I am a seasoned economist and consultant with a diverse international background. Holding a PhD Cum Laude from the University of Alcalá de Henares, Spain, my expertise lies in the intersections of family labor supply, labor market segmentation, and transitions between formal and informal employment settings, as showcased in my renowned thesis and academic publications. With a breadth of experience across various roles, from being a Senior Partner at Almenara Estudios Económicos y Sociales, S.L. to serving as a Global and Regional Economic Advisor for UNIFEM and UN Women, I have contributed extensively to gender equality and women's empowerment initiatives within the UN and EU frameworks. My proficiency extends to areas of economic governance, social security, and evaluation of socio-economic projects, reflected in her memberships and expert roles across multiple international committees and networks. Beyond my professional endeavors, I have received recognition for my impactful work, including prestigious awards for my doctoral thesis and entrepreneurial innovations. My insights have been featured in global media outlets like HuffPost, BBC, CNN, and El País, further highlighting my commitment to addressing societal issues and advocating for gender equality.
1. Economic Analysis & Research: Extensive experience in economic analysis, demonstrated through roles as an economist, senior partner, and researcher in various institutions and projects.
2. Gender Equality Advocacy: Specialized expertise in gender equality and women’s empowerment, showcased through advisory roles at UN Women, regional economic advisement, and contributions to initiatives fostering gender parity.
3. Consultancy & Project Management: Proven track record as a freelance consultant for EU and UN entities, overseeing projects, and contributing to committees focused on extending social security to informal economy workers in ASEAN.
4. International Collaboration & Networking: Involvement in multiple international committees, networks, and expert groups reflecting a strong ability to collaborate and contribute to global initiatives.
5. Evaluation & Policy Development: Extensive experience in evaluating socio-economic projects, serving as an expert in various evaluations related to social policy, poverty, and labor market issues.
6. Multilingual Communication: Proficiency in multiple languages—Spanish (mother tongue), bilingual in English, conversational French, and basic understanding of German and Italian—enabling effective communication across diverse settings.
7. Media Engagement & Public Speaking: Recognition through media appearances (HuffPost, BBC, CNN, El País) highlighting the ability to communicate complex economic and societal issues effectively to wider audiences.
Expert in Life Long Learning and vocational education and training (VET) issues, both at operational and policy level.
Good understanding of cultural and socio-economic differences in approaching in learning and training systems at International level. (EU, North Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe countries)
Experience with project management, consultancy and networking at International level.
Since 2010 employed at the ETF. (www.etf.europa.eu) and worked at INTPA from 2019 until 2021
As an Employment Policy Advisor, I have served in national government roles and contributed to EU institutions and academia. I am interested in exploring trends and scenarios within the evolving world of work.
I am founder and Executive Director of Bantani, previously youth-worker, VET teacher and policy maker with Welsh government/European Commission and an international expert in entrepreneurship education and development. Bantani Education is a non-profit based in Belgium and working globally with a mission to transform learning. At the heart is the commitment is equipping young people and adults with transversal skills and mindset needed to be more entrepreneurial in life and work, leading to more learner engagement, active citizenship, employability and self-employment. Our skills work connects across entrepreneurial, digital, sustainability and finance skills development - integrating these in a coherent way across all sectors from pre-school to adult learning. Bantani achieves our vision by bringing extensive policy and practical experience to actions with partners from public, education, civil society and private sector, to research, test and embed high-quality learning practice and policy.