María Elena Estavillo
2022 IVLP Impact Award Project: Podcast - Trend-iMexico
Elena Estavillo is a top trusted expert in the digital ecosystem, country and region wide. As one of the first commissioners in Mexico’s Federal Telecommunications Institute, she contributed to building a solid regulator that is a model for other countries. In her positions, she has promoted inclusion and gender equality.
She co-founded and is a chairperson for Conectadas, a World Summit on the Information Society Champion (WSIS) in 2020, and founded Centro-i para la Sociedad del Futuro, a think tank that works to collectively construct a digital and technological future in an ethical, responsible and inclusive way. She received the 2020 Information Society Champion Award from the International Telecommunication Union, in the ethics category. Elena is considered one of the "100 Women of competition" by the Global Competition Review 2016 and one of the "Most Powerful Women" by Forbes Mexico in 2016 and 2017. She is also a member of the International Women's Forum (IWF) Mexico.
IVLP Impact Award Project: Podcast: Trend-i
The Trend-i podcast explained, in a simple, friendly and colloquial chat format, the potential offered by 5G to improve Mexico’s competitiveness and to close the digital, gender, economic and social gaps. Targeted initially to reach the general public in Mexico, the podcast reach extended to other parts of Spanish-speaking Latin America.
The podcast helped listeners understand information and communication technologies, so that they can profit from their advantages and promoted interest, involvement and vocations in STEM issues. Twelve episodes between 18 and 35 minutes long featured experts from Mexico, Spain and England, as well as street interviews with Mexican citizens. Episodes explained the risks that come with technologies and how they must be addressed; disseminated good practices of firms that have carried out their digital transformations; and encouraged critical reflection from different perspectives around the digital ecosystem and exponential technologies.
Listen to the Podcast: Trend-i on Spotify, Trend-i on the Website
“At present, technology is a necessity for all, women and men, poor or rich, with or without disabilities. We must help so that the benefits of technology reach everyone. For this reason, I focus my efforts on promoting initiatives like this podcast.” - Podcast listener
IVLP Exchange Experience
María Elena participated in the IVLP Project Opportunities and Risks of 5G Networks in 2021, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center in partnership with WorldChicago, GlobalAustin and Global Ties San Francisco.
Her exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "It was a great experience to be deeply immersed with different authorities and organizations related to the digital ecosystem in the US and have a better grasp of the institutional architectures around this vast issue."
U.S. Communities Visited Virtually
San Francisco, CA; Washington, DC; Chicago, IL; Austin, TX