Yadira Pinilla (Soto) has worked with 5 administrations throughout her 30 years with the Organization of American States. Currently, she oversees the Human Development, Scholarships and Training area of the Department of Human Development, Education and Employment. Yadira has more than 25 years of experience in the management of technical assistance projects where she has handled a variety of large-scale budgets, always seeking their effective and efficient utilization of the organization's resources and sound budgeting. She has worked with many international donors where she has been exposed to the budgeting practices of the UN, European Union and other global partners who have contributed substantial financial resources to the Organization.

Under Yadira’s initiative, and with the endorsement of the member countries, she promoted the creation of the first department of the General Secretariat dedicated to promoting dialogue and conflict resolution. Throughout her career, Yadira has distinguished herself for her interest in collaborating and working with the financial and operational secretariats of the OAS to ensure the improvement of financial and administrative processes within the organization.

In recent years, Yadira has worked with the youth of the Americas, in her role as Vice President of the Young Americas Business Trust, an OAS affiliated institution aimed at promoting youth entrepreneurship and leadership in the Americas. Through her work with YABT she has been able to create an important role for the OAS in supporting the youth of the Americas. Yadira has been a member of the OAS Credit Union since 1991.

My experience as a board member in multilateral credit organizations such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, my participation in public and private sector Boards of Directors, and my extensive professional career spanning over 30 years will enable me to support the ongoing pursuit of financial, global, and innovative solutions that benefit all partners of the Cooperative.

With over 30 years of experience in management and advisory roles in both the public and private sectors, as well as in international financial organizations, I have developed deep expertise in public and private sector development. My broad career includes designing, implementing, evaluating, and negotiating development programs across a wide range of sectors. Additionally, I have played key roles in institutional and operational development, participating in over 50 projects with the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, covering sectors such as health, public sector management, water and sanitation, rural development, agribusiness, and transportation in Latin America and the Caribbean. I currently serve as a senior consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, DC.

“I currently serve as a volunteer on the credit union’s ALCO (Asset-Liability) Committee and have served on the OAS FCU Board for more than four years. I also served as Chair of the National Geographic Credit Union Board for nine years and negotiated its merger with OAS FCU. My experience will guide me in the years ahead to ensure our credit union remains strong and continues to provide security, competitive rates, and quality service to its members.”

Jeff Hertrick currently serves on the OAS FCU ALCO (Asset-Liability) Committee. He previously served as a member and Chair of the Community Relations & Membership Committee and also served on the OAS FCU Board for more than four years.

He was elected to the National Geographic Credit Union Board in 2004 and served as Chair of that Board for nine years, until the credit union merged into the OAS FCU in 2018.

Throughout his professional career, he has held management positions, overseeing budgets, leading staff of up to 34 employees, and supervising multiple aspects of customer service.

He worked for more than 18 years at National Geographic, serving as Director of News & Documentary Digital Video, where he commissioned and collaborated with video producers from around the world, and as Director of Digital Video Operations for National Geographic Partners, part of The Walt Disney Company.

Prior to his time at National Geographic, Mr. Hertrick worked in television news as a news director, reporter, anchor, producer, executive producer, and videographer. He also worked for Discovery Networks and produced a television news program for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Most recently, he served as Director of Digital Strategy for the National Press Foundation in Washington, D.C. He also taught master’s students at Medill School of Journalism and students at West Virginia University.

In volunteer work outside of the credit union, he served for 12 years as Treasurer of his condominium association in Washington, D.C. He currently volunteers as a film selection committee member for the American Conservation Film Festival.

Statement

As a Board member, I will strengthen OAS FCU’s commitment to high-quality, member-centered services by promoting operational efficiency, financial inclusion, and strategic innovation. Leveraging my experience in project management, development cooperation, and leadership, I will champion transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to support the sustainable growth of the Credit Union and the financial well-being of our diverse community.

Bio

Luz Angela Serrano is a development cooperation specialist at the Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI) of the Organization of American States (OAS). In this role, she manages projects financed through the OAS Development Cooperation Fund (OAS/DCF), providing seed funding to build human capacity, strengthen institutions, and promote sustainable development across Latin America and the Caribbean. She also supports member states in advancing the mission of the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD), contributing to the design and implementation of strategies that enhance cooperation for development throughout the region.

Luz Angela holds a Bachelor's Degree in Government and International Relations from Universidad Externado de Colombia and a Master’s Degree in International Development from American University in Washington, D.C. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) and earned a certification in Leading Strategic Projects from the University of Oxford. With 15 years of experience working with multilateral organizations, she has built strong expertise in project management, strategic planning, partnership building, and results-based management across the Western Hemisphere.

She joined the OAS in 2011 as a consultant in the Department of Human Resources, where she supported decision-making processes for delegates of the OAS member states. She later transitioned to SEDI, where she currently serves in the Technical Cooperation Section, helping to operationalize the Organization’s development agenda.

Since 2018, Luz Angela has actively supported the OAS Federal Credit Union (OAS FCU) as a volunteer member of the Community Relations and Membership Committee. In 2020, she expanded her contributions by joining the Credit Committee, gaining valuable insights into the Credit Union’s operations, financial services, and member engagement strategies. Her longstanding commitment to OAS FCU, combined with her leadership skills and professional experience managing cross-cutting initiatives, positions her strongly to serve on the Board of Directors. Luz Angela is willing to support the advancement of the Credit Union’s mission by fostering transparency, promoting operational excellence, and ensuring that members' needs are central to decision-making.

Ezequiel Galatro, an Argentine citizen, married to Lucia and father of Baltazar, joined CAF in 2012, working in different areas of the organization. Previously, Ezequiel held management positions in private sector companies in the healthcare industry.

Mr. Galatro’s responsibilities as Senior Executive at the Corporate Vice Presidency of Strategic Programming of CAF, include a wide range of responsibilities that are summarized in providing input for the bank's strategic programming, budgetary allocation, and selection of projects that foster sustainable economic growth and social wellbeing for the Latin American and Caribbean regions.

Ezequiel holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Buenos Aires, a master’s degree in Finance from UCEMA (with a specialization in Capital Markets) and is a PhD candidate in Finance from the same University. He also studied Project Management at the Tecnológico de Monterrey Institute and Public Private Partnerships at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.

"My professional experience and trajectory in the public sector, private banking and multilateral organizations has provided me with adequate tools and experience to contribute and represent the interests of OAS FCU’s members, looking for agile and efficient processes to maximize services and benefits for members as well as to support strategic decision-making at the Credit Union.”

Claudia Flores is a Bolivian citizen. She joined CAF in November 2010. Before entering CAF, she held different positions in the public sector in her home country and in investment banking in New York, where she led the origination and structuring of corporate and project finance.

Since joining CAF, Ms. Flores has held various positions in the infrastructure, energy and private sectors evaluating and structuring projects for the public and private sector including financial institutions. Currently, Ms. Flores works for the Vice-presidency of the Private Sector as a Portfolio Manager in charge of managing CAF´s private sector portfolio, including investment projects and financial institutions.

Ms. Flores holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Universidad Catolica of Buenos Aires, Argentina and a master's degree in International Affairs and International Finance from Columbia University in New York.

Ms. Flores has been a member of OAS FCU since 2017.

“My 20 years of professional experience in international banking along with having served as a board member in various institutions will allow me to support the development of tailor-made global financial solutions that can build loyalty among the Credit Union membership around the world.”

Angel Cárdenas Sosa is the General Manager for CAF’s Water Security Agenda and the Urban/Subnational development and creative economies agendas of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF).

He is responsible for a USD 6 billion investment portfolio. Mr. Cárdenas is an economist with master's degrees in public management, Territorial Planning and Environmental Management, as well as Business Administration. He is currently a Ph. D. candidate in Political Science.

Mr. Cárdenas has more than 20 years of experience in multilateral banking and international development. At CAF, he has served previously as General Secretary, General Auditor, Director of Infrastructure and Energy projects, among others.

He has also lectured at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels at universities in Argentina, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela. He is board member of different institutions such as The Financiera Nacional de Desarrollo in Colombia and the Global Water Partnership.

“My extensive professional and academic experience allow me to have an extremely broad and strategic vision to add value to processes, products, and/or services. Having worked in the operations and finance areas of the banking sector, not only in Operations Control, but also in Finance, at the Financial Solutions Unit has provided me with the necessary will give me the tools and skills that will allow me to add value to necessary to add value to OAS FCU.”

Reinaldo Ledezma, of Venezuelan nationality, joined CAF in January 2008. Previously, Reinaldo held important managerial positions in transnational companies such as Anheuser- Busch InBev and Mondelez, in addition to teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Finance and Cost Management.

Mr. Ledezma’s responsibilities at CAF in his 16 years, reaching the position of Acting Director of the Operations Control Team was guarantee TO the quality of the operational processes of all financial products and services, leading a team of 36 people located in 12 countries, responsible for performing on a daily average more than 6 billion dollars. He is currently working on enhancing the offer of CAF products through innovation and adaptation of financial instruments that contribute to the generation of value and satisfaction of the needs of clients.

Mr. Ledezma obtained a degree in Public Accounting (Cum Laude distinction) from the Universidad Centro Occidental Lisandro Alvarado, master's degree in public policies from the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración, master's degree in Global Business Management from Tulane University and Specialization in Innovation and Quality by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.

Additionally, Mr. Ledezma is a sport´s lover in every sense, having represented his country in four World Masters Table Tennis Championships and obtaining several titles at the Latin American level in the discipline of table tennis; he is currently on the path to get his Six Star Medal Abbott World Marathon Majors, having completed New York and Chicago where he achieved his qualifying time for Boston 2024. He is part of the Organizing Committee of the CAF Marathon and the General Coordinator of over 600 volunteers.

I'm originally from Argentina and have a background in Business Administration, along with a Master's degree in Project Evaluation. With over 15 years of experience in the financial sector, I've held strategic roles in both commercial banking and international development. Since 2015, I’ve been working at CAF – the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean – focusing on private sector financing, public investment, and regional development strategies.

Throughout my career, I’ve specialized in designing innovative financial products, managing budgets, and supporting high-level decision-making processes.

I’ve been a proud member of the OAS Credit Union for nearly a decade, and I believe now is the right time to step up and contribute more actively. I’m running for the Board because I want to help improve and modernize the services we offer, with a strong focus on member experience and accessibility—no matter where our members are in the world.

“My experience in the financial sector, being president of two board of directors and working in international institutions in Latin America will allow me to contribute to the objective of promoting credit quality while satisfying the needs of my fellow OAS FCU members.”

María Soledad (Marisol) Barrera, an Ecuadorian citizen worked for CAF, two development banks in Ecuador, chaired the board of the Latin American Association of Development Financing Institutions (ALIDE), Corporacion Financiera Nacional and Banco del Pacifico, Ecuador.

Mrs. Barrera has had the opportunity to create and be part of several key committees during her professional career at different financial institutions such as ALCO, credit committees, and risk management.

Ms. Barrera holds a bachelor’s in business administration degree from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador and an MBA with focus in International Management from Thunderbird University, Arizona, USA.

My experience in working closely with all government, international organization and civil society actors will enable me to contribute to the objectives of efficiently maximizing the commitment of the Credit Union through assuring superior experiences and cultivating a trusted partnership for life among its members.”

Jennifer Molina-Vrolijk, a Venezuelan citizen joined the Organization of American States (OAS) in 2008 and currently works at the Department of Summits of the Americas of the OAS.

Ms. Molina’s duties as Civil Society and Social Actors and Financial Officer include the responsibility to elaborate and implement project proposals and activities to strengthen the participation of Civil Society and Social actors in the Summit Process and oversight of all financial aspects of the Summit Secretariat. Furthermore, she works closely with donors to ensure the proper execution of approved projects, grants, and international cooperation agreements.

Ms. Molina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University at Albany, NY and a Master’s degree in International Relations from the Universiteit van Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Ms. Molina has been part of the Credit Union Community Relations and Membership Committee during eight years from 2017 till Present.

As Credit Committee Member I intend to represent the membership and ensure that the Credit Committee continues to act in the members’ best interest, following a secure path, and work collaboratively with the Credit Union management to facilitate expansion on a solid basis.

Desiree Valera joined the OAS in 2001. In her tenure Ms. Valera has been working in the Department of Financial Services, where she has demonstrated the ability to deliver mission-critical results for over 21 years and has proven her knowledge of financial/accounting operations at different levels.

Currently Ms. Valera works as General Ledger/Grants and Reconciliation Manager where, among other duties, she is responsible for the supervision of the financial transactions’ recording for Grants accounting and General Ledger.

Her previous experience at the Banco Mercantil in Caracas Venezuela, allowed her to gain extensive experience analyzing financial statements of various companies, formulating requests for loans and, preparing proposals to be presented to the credit department among other functions.

Ms. Valera has served as a volunteer in the Community Relations and Membership Committee of OAS Federal Credit Union between 2013 and 2016, and in the Credit Committee since 2016.

Ms. Valera holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Kogod School of Business, American University (Washington, DC); she completed the Graduate Program in International Marketing from Florida International University, (Miami, Florida); and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economy from Universidad Católica Andres Bello (Caracas, Venezuela).

I have been leading the technical analysis of financial institutions across the region for over 15 years. This background has allowed me to understand its main challenges, what are the main risks they face, as well as the different business models to be successful and resilient. In this sense, I would like to contribute my knowledge and experience to identify world-class financial solutions that add value and technical support to OAS FCU’s Credit Committee.

I have been working at CAF since 2011 and currently I am currently the Non- Sovereign Risk Director. This role is responsible for overseeing the identification, measurement, and monitoring of risks and mitigating factors for all operations that do not have the sovereign guarantee. Before joining CAF, I was working at Deloitte, first in the audit department and then in corporate finance, with focus on structured finance.

I am a Public Accountant from the National University of the South, Argentina and master’s in finance from the University of CEMA, Argentina.

Statement

As a Board member, I will strengthen OAS FCU’s commitment to high-quality, member-centered services by promoting operational efficiency, financial inclusion, and strategic innovation. Leveraging my experience in project management, development cooperation, and leadership, I will champion transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to support the sustainable growth of the Credit Union and the financial well-being of our diverse community.

Bio

Luz Angela Serrano is a development cooperation specialist at the Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI) of the Organization of American States (OAS). In this role, she manages projects financed through the OAS Development Cooperation Fund (OAS/DCF), providing seed funding to build human capacity, strengthen institutions, and promote sustainable development across Latin America and the Caribbean. She also supports member states in advancing the mission of the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD), contributing to the design and implementation of strategies that enhance cooperation for development throughout the region.

Luz Angela holds a Bachelor's Degree in Government and International Relations from Universidad Externado de Colombia and a Master’s Degree in International Development from American University in Washington, D.C. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) and earned a certification in Leading Strategic Projects from the University of Oxford. With 15 years of experience working with multilateral organizations, she has built strong expertise in project management, strategic planning, partnership building, and results-based management across the Western Hemisphere.

She joined the OAS in 2011 as a consultant in the Department of Human Resources, where she supported decision-making processes for delegates of the OAS member states. She later transitioned to SEDI, where she currently serves in the Technical Cooperation Section, helping to operationalize the Organization’s development agenda.

Since 2018, Luz Angela has actively supported the OAS Federal Credit Union (OAS FCU) as a volunteer member of the Community Relations and Membership Committee. In 2020, she expanded her contributions by joining the Credit Committee, gaining valuable insights into the Credit Union’s operations, financial services, and member engagement strategies. Her longstanding commitment to OAS FCU, combined with her leadership skills and professional experience managing cross-cutting initiatives, positions her strongly to serve on the Board of Directors. Luz Angela is willing to support the advancement of the Credit Union’s mission by fostering transparency, promoting operational excellence, and ensuring that members' needs are central to decision-making.