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imagen de Dr. José Aguilar Manjarrez

Dr. José Aguilar Manjarrez

Aquaculture Officer
FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean

José Aguilar Manjarrez holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Aquaculture from the University of Stirling (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), a Diploma in Financial Aquaculture from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), Mexico, and a B.Sc. in Oceanography from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Mexico. Since joining the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1996 at its headquarters in Rome, Italy, he has played a strategic role in designing and implementing innovative initiatives for sustainable aquaculture development in more than 45 countries worldwide. His work focuses on spatial planning and management, including aquaculture zoning, site selection and management areas, carrying capacity assessment, the ecosystem approach to aquaculture, climate change adaptation, offshore mariculture, macroalgae farming, and disaster risk management. He has significantly contributed to technical knowledge generation and public policy design, coordinating and authoring over 50 FAO technical publications and numerous peer-reviewed scientific articles. In June 2019, he assumed the position of Fisheries and Aquaculture Officer at the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, based in Santiago, Chile, where he continues to advance technical, regulatory, and strategic solutions aimed at strengthening the sustainability, resilience, and competitiveness of the aquaculture sector across the region.

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imagen de Alin Casado

Alin Casado

President
Association of Veterinarians Linked to Aquaculture (MEVEA)

A professional specialized in aquaculture health and nutrition, with experience in the design and implementation of integrated health strategies for salmon farming. She currently serves as BioFarm Health Manager at BioMar Chile, where she leads initiatives focused on disease prevention, optimization of productive performance, and health sustainability, integrating applied science, innovation, and production operations.

imagen de David Espinoza

David Espinoza

Regional Deputy Director
CORFO Los Lagos

Public Accountant from Universidad Andrés Bello and holds a Master’s degree in Science and Innovation Management from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain. He currently serves as Regional Deputy Director of CORFO Los Lagos, where he supports initiatives related to innovation, entrepreneurship, and regional economic development. He has more than two decades of experience in public administration and productive development, having held positions in SENCE, the Regional Government of Los Lagos, Chilean Customs, and Fundación Chinquihue.

imagen de Dr. Baltasar García

Dr. Baltasar García

Senior Geneticist
BENCHMARK GENETICS CHILE

Geneticist specialized in aquaculture breeding programs. He holds a Ph.D. in Genetics and Animal Breeding from São Paulo State University (UNESP), with a focus on applied genomics in selection programs. He has extensive experience leading and optimizing genomic selection strategies to enhance productivity, product quality, and sustainability in aquaculture.

imagen de Gonzalo Ibáñez

Gonzalo Ibáñez

International Regulatory Analyst
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

International Regulatory Analyst at the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), based in Santiago, Chile, a position he has held since 2010. An Agricultural Engineer with advanced training in agrarian economics and international trade policy, he has extensive experience in regulatory affairs, food safety, and international cooperation through both government and multilateral organizations.