Gabriela Ortiz Pozo is executive director of the National Foundation for Women's Participation. She previously served as a legislative advisor, electoral advisor, and director of international relations at the Electoral Cooperation and Observation of the National Electoral Council of Ecuador. She served as the youth vice president of the Christian Social Party and is recognized for her role as founder and president of the International Young Democrat Union's Women's Committee. She led the Leaders in Action project with media outlets in the northern part of the country and served as director of international relations and training for the Christian Social Party. Gabriela holds degrees in law and international relations, and diplomas in political communication and conflict resolution.

IVLP Impact Award Project: Young Generations with Identity for Social and Economic Change 

The project empowers youth, particularly women, in border communities of Ecuador and Colombia, providing talks and workshops that strengthen self-esteem, identity, and social and economic skills among participants. Through the creation of safe spaces and the promotion of community collaboration, the project will prevent violence and foster the personal and professional development of young people. Local and international experts will participate and provide specialized guidance to cultivate leaders and change agents for a more prosperous and equitable future in border communities.

Gabriella recruited and trained eight volunteers on essential skills for managing project logistics and communication tasks. The U.S. Embassy donated 10 t-shirts for the volunteers. After announcing the call for participants, 70 people applied, indicating strong interest in the program. Gabriella held four events led by the National Community Center, in Tulcan, El Carmelo, Huaca and Tufiño.

“I hope that with this project, we generate hope for the youth living on the border, providing them with tools to prevent violence but above all to increase awareness of the importance of supporting each other in projects and expectations that we want to achieve for a country of progress, peace, and freedom.” – Gabriela Ortiz Pozo

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Gabriela participated in the IVLP Project Women as Drivers of Social and Economic Change, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center, in partnership with WorldOrlando, Global New Orleans, and International Institute of Wisconsin.

Gabriela’s exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award project: “In Wisconsin, we learned that to change the world we live in, we must be intentional in our actions, words, and emotions when facing the needs of others. All the projects we visited demonstrated the importance of resilience and sisterhood among women, allowing us to build tools that we can all use to make our sphere of influence an inspiration for the country and the world.”

U.S. Communities Visited

Washington, DC; Orlando, FL; New Orleans, LA; Milwaukee, WI

Country: Ecuador 

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