Bio -Yill Otero – ACE Louisiana

Yill Otero

Director of International Promotion

ProPanama

Biography:

Yill Otero has a degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Business Administration from Florida State University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from the Latin American University of Science and Technology (ULACIT). She has postgraduate degrees in Strategic Management, Project Management, Coaching & Leadership, and diplomas in Governance and Political Management and Strategic Management of NGOs.

In the late 90s, was Head of the International Trade Fairs Department and later on General Director of Export Promotion at the Ministry of Commerce and Industries. For the next two decades, she served as an UN Interagency Coordination Officer of the UN Resident Coordination Office in Panama. From 2019 to 2021 was appointed as General Director of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and starting 2022 was appointed as Director of International Promotion of the Export and Investment Promotion Authority of Panama (PROPANAMA).

Nicole Griensewic

Executive Director

Region Nine Development Commission in Minnesota

Biografy:

Griensewic has served as Executive Director of Region Nine Development Commission since 2012. As executive director, Griensewic has made it a priority to foster collaboration and engagement by sharing Region Nine’s story both regionally and globally. Griensewic is an active board and committee member for multiple organizations throughout Minnesota. Griensewic is the immediate past President of the Greater Minnesota Partnership, and is the first female to chair the Executive Committee for the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies, where she served as chair of the Governance Committee. Griensewic also served as secretary of Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota’s Governing Board of Directors and chaired the Governance Committee and currently serves as an advisory board member for South Central College’s Center for Agriculture. She serves on the executive committee for the MACS Board, Minnesotans for the American Community Survey Board of Directors and represents the Midwest on the National Assoc. of Development Orgs.’s (NADO) Board of Directors.

Griensewic is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and has completed course work through Harvard’s Kennedy School’s Executive Education. She received the 2017 Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Her professional background includes extensive private sector and non-profit leadership experience.