Our team

A diplomat born in Mallorca, he has held positions as Spanish Ambassador to China, Germany and Ethiopia as well as other diplomatic posts in Colombia, Russia, Cuba, Israel and Honduras. He has also held positions in international organizations such as the United Nations and the Spanish Secretariat for International Cooperation and Ibero-America. Rafael has lectured at universities around the world and is the author of several books and has been published in Spanish and international magazines and newspapers. He has been Chairman of Ayuda en Acción since October 2024.

Graduated in Business Administration from the Complutense University of Madrid, Master in Account Auditing by PwC from the Pontificia University of Salamanca and in Digital Business by ISDI. He has developed the first part of his professional career as a technology and business consultant leading the implementation of strategic solutions in sectors such as construction and engineering, telecommunications and media. He has been part of the Ayuda en Acción team since 2007 and in 2016 he became Deputy General Manager of the organization. In 2025 he has assumed the General Management. Throughout his career, he has been a key figure in the digital and organizational transformation of the Foundation and has led important initiatives aimed at social innovation. He has also driven the development of programs in Spain and Portugal. In addition, he has been part of sectoral initiatives such as the Group that created the Transparency and Good Governance tool of the La Coordinadora, the Spanish Development NGO Platform (CONGDE) and the Foundations Fund, has been a member of the Executive Board of the Alliance2015 international network and is currently a Board Member of Boosting Opportunities.

Jesús Gracia has been a career diplomat since February 1985. He holds a degree in Law and Philology from the University of Zaragoza 1982 and has held positions of great responsibility as Ambassador of Spain in Rome (2017-2018), Secretary of State for International Cooperation and Latin America (2012-2016), Ambassador of Spain in Havana (2001-2004), Director of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (1996-2001), and Director of the group of engineering, construction and facilities companies LVSALAMANCA (2005-2010).

A specialist in content, marketing and communication, she is currently the General Manager of Communication and Institutional Relations at Vocento. She is also a writer. She has published two books of short stories: “Los cuentos del koala” (Beascoa) and “Tres mujeres solas” (Flash") and six novels: ‘La novia de papá’ (Plaza & Janés), ‘La piel de Mica’ (Plaza & Janés), ‘Solos’ (Alfabia), ‘Las incorrectas’ (Espasa), ‘Una historia de amores’ (Contraluz) and ‘Sin Filtros’ (Contraluz). Two of her novels (“La novia de papá” and “La piel de Mica”) have had their theatrical premieres in Madrid and New York. A third, “Solos”, has been made into a film.

Milagros has 25 years of professional experience combining data analysis and the use of information technologies applied to social sciences.   She began her professional career in the private sector as a software developer, and later joined the public sector as a civil servant in the Superior Body of State Statisticians, working for the development of social policies based on data and evidence. At the National Institute of Statistics, she worked on the Living Conditions Survey and developed benefit and tax assessment models for Spain at the Institute of Fiscal Studies, also using European models such as EUROMOD.   At the Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility, she coordinated the first public expenditure review project in Spain and was in charge of the projects on Active Employment Policies and the Minimum Income system. In the XIV legislature, 2020-2023, she was Secretary General of Objectives and Policies of Inclusion and Social Welfare of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, heading the department in charge of developing and promoting the inclusion policy in Spain through the creation of the Minimum Vital Income (IMV), together with the Social Security, in charge of its management.   She set up the first inclusion policy working group, with more than 30 projects, for beneficiaries of the IMV with the aim of identifying good practices based on data analysis and experimentation supported by excellent scientists and within the Recovery Plan for Spain. She has a degree in Mathematics and a PhD in Economics, with a thesis on the effects of Anglo-Saxon policies of wage supplements in Spain.   She has supported technical assistance for the evaluation of public policies in several countries in Latin America and Africa and is currently working in the Spanish Tax Agency in the development of an innovative project for the evaluation of the redistributive and poverty reduction effects of tax policy using the latest BigData and Artificial Intelligence tools.

Manuel Escudero holds a degree in Business Studies (Deusto, Spain), a Master in Regional Economics Master of Sciences (MSc), 1977, and a Doctorate in Economics (PhD), 1987, both from the London School of Economics. He has been Spain's Ambassador to the OECD in Paris since 1 July 2018. In December of the same year he was unanimously appointed by the Board as Chairman of the Governing Board of the OECD Development Centre, founded in 1961 by John F. Kennedy.   Previously he was an international consultant in Madrid, and Special Advisor to the United Nations Global Compact Office in New York. He is a founder of the Progressive Economy Forum.   Manuel Escudero founded in 2007 the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), an international initiative of the United Nations, involving more than 800 business and management schools in 85 countries. Dr. Escudero has worked in the Global Compact, the United Nations initiative that brings together responsible companies in public-private partnerships and with other civil society institutions.   In his academic career, Manuel Escudero was Professor of Macroeconomics, Dean of Research and Dean of Faculty at the Instituto de Empresa, IE Business School in Madrid between 1991 and 2005. He was also Director of the Global Compact Research Center at the Levin Institute, State University of New York (2008-2010). Dr. Escudero returned to Spain in 2010 as Managing Director of Deusto Business School (2010-2014).   He is currently President of the Avanza Foundation. He is also involved in civil society organisations, for example, he is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Novia Salcedo Foundation, dedicated to youth employment.  

Bachelor's degree in Law from the Complutense University and Master's Degree in Urban Planning from the ICADE University of Madrid. Trained in organizational leadership at IESE, in Basic Habitability at the Ichab Institute of Basic Habitability. He has also published several articles on projects related to his field of expertise. He has been working at Ayuda en Acción since 2015, including six years as an expatriate in Mozambique and South Africa. He is currently the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Innovation at the organization. He has experience in private enterprise as well as in DNGO as a consultant in formulation, research and evaluation. He has extensive experience in field programs and partnerships, having studied, co-created, managed, researched and written about forms of partnerships, including multi-stakeholder ones, as well as new funding formulas. In program innovation, he has led the systematization and digitization of processes, as well as the creation of the open innovation platform, Designing Opportunities. He also stands out for his team management: “I deeply value intercultural teams and encourage leadership, which has led me to study social innovation tools and design thinking to manage and inspire leadership”.

A 360º International Marketing expert, with a Master's degree from ESIC and an MBA from the European University of Madrid, she has been managing global marketing departments for eight brands on four continents since 1999. An expert in the creation of communication and marketing strategies for building and positioning organizations, and used to working in international contexts with multidisciplinary teams, at Ayuda en Acción her goal is to create a dialogue capable of connecting the solidarity of society with the most vulnerable people.

He currently works for the private equity fund Nexxus Iberia. He previously managed Jesuit Refugee Service activity in several refugee camps in eastern Chad as well as education projects in Cambodia for the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang. He began his career in investment banking at J.P. Morgan and AZ Capital.

Arturo Valenzuela, PhD in Political Science from Columbia University, is Professor Emeritus of Political Science and International Relations and founder of the Center for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., having previously held a similar position at Duke University in North Carolina. He is an expert on the origins and consolidation of democratic processes and U.S.-Latin American relations. In his first administration, President Barak Obama appointed him head of U.S. diplomacy to the Americas as Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. In President Clinton's second administration he served as Senior Director for Inter-American Affairs at the National Security Council and in President Clinton's first administration he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in charge of U.S. relations with Mexico.

Degree in Law (Complutense University of Madrid), he completed his studies with a Master in International Solidarity Action in Europe (Carlos III University of Madrid) and a Master in Food Safety and Food Policies (Open University of Catalonia). He started his professional career in the private sector, working as a manager and legal advisor in several Spanish companies for 5 years. Subsequently he has worked for more than 15 years in different fields of development and humanitarian action, managing complex programs in food security, resilience building or humanitarian crisis response for national and international agencies. During this period, he has carried out long-term assignments in El Salvador, India and Turkey, and short missions in many countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. In 2011 he joined Ayuda en Acción, performing different tasks as head of Institutional Funding, Humanitarian Action or promoting the development of the organization's presence in Africa. He is currently Director of Programs and leads the strategy and implementation of programs in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe.

Degree in Law from the Complutense University of Madrid (1981), she obtained her PhD from the same University in 1987. Professor of International Public Law at the National University of Distance Education (UNED), where she was Dean of the Faculty of Law from 2002 to 2004. Since 2013 she has been Director of the Department of Public International Law at UNED. She has been Director of the International Legal Counsel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, President of COJUR and Vice-President of CAHDI. Since 2001 she has been a member of the International Law Commission of the United Nations. She is a member of several institutions and scientific associations, including the Scientific Committee of the Real Instituto Elcano, the Spanish Association of Professors of International Law and International Relations and the Spanish Association for the Study of European Law. She is a corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation.

Degree in Medicine, he has been a faculty member at the Faculty of Medicine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the School of Public Health of Mexico and visiting professor at several universities in the United States, Spain and Latin America in fields such as Epidemiology, Health Systems, Health Planning, Health Economics, Humanitarian Assistance and Migrant and Refugee Health. Dr. López Acuña has worked with the World Health Organization (WHO), for the Regional Office for the Americas of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization, based in Washington D.C., in different positions, including Senior Policy Advisor, Director of Health Systems and Director of Program Management. He has held positions in health areas such as Director of Health Action in Crises at the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Advisor to the Director-General of the World Health Organization, and Director of Cooperation and Collaboration with the United Nations System at the World Health Organization.

Film and television director, screenwriter and producer. He has worked in Colombia, Italy and Spain, among his most successful films are “La estrategia del caracol”, “Ilona llega con la lluvia” and “Golpe de estadio”. In 1998 he was elected Representative to the Colombian Congress for the period 1998-2002. From 2004 to 2008 he was part of the team of directors of the Spanish series “Cuéntame cómo pasó”. His television projects include: “Severo Ochoa, la conquista de un Nobel”, “Adolfo Suarez, el Presidente”, “Escalona”, “La Pola” and “Garzón vive”.

Managing Partner of Altamar Capital Partners. In 2001 he founded Bluequity, a company that offers advisory and consulting services to projects and start-ups in the communication, media and technology (TMT) sectors. Previously, he founded and managed a Securities Agency, Savia Capital, with the purpose of covering the investment needs of institutional investors, providing them with Stock Exchange trading and Asset Management services. They were pioneers in identifying the Private Equity Fund of Funds scheme as the best entry point for institutional investors. He also worked at McKinsey & Company. He holds a degree in Business and Economics from CUNEF, an MBA from Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration and is a Fulbright Scholar.

Degree in Law (Autonomous University of Madrid), he has also studied Immigration and Asylum Law at the Carlos III University of Madrid. Since 1997 he has been involved in the social sector through Amnesty International and in 1999 he joined Ayuda en Acción as head of Institutional Relations for its Advocacy and Awareness Campaigns. In Ayuda en Acción he has held different roles; he was Director of Awareness and Recruitment Campaigns, he has been Director of Advocacy promoting the work of advocacy and education for global citizenship in the organization, and he is currently Director of Institutional Relations. He has been a member of the Governing Board of La Coordinadora, The Spanish Development NGO Platform - Spain from 2018 to 2024, and is also a member of the Cooperation Council.

Airline Transport Pilot. Airbus A330/A-340/A350 Commander. Expert in transport and logistics. MBA in Business Management at Instituto de Empresa (IE). Member of the Advisory Board of ADVANCED LEADERSHIP. Expert in Negotiation in the international transport sector. Expert in communication and editing of specialized travel and corporate publications.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees since October 2003 and member of the Board of Trustees since 1999. Since October 2024, he has left his position and became Honorary Chairman. Professor of Labor and Social Security Law, he has held senior positions in public and private institutions and has participated in national and international negotiation and arbitration processes. He is currently a member of the governing body of Sagardoy Abogados and Vice President of Mutua Madrileña.