OUR TEAM

The Board of Directors is made up of 11 specialists from various disciplines who contribute to GIRE’s strategic vision and governance. Their knowledge of different issues, along with their conviction and commitment to women’s human rights, give GIRE’s work a unique perspective.

The current Board of Directors is made up of: Marta Lamas (President), Gerardo Barroso, Roy Campos, Genaro Lozano, Francisca Pou, Karla Iberia Sánchez, Cecilia Suárez, Roberto Tapia, Rodolfo Vázquez, Gabriela Warkentin and José Woldenberg.

Rebeca Ramos Duarte is a feminist lawyer from the Escuela Libre de Derecho with a Master’s in Human Rights from the Universidad Iberoamericana. She began at GIRE in 2012, and from 2015 to February 2020, she coordinated the Public Policy Advocacy department. She hates anise and cannot live without coffee. She doesn’t know how to cook, but can make a good banana bread and potato omelet. She cries during almost any movie, has more books than she can read, and loves to listen to soundtracks.

Isabel Fulda Graue has a degree in Political Science and International Relations from the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE) and a Master’s in Legal and Political Theory from University College London (UCL). She began at GIRE in 2012, and from 2017 to 2020 she coordinated the organization’s Research department. Among her greatest professional achievements is having established GIRE’s Annual Day of the Dead Sweet Bread Contest, as well as the year-end trivia game. She is left-handed, myopic, feminist and Uva’s human – a dalmatian that wakes her up early every morning demanding breakfast.

The Administration and Accounting Area is in charge of designing GIRE’s internal policies, taking into account the well-being of the organization and each one of its members. Safety, optimal work facilities and conditions and the proper functioning of computer equipment are some of its priorities.

It is also responsible for exercising the budget, including punctual compliance with our suppliers and collaborators; with donors, and with Transparency and Money Laundering laws. GIRE ‘s account statements are audited by one of the leading global accounting firms – PriceWaterhouseCoopers – with results of full compliance with legal and tax requirements that make the organization’s work transparent.

The Communications department oversees continuous content creation to inform the general public about reproductive rights and violations of the same faced by women in Mexico. The department serves as the organization’s link to the outside world through campaigns and other communication strategies that are developed with specific objectives.

Communications has, in many cases, garnered a collective empathy with women whose human rights were violated, thus promoting their access to justice through wide-spread dissemination.

Brenda Rodríguez has doctoral studies in Political Science and Sociology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She also received a Bachelor’s in International Relations at the UNAM, a Masters in Women’s Studies from the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM) and a Diploma in Advanced Studies in Social Sciences and Gender from the Complutense University of Madrid. Before GIRE, Brenda was a researcher and policy analyst and published several essays on citizenship and gender. When the patriarchy falls, she will be a rock singer and feminist wellness coach for women ages 40+.

The Case Documentation and Litigation department promotes women’s exercise of their reproductive rights and accompanies them in their search for justice when their rights have been violated by the State.

The Documentation and Litigation team are constantly traveling throughout Mexico to different communities, which allows them to generate a relationship of trust with the people they accompany.

Accompaniment may include psychological, medical or legal support, depending on what each individual or family needs.

Melissa Ayala has a law degree from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México and a Masters degree from the Harvard Law School. She also has studies in gender-sensitive governance at the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey’s School of Government. Before joining GIRE, Melissa worked at the Unidad de Prevención y Combate al Acoso Sexual del Consejo de la Judicatura Federal. When the patriarchy falls, she will open a bookstore café in Oaxaca and (finally) learn to make pottery.

Institutional Development is responsible for securing the resources necessary for GIRE to fulfill its mission and objectives. The team ensures that resources are assigned to each department so that they can carry out their work; the team also generates reports so that donors know how their support is being used. Additionally, the department oversees the individual donor program and network of individuals who support GIRE’s work.

The Director of Institutional Development also leads the design of the organization’s work plan, its implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Verónica Cobos has a degree in Sociology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and an MA in International Cooperation for Development from the Research Institute José María Luis Mora, attached to the National Council for Science and Technology. Previously, she collaborated in organizations such as Oxfam Mexico, where, in addition to her responsibilities in institutional alliances and donor contract management, she was gender focal point. She also has been Institutional Development Coordinator in Mexico Evalua. When the patriarchy falls, she will be a singer, rock star and salsa dancer.

The Public Policy Advocacy department permanently monitors the regulations and policies related to reproductive rights in Mexico and designs strategies to promote changes in accordance with the highest human rights standards while working to avoid setbacks at the federal and state level. Strategies include technical assistance to legislators, issuing recommendations to different authorities and preparing alternative reports for international human rights committees.

This department also follows up on comprehensive reparation processes for victims of reproductive rights violations, including measures of non-repetition.

The Research team systematizes public information from sources such as official surveys and statistics, and those obtained through requests for access to public information. The data is then compared to internal information from GIRE-accompanied cases for reports detailing the status of reproductive rights in Mexico.

In this department, specialized reports are elaborated on GIRE’s priority issues, which are then distributed among decision makers, opinion leaders, the media, academics and specialists with the goal of generating dialogue, disseminating and raising awareness for the State’s debt to Mexican women. Each report contains GIRE recommendations for various authorities.

Veronica Esparza has a law degree from the Escuela Libre de Derecho of Puebla, and a Master’s degree in amparos and constitutional law from the Universidad Iberoamericana, Golfo Centro. She also has a PhD in human rights from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia of Spain. She joined GIRE in 2018 as researcher. As of December 2021 she assumed the Research Coordinator position. Previously, Verónica worked as independent researcher and her papers has been published in specialized journals. Also worked for 11 years in the National Human Rights Commission, where she held various positions. When the patriarchy falls, she wants to renovate deteriorated houses into incredible houses.

GIRE provides recent graduates with the opportunity for professional development and the acquisition of in-depth knowledge of strategies for the promotion and defense of human rights.

The fellowship program has included a diverse range of graduates in law, public policy, international studies, and human rights who bring important skills and knowledge to different departments.