WOLA: Advocacy for Human Rights in the Americas
Vice President for Communications

Zaida Márquez

Zaida Márquez is WOLA’s Vice President for Communications. She is responsible for overseeing the organization’s external communications and media work, overall outreach strategies, and major events. She has over 13 years of experience coordinating outreach and advocacy in the context of peace, security and human rights in Latin America.

Prior to joining WOLA, Zaida worked at Amnesty International for the Canadian Francophone section leading campaigns on Latin America and West Africa, as well as, national campaigns including systemic racism and migrant detention. She also led campaigning efforts for the Colombia team at Amnesty International America’s regional office, implementing impactful international campaigns on the Colombia peace process and protection of human rights defenders.

Ms. Marquez was the regional communications and advocacy officer for the International Crisis Group, where she led the expansion of the Latin American and Caribbean program outreach in the region, through innovative communications strategies, leading to a significant increase in their audiences and media coverage.

She was also the Head of Communications for the British Embassy in Peru, and coordinated communications for a number of international development projects in Central America, Peru, and Colombia for USAID, the World Food Program, and OXFAM.

She has a master’s degree in communications from the University of Ottawa and a graduate degree in cultural administration from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC Montreal). She also holds a BA in communications and cultural studies from Concordia University in Canada. She is a Colombian and Canadian national.

Zaida speaks English, Spanish, and French.