Rita Spadafora Email & Phone Number

Boulder, Colorado, United States

Panamá, Panama

Program Manager, Capacity Development, Partnerships, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous women empowerment

Panama

As Executive Director, I was responsible for the overall management of Panama’s leading environmental organization. Duties included project cycle development (from design to execution), representing the organization in international forums and national committees, serving as facilitator between government, private sector and communities seeking to address sustainable development goals, advocating for new legislation to strengthen environmental regulations in Panama, leading the design and deployment of communications campaigns for all projects executed by the organization, fund raising activities with different types of donors and management of land assets of the organization (ANCON owns over 30,000 ha of land as a private reserve, three islands, and three other smaller-size forested areas), technical, operational and financial reporting to the board of directors, and media relations. -Sperheaded the establishment of Panama´s Working Group for Sustainable Finance with the participation of all segments of the finance sector of Panama.-Sperheaded the launching of the “Alliance for the Million”, a public-private partnership to restore 1 million hectareas of degraded lands in Panama 2015-2035.-Executed Panama´s largest initiative to promote recycling and circular economy as a public private partnership with the support of government institutions, global, and local companies.-Drafted, lobbied and achieved the adoption of several environmental norms (ABS, prohibition of plastic bags, incentives for the forestry sector, and more recently presented a bill to regulate the use of styrofoam for food cointainers at the national level).-Prepared the first catalogue of native plants with commercial potential of ANCON´s Punta Patiño Private Reserve.-Structured a large size GEF project to launch Panamá´s Sustainable Cattle Ranching and Biodiversity Program in collaboration with the National Bank of Agricultural Development and the Ministry of Environment.

Panama, Republic Of Panama

Provided technical assistance to counterpart institutions to ensure the appropriate implementation of the activities of the USAID/Panama portfolio. Designed projects based on a context analysis, developed indicators and performance management plans, prepared multi-year and annual plans, cost analysis, and environmental determinations. Responsible for drafting reports to different levels and audiences, from the beneficiaries to the U.S. Congress. Chairperson of evaluation committees for a number of regional and national projects. As Environmental Officer, ensured environmental compliance of all projects and served as alternate gender officer. Managed the main environmental activities of the USAID in the last 10 years of the bilateral program, the Panama Canal Watershed Program (PCW) and the Sustainable Community Forest Management activity in the Darien that resulted in the first plan following FSC standards in Panama. As USAID officer, was the liaison with high-level government officials, international organizations, donor agencies and private sector representatives. Led evaluations of projects to verify results and impacts and generate lessons learned for the Panama program and other USAID offices in the region. -Led the process of establishing a model of sustainable forestry in Panama to provide sustainable timber to responsible buyers.-Led the design and establishment of the Cleaner Production Center in Panama -Promoted a governance structure in the PCW (watershed consultative councils) that is a model governance structure for Panama and the region.-Supported the establishment of successful rural microenterprises in the Darien region and in the PCW.-Prepared guidelines for assessment of environmental impacts of projects in rural areas now used by the USAID agencies in the LAC region.-Achieved target for all indicators of the projects managed during my USAID career.-Leveraged 5 million dollars for development projects.

Panama City, Republic Of Panama

Project: Institutional Support for environmental sustainable management of the Panama Canal WatershedResponsible for “Institutional Strengthening of the Sustainable Environmental Management of the Panama Canal Watershed”. Financed by USAID to support sustainable development efforts through the institutional strengthening of entities of the Panamanian Government in the Panama Canal Watershed. Worked closely with the Panama Canal Authority, the National Environmental Authority, the former Interoceanic Region Authority and other governmental organizations in structuring the Interinstitutional Comission for the Panama Canal Watershed established to coordinate activities in the Panama Canal Watershed. Among the tasks as Chief of Party included the drafting of annual plans with the counterparts, preparation of scopes of work, coordination and technical supervision of interdisciplinary groups of consultants providing support to the project and the counterparts. All of these activities were closely coordinated with the USAID Mission in Panama and the IRG headquaters offices in Washington D.C. -Prepared several white papers to initiate discussions on institutional and technical watershed management decisions within the Panama Canal Watershed.-Coordinated the preparation of Panama´s first Clean Development Mechanism project portfolio under the Kyoto Protocol.-Trained Panama Canal Authority head of divisions (mostly civil engineers) on the new subject area of watershed management. -Led the drafting of several environmental norms and bills.

Panama City, Panama

During the two years in this position, a series of project proposals to different organizations were drafted, submitted and approved. -Coordinated and led the preparation of a new management plan for the park. -Signed cooperative agreements as a result of development of relations with different international and national institutions. -Executed several infrastructure projects to improve the services of the park. -Reviewd all contracts of the personnel to avoid legal conflicts. -Relaunched the environmental education program as the main objective of the park.

Galapagos I

-Planned and implemented a communication and education campaign for the environmental conservation of the islands.-Prepared the first local TV program of the Galapagos Islands and supervised a radio program for 2.5 years.-Designed and edited newsletters to disseminate information on the activities and challenges of the different institutions responsible for the management and protection of the terrestrial and marine ecosystems. -Prepared the texts and interpretive design for the human and environmental history of the interpretive center of the islands financed by the Spanish Agency for International Development (AECI) in San Cristobal Island, Galapagos. -Member of the first group that designed an Erradication and Quarantine Communication Campaign to prevent and eliminate exotic species in the Galapagos archipelago.

Panama City, Florida Area

Responsible for research, news editing, and drafting of news and special reports on different issues. In charge of preparing two hours of international news. Part of the team that started the first morning newscast in Panama.

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Broadcast Journalism

Fulbright Scholar

Master Of Science, Environmental Communication And Natural Resources Management

Activities and Societies: USAID/ROCAP Scholarship

Climate Change Impacts, Mitigation, And Adaptation, Climate Change, Postgratuate Certificate

Diploma In Environmental And Corporate Sustainability