Cristina Garcia

Cristina Garcia is a regional director for the Latin America and Caribbean region at HIAS, a position they have held since September 2019. Prior to their current role, Garcia worked as a regional associate protection officer at UNHCR from June 2017 to September 2019. From February 2013 to January 2016, they served as a project manager for governance at AGENCIA ESPAÑOLA DE COOPERACION INTERNACIONAL PARA EL DESARROLLO. Garcia also worked as a country representative and health and gender program coordinator at Fundacion H+D from October 2011 to January 2013. In 2010, they served as a senior consultant for the final external evaluation of the UNDP program "PELMATP." From 2007 to 2010, Garcia worked as a financial manager for Médecins Sans Frontières in Guatemala. Cristina began their career in 2003 as a project coordinator for Triangle Génération Humanitaire, working with Algerian and Saharan refugee camps.

Cristina Garcia has a Master's degree in Human Rights and Governance from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. Cristina also has a Curso Gestión de la Seguridad del Personal Exterior from Instituto de Estudios sobre Conflictos y Acción Humanitaria - IECAH and a Curso Enfoque Basado en Derechos Humanos e Indicadores de Gobernabilidad from Instituto Universitario de Desarrollo y Cooperación, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Additionally, they have a Specialization in “Technical expert in evaluation and assessment of development projects” (60 hours) from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and an Administrateur de la Solidarité Internationale;Diploma in humanitarian aid-international development from Bioforce Développement - Lyon - France. Finally, they have an International Management Program (IMP – 380 hours) from Pforzheim University and an Additional Certificate in European Business and Management (ACE – 380 hours) from Pforzheim University.

Cristina Garcia reports to Mark Hetfield, President and CEO. They are on a team with Brian Kerr - Senior Director, Safety and Security, Melanie Nezer - Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, and Lauren Pucci - Director, Emergency Response.