Juan Francisco Luna Lasso (2021–2022 scholar, Colombia)
Juan is a dedicated professional with over seven years of experience in international cooperation, development, and human rights, including four years on the ground. Passionate about harnessing technology for conflict prevention and peacebuilding, he embodies the blend of skill and purpose that such work demands.
Today, he serves as an Associate Human Rights Officer at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, a role he stepped into after completing his Master’s in Development Studies in 2023.
Thanks to Fondation Soli, Juan was able not only to complete his degree but also to secure a pivotal internship at OHCHR. This placed him at the heart of global discussions on minority rights, where he helped organise the 16th UN Forum on Minority Issues, gathering more than 600 participants. Later, he turned his expertise toward defending the rights of migrants, continuing his steadfast commitment to those most vulnerable.
Valeria Castellanos (2021–2022 scholar, Venezuela)
Valeria now operates at the intersection of cities, crises, and global cooperation. Based in Washington DC, she fosters strategic partnerships for the Resilient Cities Network, a global coalition of cities preparing for the economic, political, climatic, and societal shocks of an increasingly unpredictable world.
Her path led her from the Norwegian Refugee Council to UN‑Habitat and eventually to her current role, where she builds bridges between governments, NGOs, foundations, and community networks.
Fondation Soli did not simply finance her studies; it enabled her to focus entirely on academic excellence. The opportunities that followed, including her position in New York City, were not accidents. They were the natural consequence of dedication, clarity, and resilience meeting at precisely the right moment.
Danae Lina Roman Garcia (2022–2024 scholar, Peru)
Danae is a first‑year PhD candidate in Anthropology and Sociology, examining the invisible machinery of sustainable finance: how capital is mobilised, reframed, and transformed into new economic frontiers. Her dissertation, Creating New Valuable Markets: Swiss Sustainable Investments in Latin America, explores how financial actors reshape markets across continents and construct new value in emerging development landscapes.
Danae holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and a Master’s from the Graduate Institute. Before beginning her doctoral journey, she worked across academia, think tanks, the private sector, and multilateral organizations, contributing to policy‑oriented solutions for vulnerable rural and urban communities in Peru.
She has also served as a teaching assistant and has already published academic work — early markers of a promising scholarly trajectory.
Alongside her academic commitments, Danae contributed to advocacy efforts at the UNFPA in Geneva, focusing on populations whose needs often remain overlooked. Prior to that, she served at the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic and conducted research for the Forum Vies Mobiles.
This text was originally published on the Alumnae·i portal.
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