“We Will Not Improve Education in Latin America Without Innovation and the Private Sector”

GFDD representatives attended the launch of the new book “Educación 3.0: The Struggle for Talent in Latin America” by Gabriel Sánchez Zinny, in a reception held at the Embassy of Ecuador in Washington, D.C. on October 21st, 2014, joining diplomats from several Latin American countries and representatives of multilateral organizations, think tanks and private sector companies working in education and/or development both in the United
States and the region.

Mrs. Nathalie Cely, Ambassador of Ecuador in Washington, D.C. started the activity with warm greeting remarks and noting the relevant efforts that Mr. Sánchez Zinny has done over the past several years on the education sector in Latin America. She referred to some of his previous publications and also noted some facts about Ecuador’s achievements in this area. Mrs. Cely then proceeded to introduce the author to the audience.

Gabriel Sánchez Zinny welcomed the guests and thanked the Ambassador for hosting the event. He then commented on the book, saying that with the shifting nature of the global economy, education quality is more important than ever. Both personal success and national competitiveness increasingly depend on what is known as “21ist Century
Skills” (skills that qualify workers for success in higher value added industries and position them to be entrepreneurs and innovators). “We will not improve education in Latin America without innovation and the private sector” pointed the author.

This new book addresses the need for a deep educational transformation in both the United States and Latin America, by presenting stories of educators, innovators and entrepreneurs who are pushing
the envelope in their respective fields.

About the Author: Gabriel Sánchez Zinny is President and Founder of Kuepa.com, Huffington Post blogger, an adjunct fellow with the CSIS Americas Program. He is also managing director at Blue Star Strategies, LLC, and focuses on the Latin America practice, specifically in the areas of infrastructure, education, energy, and international relations. His previous experience includes coordinating the Human Trafficking Program
at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he organized Hispanic civil society groups in 17 states to develop health services for victims of trafficking. He also worked at the Inter-American Development Bank to implement new technologies in the education sector, managing the installation of computer labs, Internet access, and professional training. He directed the Argentina Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars and was a senior fellow at the Atlas
Economic Research Foundation. Prior to Blue Star Strategies, he served as vice president at Dutko Worldwide, in the areas of foreign and U.S. federal affairs. He is also the founder of Edunexo.com, a software company dedicated to providing services for schools and universities and digital solutions to governments. Mr. Sánchez Zinny is coauthor of four other books on education policy and publishes monthly opinion columns in several Latin American newspapers on international politics and
regional relations with the United States. He studied economics at the University of San Andrés in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and received his master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.