Erica Hoyos

Erica Hoyos leads the Johnson & Johnson Production System across both the Innovative Medicine and Medical Technologies sectors. Before this role, she managed the End-to-End Supply Chain for Biosense Webster, overseeing 22 manufacturing sites and around 12,000 employees, supporting $5 billion in revenue. Erica joined J&J in 2003 as a Line Engineer at Ethicon Wound Closure. Her experience spans engineering, business excellence, project management, operations, plant management, external manufacturing, and end-to-end supply chain. She holds a BS in Industrial Engineering and received the Step Ahead Award in 2021. Erica enjoys cooking and making song covers with her husband. She resides in El Paso, Texas.

Michael Tucci

Michael Tucci, CEO of Micro Technologies, combines his NYU studies in business and Eastern philosophy to bring a unique approach to modern manufacturing. Under his leadership, Micro CR has grown to over 500 employees, focusing on mission-critical applications for leading OEMs. Their latest venture, an AI-infused Robotics as a Service company, aims to address labor shortages and reduce ecological footprints. Michael also leads the YPO ImpactXcellerator, leveraging disruptive technologies for global positive impact. Residing in Costa Rica for the past decade, Michael enjoys teaching martial arts, exploring the mind/body connection, and ocean-related activities.

Aníbal Coto

Born in Cartago, Costa Rica, Aníbal holds an Electronic Engineering licentiate degree from the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC) and a master's degree in Optical Communications and Photonic Technologies from the Politécnico di Torino, Italy. Since 2006, Aníbal has been continuously engaged in academia as a professor and researcher at TEC, specializing in circuit analysis, electromagnetic theory, and electrical communications. He served as the head of the master's program in electronics for eight years and, since October 2023, has been leading the Electronics Department at TEC. His extensive experience and leadership in these fields underscore his commitment to advancing electronic engineering education and research.

Steve Ramirez

Steve Ramirez has over 20 years of experience in the medical device, biotech, and electronic industries. As an electromechanical engineer, he worked at Intel as a process engineer working with laser and automated systems. His transition to Boston Scientific marked his entry into the medical device field, where he optimized processes and technologies. Steve has leveraged his engineering knowledge, R&D expertise, strategic thinking, and business development skills to establish and manage multiple business units worldwide. His latest venture, the School of Medical Devices, reflects his passion for innovation and knowledge sharing, providing specialized training and consulting services for the MedTech industry.

Esteban Meneses

Esteban Meneses is the director of the National Advanced Computing Collaboratory at the National High Technology Center in Costa Rica. He also holds a partial appointment as a computer science professor at the Costa Rica Institute of Technology. Esteban got a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His main research area is high performance computing (HPC). He has been recently working on research projects that explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and HPC with a focus on solving pressing issues in science and society.

Hans Pfister

Hans Pfister, co-founder and president of the Cayuga Collection of Sustainable Luxury Hotels and Lodges in Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua. Born and raised in Southern Germany, Hans began his career with the European tradition of apprenticeship at a Michelin-starred hotel restaurant in the Black Forest and went on to receive a degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, New York. With nearly three decades of experience in hospitality in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, he is the president of Costa Rica’s Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Chamber (CANAECO) For more than five years, he was a member of the Advisory Board of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World.

Manuel Ardon

Manuel Ardon, Co-Chief Operating Officer at Peninsula Papagayo, holds a Civil Engineering degree with a specialization in construction from the University of Costa Rica. His notable contributions to major infrastructure projects in Costa Rica include the Insurance National Institute building, the Culture Plaza, and the Gold’s Museum. Manuel has been integral to the tourism development of Punta Leona. He has managed the infrastructure development for Peninsula Papagayo, assuming the role of Operations Director since 2004. Under his leadership, a multidisciplinary team transformed Peninsula Papagayo into one of Latin America's premier tourist destinations. Manuel’s forward-thinking approach and dedication to sustainable practices have earned the project numerous national and international accolades.

Martí Jiménez

Entrepreneur with experience in the Cruise Industry, who has also led or co-led the creation, project management, and capital structuring of four companies creating more than 150 direct jobs in ecotourism, hospitals, and assisted living. Founder & President of Veragua Rainforest, the largest tourism investment in the history of the province of Limón

Laura López

Economist from the University of Costa Rica (UCR), Master in Public Policy from the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain, and Master in Economic Development from the Institute of Social Studies Erasmus of Rotterdam University, The Netherlands.

Organizational strategist, specialist in the design of triple bottom line projects. Focused on the development of programs to strengthen export companies, productive transformation initiatives for SMEs, as well as the development of the export and investment ecosystem. Advocate of initiatives that promote sustainable and inclusive development as an engine of growth for people, companies, and communities.

Prior to her appointment as General Manager of the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promoter (PROCOMER), she served as Deputy General Manager of the same organization, which is the national agency in charge of the promotion of exports and attraction of foreign direct investment in Costa Rica.

Manuel Tovar

Costa Rican. Juris Doctor from the Autonomous University of Central America, he holds a master’s degree in International Law and International Relations from the Complutense University of Madrid and a postgraduate degree in Administrative Law from the University of Salamanca. Mr. Tovar had professional updating courses from Harvard University and the London School of Economics and Political Science and is PhD Candidate in Political Science

Prior to his appointment as Minister of Foreign Trade, Mr. Tovar developed a career in the public sector in the following positions: Representative and Head of the Costa Rican Delegation to the OECD (2016-2021); Special Envoy to the OECD (2013-2015); Trade Attaché at the Embassy of Costa Rica to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Special Envoy at the Costa Rican Mission to the European Union (2008-2013); Trade Negotiator, responsible for dispute resolution and institutional matters, as well as coordinator of commercial relations with Canada and Chile at the Ministry of Foreign Trade (2005-2008). Mr. Tovar was also Delegate of Costa Rica to the World Customs Organization and to the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg.

Mr. Tovar Rivera serves as a distinguished member of the World Economic Forum's Global Council on the Future of Trade and Investment for the term spanning 2023-2024. Additionally, he held the position of co-vice-chair during the OECD Council Ministerial Meeting in June 2023. He speaks Spanish, English, French and Italian.

Alex Irwin-Hunt

Driven by an interest in globalization and geopolitics, Alex has focused on studying developments in foreign direct investment by new businesses and investment destinations worldwide. He has conducted interviews with high-profile individuals in both the public and private sectors and has published multiple articles on manufacturing, supply chains, technology, and sustainability. Alex produced the fDi Tech Startups Foreign Direct Investment Attraction Index, a global ranking of venture capital-funded foreign direct investment and research on the world's most innovative companies.

Priscila Chaves

Priscila Chaves has worked in the fields of technology, entrepreneurship, and impact for over 18 years, collaborating with multinational corporations and startups across North America, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. She joined the agribusiness giant Cargill in early 2021, where she leads their Innovation and Ecosystems team. With extensive experience in Corporate Technology, she has managed operations and business development for IBM in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region, serving as a business leader for the largest artificial intelligence firm in Latin America. Priscila has also launched and scaled technological startups in Southeast Asia and East Africa.

Marci Zaroff

Marci Zaroff is a prominent figure in the world of sustainable fashion, renowned for the term "ECOfashion" in 1995. She is internationally recognized as an innovator, entrepreneur, and author of "ECOrenaissance: Co-Creating A Stylish, Sexy and Sustainable World". She is also the founder and CEO of ECOfashion Corp, a house of eco-friendly brands, and RESET, a project focused on regenerative/organic cotton farming, among other eco-friendly initiatives. Marci has received numerous awards, including the "ESG Leadership Award 2023" and the "Power Women Award" from New York Moves. She is also featured in the book "ECO AMAZONS: 20 Women Who are Transforming the World".

Patricia Boo

She is based in Colombia and is responsible for the organization’s expansion throughout Latin America. Patricia spent her career in the hotel industry at property level, between Madrid and London, until she joined STR in 2008. Patricia often attends and presents at industry conferences and client meetings. She holds a degree in Tourism and a Strategic Leadership for the Hospitality Professional Certificate by Cornell University and a Global Executive MBA at IE

Stephanie Hudson

Stephanie Hudson is the Offering Lead and Delivery Lead for North America at Accenture Costa Rica. Her extensive knowledge spans various areas of the market, including Commerce, Digital Commerce, Marketing, and Digital Transformation. With 15 years of experience in the Digital Production and Human Capital industry, Stephanie excels in the field of Digital Commerce (e-commerce) for B2B, B2C, and Direct-to-Consumer channels. She leads global teams, ensuring success in optimizing growth and operational indicators. Stephanie focuses on Commerce, Consumer Goods & Retail, Inclusion & Diversity, Leadership & Empowerment, and Innovation & Social Impact.

Elio Machillanda

Elio Machillanda heads Yellow Pallet’s operation in Costa Rica. He has lived in 11 countries across 4 continents and currently lives in The Netherlands. Elio is a senior international business leader, guiding organizations toward strategic growth with an increasing focus on sustainability and circular economies. In his current leadership position, Yellow Pallet champions the use of residual waste for the manufacturing of pallet components used in the shipping industry. These components are of superior quality and are made from agri-fibers ranging from bamboo and palm to pineapple, banana, and sustainable wood residues.

Noelia Navarro

Noelia is an agile leader for the Technology Consulting EY service line, with over 12 years of experience in spearheading disruptive technology projects across various domains and industries, including artificial intelligence, web development, blockchain, and advanced data analytics. Her proven track record of delivering remarkable value to customers is a testament to her adept management of complex initiatives that often involve coordinating multiple teams and navigating technological challenges. Noelia holds a master’s degree in Computer Science from Universidad de Costa Rica and an IT Management degree from Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica.

William Ernest

Senior Specialist at IDB Lab (IDB Group's innovation laboratory), from where he seeks to empower poor and vulnerable populations and activate new and sustainable engines of inclusive growth in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Before joining IDB Lab, he worked in the consumer electronics industry as well as in urban development.​

In his journey with IDB Lab, he has worked on topics such as entrepreneurship, innovation, rural community tourism, jobs of the future, and nature-based solutions, always with a focus on inclusion.​

WALTER NDONKEU TITA

Dr. Walter Ndonkeu Tita is professor of pest management & entomology at EARTH University, Costa Rica. His academic achievements include a first-class honors B.S. degree in agriculture, from Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria, an M.S. degree in Nematology from Ghent University, Belgium, and a Doctorate in Entomology from McGill University, Canada. Following his doctoral studies, he completed a comprehensive five-year postdoctoral research program in parasitology at McGill University, focusing on the Bill Gates Foundation and Grand Challenges Canada project on insecticide discovery. At EARTH University, his primary focus is the development of eco-friendly and sustainable pest management systems using a One Health approach, aligning with the critical role of food systems in our society.​

BARBARA SCHMID

Raised in Geneva, Switzerland, Barbara grew up in a multicultural environment, and is fluent in French, English, Spanish and Polish. She graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication and International Studies and earned an MBA from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Barbara joined Starbucks Coffee Company in 2004, at the first Farmer Support Center, located in Costa Rica, and has been instrumental in the development and implementation of C.A.F.E. Practices, one of the coffee industry’s first set of ethical sourcing standards when it launched in 2004. Barbara is responsible for building strategic internal and external partnerships, engaging with Starbucks’ global Farmer Support Center network as well as with suppliers and producers targeting reductions of carbon and water in coffee supply chains around the globe.

Hermes Navarro

He has held several important positions, including Minister Counselor of the Costa Rican Mission to the OEA where he drafted three international conventions and presided over debates on the forced disappearance of persons. He was an expert representative of the Holy See on bioethics, a consultant for the International Health Regulations, and has served in various government roles in Costa Rica. He has also chaired national and international tourism commissions and was the representative for the Americas on the UNWTO World Committee on Tourism Ethics. Currently, he is the Head of the Investment Attraction Unit at the Costa Rican Tourism Institute, responsible for relations with airlines, cruise lines, and hotel investments. He is the author of ten books on law and ethics and has written over 3,000 articles in newspapers and magazines in Costa Rica and other countries.

Javier Pérez

Javier Pérez is the Director of the Assembly and Test Plant. He is a executive with over 20 years of experience in manufacturing environments and leading organizations. He has successfully led various functional areas, including Industrial Engineering, New Product Introduction, Process Engineering, and Production. The teams he has led collaborate effectively with other business organizations and consistently deliver world-class results. He possesses extensive knowledge and practice in Greenfield Plant Start-ups, People Management and Development, Lean Manufacturing, Strategic Planning, Maintenance Practices, Technology Transfers, Project Management, Continuous Process Improvement, and Process Control.