WHO WE ARE

The South North Nexus Team comes from different backgrounds and disciplines,
all contributing their individual dedication and commitment towards local and global goals 

South North Nexus – Working Together for Our Shared Future!

MEET THE TEAM

​BOARD MEMBERS

​Deborah Hines
Director and Board Member

started her career in Kenya working with communities on agro-forestry and clean energy solutions. Her over thirty years of experience includes field-level technical support, policy, strategy, knowledge management, evaluation and diplomacy. Her career has included working with the UN World Food Programme (WFP)...
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Deborah started her career in Kenya working with communities on agro-forestry and clean energy solutions. Her over thirty years of experience includes field-level technical support, policy, strategy, knowledge management, evaluation and diplomacy.  Her career has included working with the UN World Food Programme (WFP), World Bank (Adaptation Fund and the GEF), Canadian Government, including Environment Canada and the Canadian Development Agency, US Agency for International Development, and assignments with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN and other bilateral and nongovernmental institutions in Africa, Latin American, the Middle East and Asia. A USA/Canadian national with a MF, and PhD level work in Natural Resource Economics (Duke University).
Deborah’s extensive experience includes working with communities on issues related to climate change, natural resource management, integrating the right to food and gender empowerment in sectoral policies, putting development actions in humanitarian assistance, and finding durable solutions for refugees and those in situations of displacement. She has taught university students and conducted research on endangered species management, gender empowerment, community-level food systems, and agro- and social forestry systems.

Veronica Alvarado
Board Member

​Verónica has more than 20 years of experience in international development, specializing in project
formulation, monitoring, evaluation, and integrated project management...

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​Veronica has extensive experience in holistic management, incorporating climate change,
biodiversity, ecosystem management, capacity building, food security and gender mainstreaming in
project design and implementation Verónica currently works for the United Nations World Food
Programme in Peru. Her previous experience includes working for the United Nations Development
Programme and the Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation in Ecuador. Verónica holds a
bachelor's degree in business administration, with specialized studies in program management.

Susan Higgins
Board Member

is a water resources management and policy professional with 35 years of experience...

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Susan Higgins has a 35-year background in water resources management and policy. In her current work with the Center for American Indian and Rural Health Equity and Montana, she facilitates connections between health researchers and rural communities in Montana, and works with a team assessing the impacts of climate change on human health. She also served as a water planner for the State of Montana and as Program Director for The Tributary Fund where she facilitated research activities and exchanges in Mongolia, Bhutan and Montana.
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A trained facilitator, Sue has been actively engaged in water planning and natural resources facilitation and has co-authored guides for educators and landowners on topics such as wetlands management and streambank stabilization. She was a consultant for the Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent and the Montana National Drought Resiliency Project. A past board member to the Society for Conservation Biology’s Working Group on Religion and Conservation Biology she and a colleague developed best practices for scientists conducting research internationally in faith and indigenous communities. She holds a BS in biology and an MS in natural resources management. Sue lives in Bozeman, Montana with her family.

Hélène Papper
Board Member​

is a conflict and post-conflict strategist and leader with extensive experience in diplomacy, advocacy…

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Hélène is a conflict and post-conflict strategist and leader with extensive experience in diplomacy, advocacy, and communications. She has dedicated her career to giving a voice to the most vulnerable communities, and empowering women and girls in conflict and post-conflict contexts. She directed the UN Information Center for Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, where she led strong advocacy programs in the fields of gender, climate, environment, social inclusion, and education aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda. Additionally, she is a recognized public speaker on gender violence and is called upon to give conferences and help develop advocacy tools to influence policy.

Hélène worked in several peacekeeping missions for the United Nations in Mali, Sudan, South Sudan and Haiti, where she developed radio stations to support electoral and peace implementation processes, ensuring protected spaces for women and youth to have a recognized voice in the changing landscapes of their countries. She supported the African Development Bank in their HQ transition from Tunisia to Cote d’Ivoire. Her background in Political Science and Broadcast Journalism led her to start her career as an international journalist and foreign policy analyst.

William Vigil
Director and Board Member

​is a Nicaraguan/Australian national and has an MA in Economic Development (The American University, Washington, DC), with more than thirty years of experience in international development and a blend of on-the-ground field experience with policy, planning and diplomatic efforts. He has worked with the UN World Food Programme…

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​William is a Nicaraguan/Australian national and has an MA in Economic Development (The American University, Washington, DC), with more than thirty years of experience in international development and a blend of on-the-ground field experience with policy, planning and diplomatic efforts. He has worked with the UN World Food Programme in Africa, Latin America and Rome, with the Canadian Government, the European Union, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), UNDP, and UNICEF, and has served with the Nicaraguan government as technical national counterpart to the UN system, and in diplomatic posts  in Managua,  Washington, and New York as acting Representative of Nicaragua to the U.N.
​William has supported the LAC region as well as Eastern and Southern African countries in disaster preparedness and emergency response, including conducting, simulations, disaster assessments, and incorporating new technologies in emergency response. William took early retirement from the United Nations in late 2019. His last post was Country Director for the World Food Programme in the Dominican Republic. He is affiliated with several professional organizations such as the Social Advisory Group of FUNIDES (Nicaragua), Associate of the Inter-American Dialogue (Washington, DC) and Rain Barrel Associates (New York).

Gerard Gomez
Board Member

​Gérard has 33 years’ experience in emergency preparedness and response, humanitarian coordination, crisis management, information management, analyses, advocacy, planning, and logistics….

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From 1989 to 2002 Mr. Gomez worked with Doctors without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières), in places where armed conflicts and natural disasters prevailed such as El Salvador, Mozambique, Southern Sudan, Chechenia, Haiti and Sri Lanka in preparedness, response, and emergency assessments. He participated, in a leadership role, in several emergency response missions, either in conflict situations or in climate change related crisis (hurricanes, landslide or floods), earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.

From 2002 to 2022 he worked for the United Nations Office of Coordination of Humanitarian affair (OCHA) as regional director for Latin America & the Caribbean in Panama, and the Pacific region in Fiji, as well as OCHA country director in Colombia, Burundi, and as special senior humanitarian officer in Mali. He has also worked with IOM in 2021 as deputy head of Office in Colombia in the coordination mechanism with UNHCR to respond to the Venezuelan migratory crisis. 

Gérard Gomez was born on December 10th, 1959, in France. He is married and has two children. He studied social and Economic Sciences, hold a bachelor’s degree in Logistics Organization and studied Anthropology in Paris.  He speaks fluently Spanish, English, and French.  He is currently retired from the United Nations.

Paula Milano
Board Member and Treasurer

Paula has worked internationally to help women-focused nonprofits to develop strategic and marketing plans, and accounting systems….
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Paula started her career working in the technology industry, assisting companies to develop and implement business solutions. During her 29 years in software technology, she founded and was CEO in two companies. As a trained business consultant, Paula is active in the nonprofit community to develop efficient business solutions, as well as working to support their mission of improving the lives of communities in need.   
She is a founding member of Women in Philanthropy Orange County, founding member and past chair of the Dean's Leadership Circle for the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine, and she has held positions on the board of directors in nonprofit organizations. 
 
Paula's awards include the National Association of Women Business Owners 2002 Remarkable Woman award and 2005 Outstanding Women in Technology and Life Science from the American Electronics Association.

Henry Vega
​Board Member

Dr. Vega is well versed in market access issues and trade barriers, food security and international development…
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​Dr. Henry Vega has solid experience in international agriculture and development. He is well versed in market access issues and trade barriers, food security, and international development. Throughout his academic and professional career, he has developed extensive policy analysis experience in the areas of agricultural trade, transportation supply chains, food safety, biotechnology, and resilient agriculture.

Dr. Vega recently contributed to the development of Salesian Missions’ strategy to deliver food and nutritional assistance to at-risk youth in Venezuela. Dr. Vega received his agriculture engineering degree from the Army Polytechnic School of Ecuador in 1998. As a 2000 Fulbright scholarship recipient, he relocated to the United States to pursue graduate studies and subsequently received a Master of Science in Agricultural and Applied Economics from Clemson University. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy from George Mason University. His doctoral studies encompassed double concentrations in (i) Regional Development and Transportation and (ii) Global and International Systems.​

PARTNERS

Together we can do more

No single entity can address the complex challenges we face today. SNN gives priority to long- term relations and strategically working with a range of stakeholders to address the pressing problems we face – climate, migratory, environmental, social, economic. Understanding these interrelated risks and who is most vulnerable is an urgent priority that requires united and complementary efforts.
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We are extremely thankful to all of our community partners who help us achieve our vision of listening locally and contributing globally.

Our global partners

• Colombia:  La Asociación de Kalema, Fundación Social Tierra de Indios
• Montana: Bienvinidos a Gallatin Valley
• Nicaragua: CALPI (Centro de Asistencia Légal a Pueblos Indígenas)
• Kenya: BLEC, Inclusive Concepts
• Mongolia: BioRegions International​
• Mexico: Huerto Awilum, Jesucristo es la Respuesta, El Buen Samaritana, COESPO (Comisión Estatal de Población)