Our mission is to advance human rights and social justice in the Americas.
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Our staff are leading experts on Latin America
Carolina Jiménez Sandoval
President
Carolina Jiménez Sandoval is the President of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). She brings to WOLA over 20 years of experience in research and advocacy for human rights in the Americas and throughout the world. As a leader…
Maureen Meyer
Vice President for Programs
Maureen Meyer serves as WOLA’s Vice President for Programs, working with senior staff to develop policy priorities and strategies to advance human rights and social justice in Latin America.
Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli
Director for the Andes
Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli is the leading Colombia human rights advocate at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). Ms. Sánchez is an expert on peace and illegal armed groups, internally displaced persons, human rights and ethnic minority rights. Her work has…
Stephanie Brewer
Director for Mexico
Stephanie Brewer is the Director for Mexico at WOLA. She advocates for policy improvements on both sides of the border to protect human rights and support the rule of law in Mexico, with a focus on public security, criminal justice,…
Adam Isacson
Director for Defense Oversight
Adam Isacson has worked on defense, security, and peacebuilding in Latin America since 1994. He now directs WOLA’s Defense Oversight program, which monitors U.S. cooperation with Latin America’s security forces, as well as other security trends.
John Walsh
Director for Drug Policy and the Andes
John Walsh has coordinated WOLA’s Drug Policy program since 2003, in support of more humane and effective drug policies in the Americas. Respected for his combination of careful policy analysis and effective advocacy, Mr. Walsh has helped establish WOLA as…
Mariakarla Nodarse Venancio
Assistant Director for Cuba
Mariakarla Nodarse Venancio is the Assistant Director for Cuba at WOLA and coordinates the program’s research and advocacy in Washington, D.C. As a lawyer and social justice advocate, her work has focused on U.S. foreign policy towards Latin America and…
Ana María Méndez Dardón
Director for Central America
Ana María Méndez Dardón is the Director for Central America at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). At WOLA, she leads the program’s research and advocacy efforts on issues of rule of law, democratic strengthening, judicial independence, and civil…
Laura Cristina Dib
Director for Venezuela
Laura Cristina Dib is the Venezuela Program Director at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). Prior to joining WOLA, Laura was the Director of the Legal Clinic for Migrants and a member of the Migration Studies Center at University…
We help to create impact both in Washington and throughout the Americas.
Partner
We partner with courageous people throughout the Americas to identify urgent human rights problems.
Research
We bring decades of expertise to analyze these problems and propose concrete policy solutions.
Advocate
We advance human rights by combining cutting-edge communications and advocacy strategies.
Impact
By changing policies we create lasting impact for human rights and social justice in the Americas.
