Colansa (Latin American and Caribbean Nutrition and Health Community of Practice) is a group of professionals, civil society organizations and universities that works in a collaborative environment to contribute to the development of healthy, sustainable, equitable, and inclusive food systems, and to promote improvements in nutrition and public health across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Our work is carried out through a Community of practice—an exchange space that brings together researchers and other social actors to advance and generate public policies aimed at improving food systems, grounded in collaborative learning and the production of scientific knowledge.
The Community aims to play a leading role in the region, creating a space for discussion and debate in a democratic environment for the exchange of ideas and solutions to improve the region’s food systems. Thus, Colansa also assists in the prevention of the increase in non-communicable chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and others, the main causes of death in the world and with high prevalence in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In addition, we seek to promote innovation and strengthen connections among countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, facilitating greater transparency and accessibility of the tools and knowledge developed in the region to address challenges through multidisciplinary approaches.
We envision Colansa as a leading reference in building shared practices and knowledge for all individuals and organizations interested in actively contributing to the improvement of food systems in the region.
No member of Colansa has any bonds with the ultra-processed beverages and food industry, the tobacco industry, or the alcohol industry. Therefore, there are no conflicts of interest. This allows our actions to remain free, transparent and firmly focused on public health.
Advocate for policies that support healthy eating and sustainable food systems: This includes working with governments and other organizations to create policies that make healthy food more affordable and accessible, and that ensure it is produced sustainably.
Conduct research on the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving food systems and eating habits: This includes gathering evidence on what works to promote healthy eating and sustainable food systems, and sharing that evidence with policymakers and other stakeholders.
Carry out research on the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving food systems and dietary habits: This involves gathering evidence on effective strategies to promote healthy eating and sustainable food systems, and sharing that evidence with policymakers and other stakeholders.
Build the capacity of researchers, policymakers, and civil society organizations to work together to improve food systems and dietary habits: This includes providing training and support to help these groups collaborate in the implementation of effective interventions with a gender equity perspective.
Colansa integrates gender equity as a cross-cutting axis in its actions, seeking the full and equal participation of women and vulnerable populations in food systems. This means removing barriers that hinder their access to healthy and sustainable food and reducing the existing power imbalance in food systems.
Colansa’s mission is to contribute to the development of healthy, sustainable, equitable and inclusive food systems. More information:
Executive Director
Nutritionist with over 16 years of experience in public health, having worked at municipal, state, and international levels. She is an expert in public policies, planning, management, and monitoring of projects, with a focus on vulnerable populations. She holds a master’s degree in Food, Nutrition and Health from the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) and a specialization in Public Health from the Sergio Arouca School of Public Health/FIOCRUZ.
Executive Coordinator
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Management and an MBA in Project Management from the University of São Paulo (USP). She has over 10 years of experience in project management, institutional development, and social impact initiatives. Katarine has worked in civil society organizations and multisectoral settings, focusing on education, entrepreneurship, public policy, and organizational strengthening.
Front-of-Package of Industrialized Food and Beverages Hub Coordinator and Research Coordinator
Advocacy Coordinator
Holds a degree in Political Sciences from Universidad del Salvador, Argentina. She has dedicated over a decade to advancing human rights, working with the Argentinian government in the field of international human rights. She currently serves as Executive Coordinator at the Coalition for Americas’ Health (CLAS), and is part of the steering committee and the advocacy team of Colansa. Additionally, she is a professor at the University of Buenos Aires, Law School.
Industry Interference in Public Policies on Food and Nutrition Hub Coordinator
Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition; Master’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in Nutrition. Conflict of Interest and Industry Influence Coordinator at El Poder del Consumidor; Communications Coordinator for the World Public Health Nutrition Association; member of the Network of Nutrition Leaders (LILANUT) of the Latin American Society of Nutrition. Author and co-author of scientific articles, he holds a certificate in public policy evaluation; a certificate in strategic political communication; and a certificate in lobbying and political negotiation. His areas of interest include the commercial determinants of health, corporate political activity, health taxes, and public policy analysis.
Fiscal and Economic Policies Coordinator
Master’s Degree in Political Economy (FLACSo) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology (UBA). He worked in the National Department for Non-Communicable Diseases of the Ministry of Health of the Nation of Argentina.As a member of civil society, he participated in various projects related to healthy eating, such as the approval and implementation of the Law for the Promotion of Healthy Eating (#Front-of-Package Labeling) and the updating of the Argentine Food Code (CAA) in the article referring to trans fats.He is currently Project Director of the InterAmerican Heart Foundation (IAHF/FIC).
Gender and Intersectionality Hub Coordinator
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from the National University of La Matanza (UNLaM) and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Clinical Effectiveness at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). She has a degree in Nutrition and Public Health, and experience in research on chronic diseases. She works as a researcher at the Center of Excellence in Cardiovascular Health for South America (CESCAS), part of the Institute of Clinical and Health Effectiveness in Buenos Aires.
Communications Coordinator
Communicator and researcher, with a Master’s degree in Sustainable Food Innovation and Management from the University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo (UNISG) and holds an MBA in Project Management from the University of São Paulo (USP). For more than ten years, he has worked in strategic communications for social movements and civil society organisations engaged in food-related agendas, with a focus on policy advocacy, food justice and the human right to adequate food in Latin America. His research explores the interface between communication, food systems and the role of civil society coalitions in governance and public debate. He is a member of the Brazilian Alliance for Adequate and Healthy Food.
Communications Specialist
She is a journalist and holds a master’s degree in Communication and Information from the Graduate Program in Communication at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (PPGCOM/UFRGS). She has experience as a communications advisor and content producer for trade unions and social movements in the areas of health, the environment, human rights, and culture. She has also worked as a reporter and in documentary production. In addition, she coordinates communications for the Josué de Castro Chair on Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems (USP).
Administrative and Financial Analyst
Board of Directors
Nutritionist and Doctor of Nutrition and Public Health. She is a professor in the Department of Nutrition at the School of Public Health at the University of São Paulo. She is a scientific researcher at the Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health (Nupens) of the same University. Her line of research includes evaluating and monitoring public policies on food and nutrition, with an emphasis on regulatory measures on ultra-processed foods.
Board of Directors
Director Podel del Consumidor y the founder of Greenpeace Mexico. At Greenpeace, he coordinated the area of climate change and air pollution and later served as campaign director (forests, oceans, toxics, and climate). EPC promoted the tax on sugary drinks, front-of-package warning labels on food and beverages, regulation of advertising aimed at children, and reform of the General Education Law to regulate food and beverages in schools—policies in which Mexico has made significant progress, becoming a regional example in this field. Is a member of The Lancet Commission on Obesity and has been invited to advisory groups of the World Health Organization. In 2019, he received the Health Champion award from the National Institute of Public Health.
Board of Directors
Is dedicated to the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in the Americas.As executive director of CLAS, the Healthy America Coalition, she provides a coherent response from civil society on health policy issues. Supporting advocacy in the region, advocacy communication, grants, and building greater capacity for advocacy.Some experiences: coalition to reduce salt in the diet; advocacy for smoke-free environments; health warnings in the Caribbean and Central America; 7 media competitions; national smoking cessation plans; CARMELA study of the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in seven cities; economics of tobacco in Argentina; chaired five regional Tobacco or Health conferences; economic studies in Central America; illicit trade in Mercosur; youth dialogue; empowerment of people living with NCDs.She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) and the NCD Alliance.She is also president of INWAT, the international network of women against tobacco.She holds a Ph.D. from Rutgers University and graduated with high honors from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
Board of Directors
Is Director and lead researcher of the Center for Research in Food Environments and Prevention of Chronic Diseases Associated with Nutrition (CIAPEC) Full Professor at the Public Nutrition Unit of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA) at the University of Chile. She is a Medical Surgeon, holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Chile, and a Ph.D. in Nutrition from Emory University, United States.
Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Medical researcher at the Center for Research in Nutrition and Health at the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico. She is currently the coordinator of projects related to monitoring the obesogenic environment in schools, evaluating food and beverage advertising aimed at children and adolescents in different media, evaluating food and beverage labeling and the INFORMAS-Mexico project.She is part of the team that generated scientific evidence, designed, implemented and, now, monitors the Mexican front-of-package warning label.
Board of Directors
| Grupo de Estudos, Pesquisas e Práticas em Ambiente Alimentar e Saúde (GEPPAAS) | Larissa Loures Mendes | Brasil |
| Federación Argentina de Graduados en Nutrición (FAGRAN) | Ana María Caceres | Argentina |
| Fundación Interamericana del Corazón Argentina (FIC Argentina) | Maria Gabriela Lozano | Argentina |
| Campaña Que Rico es Comer Sano y de Nuestra Tierra | Marcelo Aizaga | Ecuador |
| Movimiento de Alimentación Saludable de Panamá | Bethy Cecilia Cruzado Alva | Panamá |
Plurality and transparency guide Colansa’s members in fostering a democratic space for debate and in generating ideas and solutions to improve food systems, nutrition, and public health across the region.
Colansa is open to the participation of civil society and academic organizations and also of physical people who share the same interests and objectives, who are willing to share their knowledge and experiences in a collaborative and practical interaction environment, and which do not have conflicts of interest.
If you are interested in being part of Colansa, whether you are a physical person or a member of an organization, get in touch with others.
