THE TEAM // WE TEAM <
Imaginarius
was founded by a group of individuals with the premise that better societies require more resilient, equitable, and engaged individuals and organizations with the public life of their countries.
The team has over 10 years of experience in issues related to collective mobilization and institutional strengthening. It is a multidisciplinary group with expertise in civil society, philanthropy, international organizations, the public sector, and the private sector.
LUANA
Programmatic and Administrative Coordinator
Luana has gained experience in transforming unequal realities into equitable presents and futures. She focuses on expanding opportunities and ensuring the rights of minority groups through the promotion of human rights and the mobilization of civil society. She has also participated in sociocultural projects to foster new perspectives on race, gender, and class.
Throughout her professional career, she has developed skills in project and team management, strategic planning, resource mobilization, coordination with key stakeholders, civil mobilization, and alliance-building.
At Imaginarius, Luana is responsible for project management, planning and organizing activities, meetings, and workshops with various social organizations in Latin America and internationally. She also oversees the administrative area of the organization as well as relationships with suppliers.
PAULA
Communications Coordinator
Paula Pissaco
With over 10 years of experience in communication and marketing, Paula has helped civil society organizations and companies from various sectors develop and execute effective strategies to achieve their goals. Her comprehensive approach spans from strategic planning to tactical/operational implementation, ensuring that each campaign aligns with project or brand objectives and resonates with the target audience.
She has collaborated with civil society organizations, startups, media outlets, and large corporations across different Latin American countries, tailoring her methods and approaches to the specific needs of each. Her passion for effective communication and commitment to excellence drives her to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and practices.
At Imaginarius, she co-coordinates the Thematic Space on Narratives, Communication, and Algorithms within Potencia’s program, working alongside communication leaders from Latin America Luminate’s portfolio partners. Her role involves fostering innovation and discussion on priority topics, and supporting change, based on regional learnings.
ANA
Coordinator of the Resilience Space
For over 10 years, Ana has worked with civil society organizations, development banks, and international cooperation agencies across Latin America, supporting social change processes. Her background in social psychology has equipped her with the tools and methodologies needed to work with groups, incorporating a gender perspective and a regional outlook. She facilitates group dialogue on complex issues, helping them review their strategies and adapt to change.
At Imaginarius, she provides psychosocial support to partner organizations through the Resilience Space, whether in peer groups or with tailored assistance for each organization. This support includes establishing processes for decision-making, collaborative construction methods, conflict resolution, and more.
LUCÍA
Co-founder and Executive Director
Lucía is a sociologist with over 15 years of experience in international cooperation work. Throughout her career, she has held various positions that have allowed her to become familiar with the region and allocate over 12 million dollars to 300 organizations in 12 countries in Latin America.
In the last ten years of her work in cooperation, she developed four multi-actor funds in collaboration with Open Society, Ford, Lumiante, HIVOS, IDRC, and the European Union to strengthen groups and processes with the potential to enhance civic technology, data, digital rights, and participation in the region.
She has participated in various global instances to position the region’s perspective in international discussions with organizations such as the United Nations, OAS, and the European Union.
Lucía’s experience in philanthropy and collaboration with various grassroots organizations in the region led her to reflect on the need for a change in the conceptualization of impact, building trust, and flexibility in collaboration between foundations, international organizations, and local processes. This reflection prompted her to establish Imaginarius Latam.
TARICK
Co-founder and Director of Mobilization + Comms
@TarickGracida
Tarick is a communication-advertising specialist with extensive experience in the private, public, international, and social sectors, also trained in public narrative and social impact storytelling from Harvard and Georgetown University.
Tarick’s experience in the private sector includes the development of branding, multimedia, advertising, and communication projects for major international brands such as Livisto, Coca-Cola, and Gatorade, as well as local companies mainly from Mexico and Argentina.
In the public sector, he has specialized in translating complex and technical topics, such as public finances and open government, to engage broader audiences. As an international consultant, he has supported governments and civil society in developing online and offline engagement strategies. Examples of this were the support to implement digital fiscal transparency and open data platforms of El Salvador and Mongolia, with the support of the European Union and World Bank respectively, and civil society open data-led events in South Africa, Chile, Argentina, and Indonesia, to name a few.
As Technology and Communications Coordinator for the Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency, he advised national governments, civil society, and other international organizations on tools to improve communications and engagement strategies. Aside from the practical technical assistance, he also co-authored the book “Tutorial on Fiscal Transparency Portals: A User-Centered Development”.
His extensive experience in all these different sectors informs much of his work in the social sector for organizations like the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, Avina Foundation, and the Global Data Barometer, among others. Now as Co-founder and Director of Mobilization and Communication at Imaginarius, he supports civil society, leadership, and social movements in comprehensive non-traditional mobilization and communication strategies to break out of the niche, utilizing storytelling and narratives based on neuroscience.
