Join the Next Social Change Career Podcast Episode Livestream Building Tech Ecosystems for Social Change in Latin America

Catalina Escobar has spent 20+ years at the intersection of technology, cooperation, and social development. As co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of MAKAIA — and one of the driving forces behind BeTek, MAKAIA's corporate tech training initiative — she has helped build one of Latin America's most innovative social impact organizations, serving hundreds of nonprofits and social projects across the region while tackling the digital skills gap head-on.

In this conversation, Catalina shares what it takes to build a tech-for-good organization from the ground up in Medellín, what she learned from six years managing digital collaboration projects at the World Bank, and why closing the technology skills gap is one of the defining social challenges of our time in Latin America.

Why Join the Livestream

• Explore how technology, cooperation, and innovation converge in a career of regional and global impact
• Learn how MAKAIA has supported hundreds of nonprofits and social projects across Latin America
• Hear about BeTek and what it takes to build corporate tech training that actually serves communities
• Discover the path from mechanical engineering to social entrepreneurship — and what that crossing teaches
• Gain insight into digital development, civil society capacity-building, and tech-for-good strategy
• Join the conversation live with questions and comments

When April 13 10:30 am EDT

How to Join Live on LinkedIn & YouTube

The livestream includes time for audience questions and comments.

Can't attend live? The episode will be available shortly after, alongside 200+ past conversations on impact careers and social change: https://pcdn.global/listen

Bio

Catalina Escobar Bravo is a civil society leader and social entrepreneur serving as co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of MAKAIA, a Colombian nonprofit that strengthens social development through technology, cooperation, and innovation. Over the past decade, she has helped grow MAKAIA from a bold idea into an organization serving hundreds of nonprofits and social projects across Latin America — including co-creating BeTek, MAKAIA's corporate IT training initiative working to close the digital skills gap across Colombia. Prior to MAKAIA, Catalina spent six years at the World Bank managing web and digital collaboration projects, and worked with the Development Gateway as part of the World Bank's intranet team. She holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Universidad EAFIT in Medellín and an MBA from George Washington University. She is also a Fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar on Libraries and Museums in an Era of Participatory Culture.