meet Our Team

JGG NETWORK

JGG HEAD OFFICE
NETWORK CONSULTANTS

JGG HEAD OFFICE

KIMBERLY INKSATER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Kimberly Inksater is the Canadian founder and executive director of the Just Governance Group.

KIMBERLY INKSATER

(JGG Executive Director)

Kimberly Inksater is the Canadian founder and executive director of the Just Governance Group. Ms. Inksater is an internationally recognized expert in human rights, justice reform, legal pluralism, gender equality, and conflict and security. She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Toronto, a Master of Laws degree from the University of Ottawa, a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree from the University of Ottawa, and certificates in conflict and security. Ms.Inksater has been working in international development for over 27 years, the last 15 years of which she has worked as an international consultant, primarily in the Americas (Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua) and countries affected by conflict or in transition (China, Palestine, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam).

As the Just Governance Group executive director, Ms. Inksater has worked as a consultant to multilateral institutions, European and Canadian development agencies, and non-governmental organizations. Prior to founding JGG with colleagues from Latin America, she worked with international missions, including the United Nations Verification Mission to Guatemala and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Bosnia-Herzegovina. She also worked in the policy and legal departments at the Ontario Human Rights Commission for three years.

JOSÉ MIGUEL LÓPEZ

STAFF CONSULTANT

José Miguel López is a monitoring and evaluation specialist with five years of work experience...

JOSÉ MIGUEL LÓPEZ

Staff Consultant

José Miguel López is a monitoring and evaluation specialist with five years of work experience in the international development sector. He has developed evidence-based models for the prevention of crime and violence in vulnerable communities in Mexico. He holds a research Master degree in Quantitative Economics from Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne in France, a Master of Science degree in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics from Universiteit van Tilburg in the Netherlands and a Bachelor degree in Economics from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California in Mexico.

Mr López has provided local governments, non-profit and civil society organizations with valuable advice for the effective design, monitoring and evaluation of projects addressing issues related to youth violence, gender inequality, gender-based violence, democratic governance and education. He has extensive experience facilitating hands-on training workshops and providing technical advice for the practical use of logic models, indicators, results-based management, monitoring and evaluation methodologies. He has acquired his expertise while working for international agencies and universities such as USAID, UNDP Mexico and Universidad Autónoma de Baja California.

John Sharp

MANAGER

Mercedes Ventura

OFFICE ASSISTANT

University of Ottawa Internship Program

NETWORK CONSULTANTS

CARMEN BEATRIZ RUIZ

BOLIVIA

Carmen Beatriz Ruiz is a Bolivian specialist in social communications, anthropology, human rights, women's rights, democratic citizenship and cultural diversity.

CARMEN BEATRIZ RUIZ

JGG Consultant, Bolivia Network Contact

Carmen Beatriz Ruiz is a Bolivian specialist in social communications, anthropology, human rights, women's rights, democratic citizenship and cultural diversity. She has extensive experience in institutional management and planning, monitoring, and evaluation. Ms.Ruiz holds a Masters of Social Sciences degree in Anthropology from the Universidad de la Cordillera, La Paz and a Bachelor of Communication Sciences degree from the Catholic University of Bolivia, as well as diplomas in Conflict Resolution and Executive Management in Ombudsman Institutions.

A former deputy ombudsman for Bolivia, Ms.Ruiz has over 25 years of experience in innovative human rights promotion initiatives with non-governmental women's and rural developmentorganizations, a community radio station, and social communications departments in the ministries responsible for gender affairs and for education. She has experience in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua and El Salvador. She is currently a Just Governance Group consultant and research associate at the Institute for Rural Development in South America.

CARLOS HERZ

PERU

Carlos Herz Sáenz is a Peruvian expert with basic training in anthropology and communication, masters in anthropology and public management...

CARLOS HERZ

JGG Consultant, Peru Network Contact

Carlos Herz Sáenz is a Peruvian expert with basic training in anthropology and communication, masters in anthropology and public management, and a doctorate in Andean studies. He has experience andspecialization in management and participatory planning of local development with emphasis on environment, decentralization, institutional strengthening, governance, interculturality, social public policies and socio-environmental conflicts, mainly in rural and Andean rural communities and rural municipalities. With more than 25 years of experience in management, planning, monitoring, evaluation and systematization of projects in NGOs, cooperation agencies, international, and governmentalorganizations.

In the last 20 years, Mr.Herz has participated in programs and projects in the Andean countries and South-South cooperation on issues related to capacity development in natural resource management, local governance, decentralization, socio-environmental conflict management, climate change and management Cultural and natural heritage.

CARMEN COLAZO

PARAGUAY

Carmen Colazo is an Argentinian academic and advocate for gender equality, with significant experience working for the rights of women in Argentina...

CARMEN COLAZO

JGG Consultant, Paraguay Network Contact

Carmen Colazo is an Argentinian academic and advocate for gender equality, with significant experience working for the rights of women in Argentina, Paraguay and other Latin American countries.Ms.Colazo holds a Master of Sociology degree from the University of Catalonia and a Bachelor of Information Sciences degree from the National University of Cordoba.

In 1993 Ms.Colazo became the first director of education for the Women’s Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic of Paraguay, with ministerial rank, and to date is a member of the cabinet. She was the director of the Network for Women, Gender Equality and Development (GED RIF) of the College of the Americas (COLAM) of the Inter-American University Organization (OUI). Ms.Colazo currently works as a consultant on human rights and gender issues.

PAOLA JIMENEZ

COLOMBIA

Paola Jimenez is a Colombian lawyer and a legal sociologist with expertise in human rights protection, promotion and education, with a special emphasis on gender equality.

PAOLA JIMENEZ

Paola Jimenez is a Colombian lawyer and a legal sociologist with expertise in human rights protection, promotion and education, with a special emphasis on gender equality. Ms. Jimenez holds a Master of Social Sciences degree from the Oñati International Institute for the Sociology of Law in Spain and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the National University of Colombia. She has over 11 years of experience in international cooperation in Colombia and Central America.

In recent years, Ms. Jimenez has worked as a consultant with development programs and with UN Women. As a consultant to UN Women she reviewed the technical capacity on gender issues in the United Nations System in Latin America and the Caribbean. She has coordinated projects for the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights and the Colombian Community Justice Network. She has teaching experience as a professor at the National University of Colombia, the University of Santo Tomas, and at the University of Narino.

LUIS DAVID GRAJEDA

GUATEMALA

Luis David Grajeda is a Guatemalan expert in planning, monitoring and evaluation of public policies and development programs, with particular expertise in education, communication...

LUIS DAVID GRAJEDA

JGG Consultant

Luis David Grajeda is a Guatemalan expert in planning, monitoring and evaluation of public policies and development programs, with particular expertise in education, communication, governance, human rights and local democratic development. Mr. Grajeda holds a PhD in Education from Universidad de la Salle, Costa Rica, a Master of Development and Social Management degree from the University of the Valley, Guatemala, and a Bachelor in Communication degree from the University of San Carlos, Guatemala. He has also studied mediation, facilitation of group dialogue, entrepreneurial behaviour and societal transitions to democracy. In addition to holding posts as a professor at several Guatemalan universities, he has worked for 20 years in Central and South America for a range of international cooperation agencies, including special missions and agencies of the United Nations and the European Union, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation for Agriculture (IICA), the Soros Foundation and European and national non-governmental organizations.

Mr. Grajeda is currently the executive director of Agenda 21, S.A., a Guatemalan development consulting firm. He has worked with the JGG on monitoring and evaluation consultancies for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and for Global Fairness Initiative projects in Guatemala and Nicaragua. In the last eight years his professional and academic interests have focused on the study of new forms of social organization that respond to the conditions established by the information society and to the challenges of reform or construction of a multicultural and democratic state in developing countries. Mr. Grajeda has developed a theoretical model called "conversational networks" to advance these challenges.

MURAD FARES

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

Murad El Fares is a Palestinian legal expert, whose key practice areas are legislative drafting and law related to business, commerce, banking, income tax, electronic transactions...

MURAD FARES

JGG consultant, Palestinian Network Contact

Murad El Fares is a Palestinian legal expert, whose key practice areas are legislative drafting and law related to business, commerce, banking, income tax, electronic transactions, telecommunications, competition (antitrust) and industry regulations. Mr.El Fares holds a Master of Laws degree from Duke University, North Carolina, a Master of Laws degree in Commercial Law from Birzeit University, and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Amman National University, Jordan. He is currently working as a legal advisor in the largest telecommunication company in Palestine, PALTEL. He has 19 years of professional experience in law.

Mr.El Fares is a managing partner in ITTQAN, a law firm that provides consultation and legal advice to major Palestinian corporations, institutions and non-governmental organizations. He has worked in the fields of justice and legal reform in the West Back for USAID legal projects in Palestine, and as a local advisor to JGG for an evaluation of the Judicial Independence and Human Dignity Project. He also contributed to revising Law Schools Assessment in Palestine, (Al Quds University, An Najah National University, Al-Ahliya, Modern, and Hebron University Faculties of Law), a project that helped to identify opportunities for the Palestinian Justice Enhancement Program that have strengthened practical skills education in law schools.

LLOYD LIPSETT

Lloyd Lipsett is a Canadian lawyer with 15 years of specialization in international human rights, democratic...

LLOYD LIPSETT

JGG Consultant

Lloyd Lipsett is a Canadian lawyer with 15 years of specialization in international human rights, democratic development, the rule of law, and corporate social responsibility. Lloyd's international human rights expertise has been shaped by his work with public institutions, private companies, multilateral agencies, non-governmental organizations, and First Nations councils. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from McGill University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Philosophy from Queen’s University, and is licensed to practice law and serve as a notary in Ontario and Quebec.

Mr.Lipsett has developed a unique niche in the field of human rights impact and compliance assessment related to business and trade. He has conducted human rights impact assessments related to multilateral trade agreements, and, together with Kimberly Inksater, developed a methodology for the annual human rights reporting process of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Mr.Lipsett has undertaken human rights assessments of mining operations in North America and Guatemala and has conducted consultancies related to business, human rights and international/community development with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the International Bar Association, the Mining Association of Canada and a variety of companies and consulting firms.

CARLOS ARENAS

Carlos Arenas is a Colombian expert with over 20 years of experience in human rights in the Latin American region...

CARLOS ARENAS

JGG Consultant

Carlos Arenas is a Colombian expert with over 20 years of experience in human rights in the Latin American region, including work on indigenous rights, internally displaced populations, climate displacement, microfinance, women's empowerment, housing and land. Mr. Arenas holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Universidad Nacional de Colombia and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

CurrentlyMr. Arenas is a consultant for Displacement Solutions, an international human rightsorganization based in Geneva, carrying out research and advocacy on climate-related displacement in Panama and Colombia. He has been a researcher at the Instituto Latinoamericano por un Derecho y una Sociedad Alternativa (ILSA) in Colombia, and was the executive director of Working Capital for Community Needs (WCCN) in Madison, Wisconsin for 12 years.

CESAR TORRES

Cesar Torres is a Colombian lawyer, who holds a Master of Social Research in companies in conflict.

CESAR TORRES

Cesar Torres is a Colombian lawyer, who holds a Master of Social Research in companies in conflict. He has been a consultant to the World Bank on transitional justice. He is currently a researcher principal of Justice project and Security in areas of armed conflict in Colombia, columnist for the newspaper El Tiempo of Bogota and consultant associated with JGG.