Diego Falconí, a 2004 alumnus in Jurisprudence and Liberal Arts (minor in Literature), is a lawyer, professor, and aw... View More

Diego Falconí, a 2004 alumnus in Jurisprudence and Liberal Arts (minor in Literature), is a lawyer, professor, and award-winning essayist. He earned Ecuador’s prestigious Casa de las Américas Prize in 2016 for De las cenizas al texto and teaches at USFQ’s College of Jurisprudence. As director of Iuris Dictio and co-director of the Intertextos research group, he explores gender, sexuality, decolonial theory, and Andean studies. Falconí is openly homosexual and reclaims "maricón" in his work to challenge colonialist stereotypes. His writing bridges law and literature and inspires critical conversations on identity in Latin America View Less

Daniela Vilema Moreno, 2015 graduate in Environmental Communication from USFQ, leads Marine Education for the Charles ... View More

Daniela Vilema Moreno, 2015 graduate in Environmental Communication from USFQ, leads Marine Education for the Charles Darwin Foundation in the Galápagos. As a National Geographic Explorer, she works to transform local attitudes toward ocean conservation through children’s and youth education campaigns. Her USFQ training instilled in her a blend of ethical integrity, academic rigor, and environmental passion—attributes she credits to both her professors and the unique undergraduate program, which is among the few in the world focused on Environmental Communication View Less

María Cristina, a 2004 graduate in Digital Arts and Multimedia Animation with minors in Programming and English, hold... View More

María Cristina, a 2004 graduate in Digital Arts and Multimedia Animation with minors in Programming and English, holds a Master’s in Cultural Management from Pratt Institute, New York. At the United Nations, she developed projects advancing gender equality, child rights, and disability inclusion. Co‑founder of Awakkuna, she drives cultural exchange initiatives in the Amazon. She attributes her leadership, innovation, critical thinking, resilience, and creativity to her liberal arts foundation and career readiness promoted by USFQ View Less

A double alumna (BBA 1995, MBA 2001), Ana Dolores is currently General Manager of Pfizer Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. W... View More

A double alumna (BBA 1995, MBA 2001), Ana Dolores is currently General Manager of Pfizer Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. With 23 years in pharmaceutical research, she has led the integration of operations across three countries under a model emphasizing excellence, efficiency, and productivity. She credits her holistic liberal arts education at USFQ for nurturing her thoughtful reasoning, ethical foundation, communication skills, networking ability, and resilience in a dynamic business environment View Less

A 2012 graduate, Diego founded a digital startup sold to Publicis shortly after graduation. At Publicis, he headed the r... View More

A 2012 graduate, Diego founded a digital startup sold to Publicis shortly after graduation. At Publicis, he headed the regional digital division before becoming Global Head of Strategic Planning at Spain-based Cabify—making him one of its youngest global leaders and the only Ecuadorian in that role. He attributes USFQ’s academic quality, formative friendships, and coaching from mentors for instilling entrepreneurship, ethics, self-confidence, and resilience—qualities that he calls integral to his professional success View Less

Diego Alonso, class of 2010, holds dual degrees in Communication Design and International Relations. Since 2014, he has ... View More

Diego Alonso, class of 2010, holds dual degrees in Communication Design and International Relations. Since 2014, he has served as Second Secretary at Ecuador’s Permanent Mission to the UN, championing human, social, and cultural rights—particularly indigenous rights—at the international level. He earned a master’s in International Relations and Diplomacy from IAEN. He credits USFQ for cultivating his critical questioning, high aspirations, and tools to empower his community and advocate effectively for his people View Less

María del Carmen is Ecuadorian atmospheric physicist and chemist with a PhD in Meteorology from Penn State University. ... View More

María del Carmen is Ecuadorian atmospheric physicist and chemist with a PhD in Meteorology from Penn State University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at NASA (2010–2012) and is now a research professor and director at USFQ’s Institute for Atmospheric Research. She founded Women In Science at USFQ, inspired by NASA and U.S. initiatives. As a Fulbright Scholar and National Geographic-featured scientist, she focuses on atmospheric composition and climate research, and is a core member of the WMO’s Advisory Group on Reactive Gases View Less

Economist and politician Sandra Naranjo (born 1985) studied at USFQ and later earned a master’s from Harvard’s Ken... View More

Economist and politician Sandra Naranjo (born 1985) studied at USFQ and later earned a master’s from Harvard’s Kennedy School. She served as Ecuador’s Minister of Tourism (2014–2015) before twice being appointed interim Vice President in 2017. A Latin American Social Sciences Institute diploma-holder, she has led national economic planning and tourism reforms under President Rafael Correa’s administration. Her USFQ education laid the groundwork for her leadership at the highest levels of government View Less

Edgar León is a celebrated Ecuadorian chef and USFQ alumnus who also studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. He founded the... View More

Edgar León is a celebrated Ecuadorian chef and USFQ alumnus who also studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. He founded the Hospitality & Tourism school at UTPL and teaches at USFQ and PUCE. His influential cookbook Sopas la Identidad de Ecuador won multiple international awards, including Gourmand’s “Second Best Gastronomy Book in the World” (2014). He promotes Ecuadorian cuisine globally, cooking in countries such as the U.S., Canada, and Germany, and has catered state dinners at the White House—including for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama View Less

Ana María, USFQ's first Liberal Arts graduate (BA in Anthropology, 1995), crafted her own degree plan combining liberal... View More

Ana María, USFQ's first Liberal Arts graduate (BA in Anthropology, 1995), crafted her own degree plan combining liberal arts with Applied Sciences. She studied at University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign as a Fulbright scholar, earning the “Best International Student Award.” With minors in Art History, Performing Arts, and Comparative Literature, she later became a professor, mentor, and thought leader in arts and culture. Her individualized academic path pioneered USFQ’s liberal arts model, supported by co-founder Carlos Montúfar View Less