About ICDS / FACULTY PROFILES

ICDS faculty members are both academics and leading practitioners in their fields. They participate in research and education simultaneously and their first-hand experiences represent tremendous resources in the human rights and sustainable development fields.
The following professors teach at least part of a course within the program. Visiting or guest scholars are not included on this list, but more information is available from ICDS.

Arnoldo Brenes holds a Master of Arts degree in Theory and Practice of Human Rights from the University of Essex Colchester, United Kingdom, and is a licensed Costa Rican Attorney and Notary Public. He has been an advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica since 2000. Mr. Brenes has served as a Human Rights Specialist, responsible for Costa Rica's defense in the cases presented at the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (2000-2005), as well as a Program Officer in the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress. His experience also includes teaching at the UN University for Peace, among other human rights related projects. Mr. Brenes' main interests are Peace, Human Rights, International Relations, International Security, International Law, Philosophy, and Compared Religion.

Milagro Camacho has a Master's degree in Spanish as a Second Language and Hispanic Literature, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Spanish Philology from the University of Costa Rica. Ms. Camacho was the Director of the Instituto Profesional de Español para Extranjeros (IPEE) and has a vast experience in teaching Spanish as a Second Language at various universities, including Veritas University, Universidad de Costa Rica, International Center for Human Development, Forester Instituto Internacional de Idiomas and American Business Academy.

A Costa Rican citizen, Mr. Hernandez obtained a Masters Degree in Law and International Relations at Tufts University, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, in Boston, MA, with an emphasis on International Business Relations, International Private Law, International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, and US-Western Hemisphere Relations. He also obtained Licenciatura Degrees in Law and Political Science from the University of Costa Rica and a Certificate of Specialization in Latin American Studies from the University of Brasilia, Brazil. Mr. Hernandez is also on the Board of Directors for Cathay Bank, a private Costa Rican financial institution. He is also a professor at the University of Costa Rica (Department of Political Science) and has been an instructor in several Study Abroad Programs for foreign students, including ICDS since 2000. He taught at Simmons College (Boston, MA). Mr. Hernandez also served as Director of the President's Office in the Government of Costa Rica 1994-1998, and was the Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in two administrations. He served as International Programs Officer and Deputy Director of the Costa Rica Foundation for Sustainable Development. He has also served as Consultant for several private sector organizations in Costa Rica and Central America.

Mr. Llodio holds a Master of Science degree on Environment Management and Evaluation from the School of Planning and School of Biological and Molecular Sciences at Oxford Brookes University, United Kingdom, as well as a graduate degree in Biology, Environment and Agriculture from the University of Navarra in Spain. Mr. Llodio has a broad experience developing project proposals for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, and preparing workshops on CSR with organizations such as the World Bank Institute and the International Center for Human Development. At present, he is the Executive Director of ALIARSE, a Foundation for Sustainability and Equity created by public and private companies to promote social responsibility and public-private alliances for development in Costa Rica.

Clemens Findeisen has a degree from the University of Economics and Business Administration, in Vienna, Austria. He obtained a Master Degree in Business Administration from the Universidad Internacional de las Americas, in San José, Costa Rica. He is a CIM expert (Centre for International Migration and Development, a joint operation of GTZ and the German Federal Employment Agency) and is working in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility and Partnerships for development for ALIARSE, a Public-Private Consortium for sustainability and development in Costa Rica. He was on the Board of Directors of the Center for Corporate Citizenship Austria, and was responsible for the development of the methodology and evaluation of the Austrian CSR-Ranking in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Moreover, he implemented environmental management systems according to ISO 14.001 and he is a certified Project Manager from the International Project Management Association. He was also consultant for private sector companies such as ACNielsen or Sharp electronics.

Chairman of The International Center for Sustainable Development (ICDS) and coordinator of the Corporate Social Responsibility Program, has a Ph.D. in Labor Issues and Social Security from The London School of Economics and Political Science as well as a Masters degree in Social Planning in Developing Countries and a Masters degree in Industrial Relations. He is also the academic director of the ICDS. He is also a consultant for international organizations such as, the ILO, UNDP, Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank. He was a presidential advisor in social policy and human development for the Costa Rican government during the period 1982-84 and Minister- Counselor for the Costa Rican Embassy in England (1984-89). Author and co-author of books and articles on the labor issues, social security, trade unions, poverty and human development. His latest publications include Asimetrías económicas, laborales y sociales en Centroamérica: Desafíos y oportunidades (FLACSO, 2002), Asimetrías económicas, sociales y políticas en Costa Rica: Hacia una calidad de vida digna (UNDP, 2003); Competitive Potential of the Central American Productive Sectors in the context of CAFTA (ICDS, 2004); and Seguridad Humana y Medios de Vida Sostenible en Centroamérica: El caso de las maras (ICDS, 2005).

Dr. Nolan Quirós graduated as a corporate lawyer from Universidad de Costa Rica, and later obtained his Master’s in International Trade and Environmental Law from the American University in Washington D.C. After working in Costa Rica on issues of free trade and environment for some time, he returned to the United States and graduated from Oklahoma state university with a Ph.D. in Economics and Natural Resources Management. He has worked for more than 15 years on topics related to the environment, sustainable development, rural development, corporate social responsibility and multidisciplinary approach to hands on education. He serves as Vice President of Academic Affairs at the University for International Cooperation in Costa Rica and also as Director of its master’s program on Environmental Law. He is a member of the Costa Rican National Conservation Council and controller of the Regional Conservation Council For The Volcanic Mountain Range Conservation Area. His academic experience includes the direction and professorship at the Center For Sustainable Development Studies in Costa Rica accredited by Boston University and also teaching at Wichita State University, Baker University, and Oklahoma State University and special courses for the United States Department of Agriculture. He has also worked as a consultant for other academic institutions such as Texas A&M University, and for private corporations such as HP and Koch Industries.

Psychologist, graduated from the University of Panama and Master in Science from the University of Oregon (Eugene). Doctoral student in Cultural and Social Studies from the University of Costa Rica. Ms. Ramellini currently works at the University of Costa Rica, where she is the director of the Women’s Studies Master Program and an associate professor in the Psychology Department. She also works as therapist for victims and survivors of violence, particularly sexual violence. Consultant for PAHO, ILO, UNFPA, UNDP, and IOM on violence against women, sexual violence, women trafficking, gender and development, child domestic work, and women and economic rights. She has published several books and articles on the fields of violence against women, discrimination, and women's rights in Central America.

Journalist specialized in science and environmental subjects. Ms. Rovinski studied Chemistry at the University of Costa Rica and later obtained a Master's degree in Journalism at the University of California in Berkeley. She designed and directed the Communications Department for Central America at the "Union Mundial para la Naturaleza" (UICN). She was an Advising Minister at the Embassy of Costa Rica in France, where she contributed to facilitate the inclusion of Cocos Island on the list of "Patrimonio de la Humanidad." She is currently working as an independent consultant in communication.

Marije van Lidth de Jeude holds a Master of Science degree in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Utrecht, The Netherlands, and a BA in Commercial Economy, also from Utrecht, The Netherlands. Ms. Van Lidth de Jeude has worked in various International Cooperation Agencies, such as Oxfam, Novib, City Links Nicaragua - The Netherlands, and the Dutch Ministry of Development Cooperation., She has been working in Central America since 2002 in the field of urban and rural development, poverty reduction and sustainability. Between 2002 and 2005, she worked for the United Nations Organization IFAD, based in the Regional Unit for Technical Assistance in San José, Costa Rica. She currently works as consultant investigator for CDR and is co-director of A company/A foundation and teaches at various universities in Costa Rica, besides her work with ICDS.

Soon all the info about Nicolette Baker here.

Jennifer Crowe has been involved in sustainable development and environmental work in Costa Rica since 1999. She holds a master’s degree in public health (MPH) from the University of Washington and a BS in biology from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has worked in the area of environmental and occupational health in both the United States and Costa Rica, specifically in issues of migration, agricultural health and safety and Environmental Justice. Her affiliations include the Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (PNASH) at the University of Washington, The “Instituto Regional para Estudios en Sustancias Tóxicas” (IRET) and the Program for Work and Health in Central America (SALTRA) at the Universidad Nacional in Heredia. Her work includes experience in community-based participatory research, health disparities, trade and health, environmental justice, migration and climate change.

Mary Little received a B.A. in development, women’s and Chinese studies from Hampshire College, Massachusetts. Her interest in Asia led her to work and study in China, Taiwan and Japan. There she focused on issues effecting women by working at a women’s micro-credit program and a domestic violence center. To better assist the people she served, Mary received a J.D. in International Law from the University at Buffalo, NY. During this period she provided legal counsel for refugees seeking asylum in the U.S. and assisted at the UNHCR, Washington D.C. She then pursued an LL.M in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex, U.K. and interned at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Most recently Mary has taught at the U.N. University for Peace and worked at a private law firm in San Jose.

Professor Marta Madrigal holds a B.A. and a Licenciatura degree in Spanish Philology, as well as a master’s degree in Spanish as a Second Language from the University of Costa Rica, and she is currently working on her thesis towards a M.A. in Latin American Literature.

Professor Madrigal has ample experience in teaching Spanish as a second language in several language academies and institutes. She is currently a faculty member in the Department of Philology, Linguistics and Literature at Universidad de Costa Rica, teaching several courses, such as Spanish Grammar, Spanish Morphology and Syntax, and Spanish Composition.