Trinity Magazine: Winter/Spring 2007
Alumnae Profiles
Sandy Quimbaya ’01
Strengthening Democracy in Ecuador
by Ann Pauley
Ecuador is in the midst of a political crisis this spring: more than
half of the members of Congress were dismissed by electoral judges
in a showdown over the process of creating a new constitution for
the country. One morning, before dawn, 21 alternate lawmakers were
shuttled to the congressional building to allow the 100-seat
legislature to begin a session with a quorum.
While the situation is extreme, Sandy Quimbaya ’01 is actively
working to strengthen democracy in Ecuador. Quimbaya is the director
in Ecuador for the National Democratic Institute (NDI), a nonprofit
organization working to strengthen and expand democracy worldwide.
Calling on a global network of volunteer experts, NDI provides
practical assistance to civic and political leaders advancing
democratic values, practices and institutions. NDI works with
democracy advocates in every region of the world to build political
and civic organizations, safeguard elections and to promote citizen
participation, openness and accountability in government.
“The focus of NDI’s work in Ecuador is to help political and
congressional leaders be more responsive to citizen concerns through
the development of platforms, legislative agendas and improved
outreach to citizens and civil society organizations,” says Quimbaya.
“Our overall institutional goal in lending this support is to help
democracy deliver progress to citizen’s lives through improved
democratic practices and institutions.”
In recent years, Ecuador’s political system has been one of the most
unstable in South America, with an average survival rate for
governments of less than two years. Ecuador has had eight presidents
in the last decade. As successive governments failed to resolve the
country’s economic and political crises, Ecuadorians are
increasingly losing faith in the democratic system.
For Quimbaya, her work at NDI is a perfect match with her career
interests. “I am a political activist, and several years ago a
colleague mentioned an opening at NDI and recommended that I apply
for the Latin America and Caribbean team,” recalls Quimbaya. “What
makes NDI unique is its history and reputation around the world and
the staff’s commitment to the organization’s values and mission. The
reason I enjoy my work so much is because I truly feel that I am
making an impact and I am able to learn so much by getting exposed
to different realities.”
“Last year there was the possibility of going to Ecuador and I
jumped at the opportunity because the program is primarily political
party strengthening and I was eager to serve the Institute abroad.
It continues to be quite an enriching experience.”
Quimbaya is of Colombian descent, speaks both French and Spanish,
and has lived in Chile, Colombia, France, Germany and Israel.
Quimbaya, who majored in international affairs with a minor in
political science, is passionate and optimistic about the work she
does with NDI. She also believes in the power of education.
“Education is an asset that no one can take away and I am grateful
to Trinity professors who have mentored me,” she says. “My days at
Trinity were inspired by the illustrious graduates and women leaders
who came to campus who highlighted women’s possibilities in diverse
fields. With a Trinity education, I have been able to realize an
important goal of being the first in my family to graduate from
college.”
Quimbaya believes in her work in Ecuador. “I know that we are really
making a difference for the people of Ecuador and creating a sound
democratic structure.”
Erica Gillette ’04
A Global View of the News
by Ann Pauley
Erica Gillette is in command of five computer monitors on her
cramped desk. She assembles news clips from a reporter in Uruguay.
She schedules the download of a news segment from London to be
broadcast from Washington, then queues it up for use at the
network’s headquarters in Doha, Qatar. She contacts Reuters for
footage of President Bush’s trip to Mexico. And that’s just the
first hour of her day.
As the media coordinator for the Washington bureau of the television
network Al Jazeera English, Gillette juggles deadlines and time
zones for the world’s first English language news channel
headquartered in the Middle East. When Al Jazeera English was
launched in November 2006, the network expected to reach 40 million
households worldwide; it now reaches 80 million homes. The network
is one of the three biggest global English language 24 hour news
channels, along with BBC World and CNN International.
The network is not without its detractors. Currently, no U.S. cable
company broadcasts the network, and critics are cautious about a
network that is connected to the Arabic Al Jazeera. Others believe
that the network offers a global perspective of the world not found
in the U.S. and European dominated media.
“I am very proud of what we do here,” says Gillette, who graduated
from Trinity in 2004 with a major in communication. “We are
reporting on countries that you don’t always hear about. We have
reporters in [Sudan] Darfur, Uruguay, Columbia and Argentina, who
are interviewing real people who are in danger, who are struggling
to survive.”
For Gillette, Al Jazeera’s approach to the world is consistent with
her own global view: “I am concerned about people who are oppressed
and repressed, and I am disappointed in the fairness and accuracy of
most media. At Al Jazeera English, we care about the views of those
who are at the lowest economic levels and we shine a light on how
policies and global trends will affect them.”
Gillette credits Trinity faculty for shaping her global view and
helping her understand how discrimination and repression affect
large groups of people worldwide. She was particularly inspired by
Dr. Minerva San Juan, who teaches philosophy, and Dr. Jamey Piland,
who teaches communication. “They really opened my eyes.”
“Trinity faculty encouraged me to be successful academically and to
set ambitious goals,” notes Gillette. Right out of high school, she
had a “false start” at another university, and then worked full-time
in retail and other jobs. A friend suggested that she look at
Trinity, and she enrolled in the School of Professional Studies,
continuing to work full-time and taking a full load of courses.
After she graduated, she earned a master’s degree from the
University of Miami in the television broadcasting journalism
program. She was just one of 14 admitted to the very competitive and
selective program.
Gillette sharpened her production skills through internships, then
worked at Al Hurra television. When she saw the opportunity to be
part of a brand new network, she made the move to Al Jazeera.
“Everything here is done in high definition television. We use
cutting-edge technology. I am working with some of the most advanced
production tools in the business.”
As focused as she is on her career and the demands of her
responsibilities at Al Jazeera English, Gillette’s real focus is her
one-year old daughter, Tsitisi. “She is such a guiding force for
me,” says Gillette. “In many ways, I feel like my contributions at
Al Jazeera are about making the world a better and fairer place for
her.”
On that note, Gillette turns back to her monitors. She’s gearing up
for one of two daily news broadcasts from the Washington bureau.
“This is exciting, important work,” she says proudly.
Kalpana Gupta ’92
Helping the fight against HIV and AIDS
August 8, 1990, in the middle of a late night birthday celebration
for her father at her home in Bombay, India, Kalpana Gupta received
a phone call that changed the course of her life. The voice on the
other line said, “Hi, how are you, would you like to come to
Trinity?”
Within days, Gupta was buying a suitcase, and applying for a student
visa. On August 24, less than three weeks after the initial phone
call, Gupta arrived in Main Hall and began her life as a Trinity
student. “I was like a kid in a candy store,” Gupta recalls. “As a
student of biology in India, the liberal arts curriculum is not
something we were exposed to, everyone specializes so early. At
Trinity, I was able to take history with Dr. Farnsworth, study Greek
classics with Sr. Margaret Claydon, travel to Apopka with Sr. Seton
and participate in student government. It was incredible to me that
I could do it all, and still focus on my sciences.” Gupta sought
further enrichment from beyond Trinity’s campus, taking classes
through the consortium at George Washington and completing
internships at the National Institutes of Health and Georgetown’s
Medical School in D.C.
Gupta’s experiences both on and off campus during her years at
Trinity have served her well. Today, Gupta serves as director of new
alliances and initiatives within the research and development group
of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI). Gupta joined
the organization shortly after earning her doctorate in
biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology from Johns Hopkins
University in 2000. Founded in 1996, IAVI works to ensure the
development of a safe, effective, accessible and preventive HIV
vaccine for use throughout the world. The organization is
operational in 24 countries. “Viruses don’t follow immigration laws
or respect international boundaries, and as we witnessed with SARS,
the spread of viruses can have enormous impact both socially and
economically.” Gupta feels strongly that we each have a role to play
in the global fight against infectious disease and the inequity that
allows viruses like HIV to take root. “IAVI is focused on a vaccine
because we know that vaccines are a proven method in controlling,
and in some cases eradicating, infectious disease.” Gupta’s sense of
social justice is clearly evident in how passionately she believes
in her work at IAVI.
Gupta notes that she could have chosen a career as a research bench
scientist, in the lab dealing with esoteric problems, but chose
instead to do something that has a greater, more immediate impact on
people’s lives. For this, Gupta is grateful for the education she
received at Trinity and the impact the Sisters of Notre Dame had on
her life.
Gupta resides in New York City with her husband, Sudhin, and her
one-year-old son, Ishaan. Despite a demanding travel schedule, Gupta
hopes to make it to Trinity in June to celebrate her 15th Reunion
with the class of 1992.
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