Imelda Torres Lopez, a Nicaraguan, is a key Associate Consultant. She previously worked on staff as the Administrator for the regional office of IDEAS in Nicaragua. She led IDEAS training, market research, evaluations, and consulting services in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Panama.
She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Master’s degree in Rural Development at the Polytechnic University (UPOLI) of Nicaragua. She has been trained in: Human Resources by INCAE in Costa Rica; Community Commercialization in Sololá, Guatemala; Community Commercialization in El Salvador given by ACSUR; Marketing Opportunities for Non Traditional Products by CEI in Managua; Facilitator Formation under CEFE methodology given by GTZ in Managua; and Planning and Evaluation under the Focus Methodology by Logic Framework taught by IPADE in Managua.
Ms. Torres has extensive experience in Organization and Community Development and gained from personal experience the difficult situation in which rural populations face in Central America. From her youth, Ms. Torres has shared the life of those living in marginal communities. Her personal and professional goal has been to acquire technical tools to contribute to the transformation of Central America’s reality. Ms. Torres Lopez has assisted the Nicaraguan Network of Community Marketing with training sessions to the consolidation the organization and the development of community business.
In 1998, Ms. Torres began working as General Administrator with the Red COMAL, the Network of Alternative Community-based Marketing Businesses in Honduras. In 2002, she was promoted to Manager of Operations and oversaw five programs: Training, Marketing Information, Farm Products, Basic Market Basket of Goods and Institutional Strength. In addition to these programs, Imelda assisted the General Manager in revision and definition of policy; administration of funds from eleven sources; administration of members of Comal, presentation and analysis of financial updates to the decision- and policymakers of the Comal Network.
Ms. Torres Lopez worked as Administrative Director of the Agro-Industrial Business Horsch Frutas y Vegetals, S.A. Previously, Ms. Torres Lopez was Assistant of the Area for Economic Development and Agro-Forestry for CEPAD. Earlier, Imelda assisted Carter in the establishment of the Nicaraguan MFI, PRESTANIC.