Children International among its peers

The Concordia’s 2024 Americas Summit, hosted at Miami University last month, provided another excellent year of discussions and collaborations! In my role as Global Manager of Strategic Partnerships for Children International, it was fulfilling to participate in several roundtable sessions that gave me the opportunity to introduce our organization to new audiences and showcase our impactful initiatives. I also gained valuable insights into emerging trends and best practices, that along with new professional connections, will help grow our efforts at Children International to collaborate for good. 

Notable figures at the summit included New York City Mayor Eric Adams and representatives from the International Organization of Migration (IOM); former Heads of State, and leaders from USAID, the Inter-American Foundation, The Bared Family Foundation and the Financial Times.  

Alexandra Geneser, Global Manager, Strategic Partnerships (middle), with Empowering Inclusive Technology participants led by Hector Pourtale, Movimiento Salud 2030 Head.

Structured around two pivotal themes, the summit delved into “Driving Sustainable and Inclusive Growth” and “Strengthening Democracy and the Economy.” From poverty alleviation to environmental stewardship, the agenda encompassed critical facets of societal progress, sparking discussions aimed at tangible transformations.  

 
As I reflect on my summit experience, it’s become even clearer to me that Children International leads in several key areas. From pioneering the participatory monitoring, evaluation and learning model in our Social Accountability framework to exploring AI use cases, deploying a gender equity lens in our Into Employment program, and leveraging technology for health equity, our commitment to innovation shines through. 

Here are a few highlights from the roundtables I joined:  

• Discussion leaders declared the importance of supporting businesswomen in Mexico and Latin America: We explored ways to empower the next generation of female leaders and workforce development strategies.  
• Conversations are happening worldwide about how to use technology for social impact: Together, industry giants like OpenAI and Apple, governments, and participants from the third sector underscored the necessity of cross-sector collaboration to ensure that AI, and other rapidly evolving technology, is used in humanity’s best interest. 
• It’s vitally important for the Americas to empower inclusive technology: Focusing on initiatives processes, systems and technologies bridges the gaps across sectors in providing accessible and quality health care in Peru, Colombia and Chile. 
• Health equity can be championed through technology: Participants applauded the ongoing innovation in global healthcare, highlighting the potential of technologies like generative AI to address disparities and accelerate research. 
• Centering community voices through inclusive monitoring, learning, evaluation (MEL) is crucial: This discussion focused on global best practices for providing programs and emphasized the participatory model through which success metrics are defined collaboratively with program beneficiaries. 

Looking ahead, I and other members of the Global Strategic Partnerships team, in partnership with other Children International teams, will continue building upon the traction made to translate summit synergies into tangible outcomes — advancing our shared vision of a brighter, more equitable future.