About YABT
The Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) is a nonprofit international organization that works in cooperation with the Organization of American States (OAS) to promote social and economic development of young people around the world. While building entrepreneurial capacity and creating opportunities for future business leaders, the YABT community advances the global goals and strengthens youth-led initiatives for sustainable development.
YABT has four focus areas to support youth ventures, especially those working on poverty reduction, employment, climate change, peace and democracy.
Leadership
Business skills and Training
Competitions
Resources and Alliances
+31,950
Young people Involved in the Summits of the Americas process and other policy-making forums
+3,000
Attendees in BootCamp training and mentoring sessions
+51,433
Young entrepreneurs registered in Innovation Competitions
21,000
Participants in Capacity Building Programs
+250
Interns and professional trainees involved in global youth scenarios
YABT programs have a positive impact on all aspects of young people’s lives. Since its creation, it has bolstered more than 100,000 young people in 75 countries through programs and activities that permit young people to be productive members of their communities. YABT creates participation programs for young people to become partners in the development of programs and policies at national, hemispheric and global levels.
Our Team
Chief Executive Officer
Luis Viguria
Chief Executive Officer
Luis Viguria is the Chief Executive Officer of the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) an affiliated nonprofit corporation to the Organization of American States with the objective of supporting the social and economic development of young people in the Western Hemisphere and around the world.
With more than 20 years of experience on youth development at the international level in areas such as sustainable development, innovation, competitiveness, entrepreneurship, citizen participation among other priorities of the region. Among his responsibilities are the strategic planning of the organization, the development of alliances and the definition of priorities to be addressed through the different programs and activities developed by YABT.
Luis Viguria firmly believes in the role of youth as partners for development and the importance of creating spaces for their effective participation in the decision-making process at all levels. His experience has allowed him to work and coordinate programs in all the OAS Member States, working directly with governments, private sector and civil society organizations and international development agencies and organizations, always connectingyouth and sustainable development. Through programs such as the Eco Challenge, the Talent and Innovation Competitions of the Americas (TIC Americas), the Business Labs or the Young Americas Forum, he supported thousands of young people in the Americas in their professional and personal development.
Luis Viguria has been a speaker at global and hemispheric forums organized by organizations such as the European Union, The United Nations, The World Bank, The Inter-American Development Bank, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Organization of American States among others, where he presented not only his vision on development, entrepreneurship, and youth, but also shared his perspective as young entrepreneur and Latin American professional in the international arena.
Luis studied economics at Pontificia Universidad Cattolica del Perú, obtained a certification on Business Administration at Georgetown University and a master’s degree in international development at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. He currently lives and works in Washington, D.C, together with his wife and two kids.
Executive Director
Valerie Lorena
Executive Director
Valerie is responsible for design, implementation and expansion of youth entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation programs involving multiple stakeholders in different sectors. Prior to joining the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) at the Organization of American States (OAS), Valerie was the Exchange and Liaison Coordinator in the International Relations department of the UCO University in Mexico where she was responsible for the international mobility of students and institutional agreements.
She has served as judge, mentor and advisor for multiple innovation competitions and programs that promote youth entrepreneurship, such as the UNESCO/Goi Peace Foundation Youth Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition, UNDP’s Youth-IN, the Startup Weekends of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)and the “Young Entrepreneurs as Drivers of Sustainable Growth” campaign and flagship event of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings held in Lima, Peru.
Valerie is an agenda contributor for the World Economic Forum on topics of innovation, new technologies and the future of work. She develops business skills trainings and curricula, that have been delivered at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Silicon Valley, under the leadership of President Obama, at the International Labor Organization (ILO) Youth Employment Forum in Geneva, and numerous countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Valerie actively serves as spokesperson for the organization; displaying strong initiative, communication and leadership skills as at high-level events such as the Summits of the Americas and OAS General Assemblies.
Valerie holds a trilateral-MBA from the following universities: Western Illinois University in the United States, Université de Moncton in Canada and Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro in Mexico. She has also conducted studies on Democracy and Governance at the Graduate School of Political Management of the George Washington University (GWU) in the United States.
Program Director
Edgar Maestre
Latin America Program Director
Edgar has international experience in managing programs and initiatives in the field of youth entrepreneurship, business development, international cooperation and public-private partnerships. Edgar holds a BA in Business Administration with minor in Marketing from Universidad Latina de Panama, and Master candidate in International Relations from Universidad de Panama.
YABT Fellows
Erika Galeano
Erika Galeano es natal de Paraguay. Graduada en Contabilidad en la Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (UC), con la distinción de Alumna Sobresaliente y Mejor Egresada de la Promoción. Además, posee la Especialización en Didáctica Universitaria por la Universidad Nacional del Este.
Antes de integrarse al YABT, se desempeñó en el sector privado y realizó una Pasantía Profesional en la Oficina Ejecutiva de la Secretaría de Administración y Finanzas de la Organización de los Estados Americanos (OEA). Erika es Embajadora Global de la Juventud en Theirworld y ha participado en el Programa de Delegados Juveniles del UNITE 2030. Su trabajo en el YABT se enfoca en el área de Administración y Finanzas, apoyando las gestiones presupuestarias, contables y financieras de los distintos programas y proyectos a beneficio de jóvenes líderes y emprendedores de América Latina y elCaribe.
Katherin Méndez
Katherin Méndez was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and currently lives in Lima, Peru. After receiving an outstanding mention for her thesis, she obtained a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola.
Her role at the Young Americas Business Trust focuses on program management, supporting diverse initiatives and playing an important role with the youth and national and international institutions.
Before joining the Young Americas Business Trust, Katherin had an internship at the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) at the Organization of American States (OAS). Additionally, Katherin volunteered at the Peruvian Red Cross, where she was part of the Communication Management division.
YABT Interns
María Victoria Moreno Serrate
Originally from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Victoria is currently a law student at the Private University of Santa Cruz (UPSA). In regard of her role in YABT, she works at the International Relations area supporting with the content for the newsletters, event proposals, reports and all other related tasks to the area.
José Andrés Cifuentes
José Andrés is originally from Quito, Ecuador and graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from Universidad de las Américas. He also has specializations in project management and youth leadership. At YABT he supports the International Development area in the drafting of concept notes, reports, among other inputs and materials aiming at the organization's international development.
Jackeline María Guerra B.
Jackeline is from Panama and studies a B.A. in International Relations at the University of Panama. As an intern in the International Relations area, she currently supports the participation of youth at the framework of the Young Americas Forum.
Karen Carpio
Karen Carpio was born in El Salvador and recently graduated in Graphic Design in Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador. Her work at YABT focuses on developing graphic pieces for the promotion of the different youth programs led by the organisation.
Board of Directors
Mr. Luis Nino
Chair
Ms. Yadira Pinilla
Vice Chair
Mrs. Georgina Nunez
Vice Chair
Mr. Renato Paredes
Treasurer
Mr. Francis McBarnette
Secretary
Mrs. Araceli Azuara
Director
Mrs. Glynis Long
Director
Ambassador Denis Antoine
Director
Ambassador Jacinth Henry-Martin
Director
H.E. Sherry Tross
Director
Ms. Lizette Huezo Ponce
Director
Mr. Jeronimo Augusto
Director