The Aspen Institute Welcomes New Director of Central America Leadership Initiative (CALI)

Carmen Irene Alas, CALI Fellow and Executive Director of Estrategia & Negocios Magazine, will join the Central America Leadership Initiative as Executive Director effective July 1, 2010.

She succeeds Mirei Endara de Heras who took the helm of CALI in 2006 after graduating as a member of the inaugural class of CALI Fellows.  During the four years of her tenure, Ms. Heras has built CALI into a solid, professional operation.  Ms. Heras ushered in five new classes of CALI Fellows who are truly committed to making a difference in their communities, countries and regions.

"Carmen's broad exposure to and deep understanding of the region, coupled with her wide professional talents and disposition, make her a perfect leader for the next phase of CALI,” said Peter Reiling, Chairman of the Board of CALI and EVP at the Aspen Institute.  “Her experiences as a CALI Fellow, along with Mirei’s support in the changeover, promise a smooth transition.”

Founded in January of 2007, The CALI Foundation is a non-profit private foundation based in Panama that seeks to motivate effective and responsible leaders across Central America.  The aim is to develop a new generation of community-spirited leaders in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. The region is home to a growing number of competent young leaders in all sectors of society. CALI is designed to capture the energy, the talent, and the resolve of these leaders, who have already achieved a certain level of success in their respective fields, to inspire them to make a lasting impact in their region. CALI is a collaborative venture of The Aspen Institute, TechnoServe, INCAE, and FUNDEMAS.  See CALI Website for More Information.