Nathalia Mesa

Nathalia Mesa has been instrumental in enhancing Colombia's early childhood development (ECD) ecosystem for over two decades. Her journey began in 2008 with co-founding aeioTU, a pioneering social enterprise that launched ECD centers across diverse socioeconomic communities. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, these centers demonstrated the feasibility of delivering high-quality ECD services universally, regardless of a child's background or circumstances. Under Mesa's leadership, aeioTU introduced an innovative curriculum, Experiencia Educativa aeioTU, which garnered recognition from the Lego Foundation through the prestigious Lego Prize for the Pedagogical Director.

Mesa's contributions extend beyond curriculum development; she has spearheaded the creation of pedagogical materials, infrastructure development, teacher training programs, and online educational solutions. Her efforts have facilitated aeioTU's expansion through partnerships with 13 cities, numerous foundations, and multilateral organizations, significantly impacting thousands of children's lives.

Mesa, an Ashoka fellow, has made innovative contributions to the social sector and has been acknowledged with the Jacobs Foundation Practice Award. Her strategic initiatives have been pivotal in aeioTU's scaling efforts, positively affecting children worldwide. Mesa has consistently advocated for collaboration with academia, leveraging the aeioTU Longitudinal Study to enhance aeioTU's operations and advocate for improved quality and coverage of ECD services. Her dedication to fostering partnerships and employing evidence-based approaches underscores her commitment to advancing early childhood education and care.

2012 Executive Program for Growing Companies, Stanford Business School

2009 Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management, Harvard Business School

1997 Bachelors of Business Administration, Economics, University of Georgia