network for Sexual and Reproductive Rights and the International Youth Coalition. Previous to joining IPPF/WHR, Maria Antonieta was the General Coordinator of Balance, Promotion for Development and Youth in Mexico City, where she designed and implemented workshops on gender, sexual and reproductive rights, advocacy, and youth leadership. María Antonieta has participated in several international conferences related to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including Cairo +5 and +10, and Beijing +5 and +10, among others. María Antonieta holds a degree in Accounting from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).

Nikki Speer, Senior Development Officer

Nikki Speer holds the position of Senior Development Officer at IPPF/WHR and is responsible for all aspects of the major Gifts and Planned Giving Programs. Nikki joined the IPPF/WHR team in September 2008 with more than 6  years of fundraising experience in higher education in the  international nonprofit sector. Prior to her work with IPPF/WHR, Nikki held the title of Major Gifts Manager for the international nonprofit,  WaterPartners International, now water.org.  During her tenure with WaterPartners she was responsible for increasing major gifts revenue by 30%, maintaining a 91% donor retention rate among major donors and closing the organization's largest major gift from an individual as well as its first million dollar plus bequest. In 2007, Nikki was awarded the “Rising Star” Award from the nationally distributed, Fundraising Success magazine. Prior to her work with WaterPartners International she held fundraising positions with the University of Central Missouri where she closed the University’s largest bequest to date, and Mississippi University for women where she increased revenue to the Annual Fund by more than 30% each year. Nikki has a B.A. in Political Science and a Certificate in Women’s Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. She is also a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

María Cristina Ramírez, Senior Program Advisor/Logistics

Since 1993, María Cristina Ramírez has trained IPPF/WHR Member Associations on monitoring and forecasting for supplies and contraceptives, and assisted them in improving operational efficiency. She has dedicated over twenty-five years to international population and family planning issues, from within both the United States and her home country of Colombia. María Cristina holds a Masters Degree in Social Policy from the Universidad Externado de Colombia.

Jan Dahms, Chief Financial Officer

Jan Dahms joined IPPF/WHR as Chief Financial Officer in 2008 and holds responsibility for the transparent budgeting, forecasting, and reporting of the organization’s activities; investment management; and regulatory and compliance functions.  Jan possesses over 15 years’ experience designing, implementing, and managing fiscal management infrastructures for corporate and non-profit organizations.  Jan transitioned to the non-profit sector in 1998 and most recently served as Vice President of Accounting and Controls at Teach For America, a $100M organization with 27 regional sites.  Prior to TFA, Jan served as Manager of Fiscal Management Services at Fiscal Management Associates, a NYC-based consulting firm and as CFO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri (PPKM).  At PPKM, Jan collaborated in the design and execution of the 2010 strategic initiatives, expansion of clinical services, and merger and acquisition assessments.  Early in her career, Jan held positions within pharmaceutical, media, and software industries, including tenure as Accounting Supervisor of Operations at Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation (NYSE:  MRX). Jan holds an MBA in International Business.

Barry Goldklang, Director of Human Resources

During his time at IPPF/WHR, Barry Goldklang has taken the organization from a staff of 39 to 58 valued staff members, and has maintained a high level of staff morale and organizational culture. Previously, he was the Director of Human Resources at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and Vice President for Human Resources at South Nassau Communities Hospital. Barry holds a degree in Management and Communications from Adelphi University.

Alexander C. Sanger, Chair of the International Planned Parenthood Council

As an IPPF/WHR Advisory Director and the Chair of the International Planned Parenthood Council, Alex is an ambassador for the work of the International Planned Parenthood Federation. The grandson of Margaret Sanger, who founded the birth control movement over eighty years ago, Alex has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund, and was the President of Planned Parenthood of New York City (PPNYC) and its international arm, The Margaret Sanger Center International (MSCI). Alex holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Columbia University.