Experts and Staff
Clean Air Institute brings together diverse talented experts working to produce solutions to ensure people can breathe clean air.
MSc. Juliana Klakamp
Chief Operating Officer
Leader of CAI’s international program and specialized in working on the design and implementation of the Integrated Environmental Strategies approach in Latin American cities. Currently working on the design of policies and instruments, environmental evaluation of new technologies, characterization of environmental contamination, and analysis of co-benefits.
Juliana holds a track record of more than 12 years of international experience, providing specialized assistance and support to international organizations, governments, academia and civil society organizations, on issues related to air quality networks, air quality management, air quality policy implementation with stakeholders’ successful involvement. She has worked extensively at local, national and regional scale in Latin America, with a strong knowledge on and practice in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Peru and Nicaragua, as well as knowledge management initiatives throughout the region.
MSc. Stephanie Montero Bending
Environmental Health Specialist
A Medical Doctor with a Master's in Local Development and Cooperation, as well as a MSc in Global Health and Development, Stephanie has extensive experience coordinating air quality projects and health assessments for government agencies in cities across Mexico. Currently, she is focused on evaluating health impacts resulting from the implementation of air quality and climate improvement strategies in Latin American cities, to supporting environmental policy development and decision-making processes, in addition to managing air quality projects.
With over a decade of experience, Stephanie specializes in capacity building for government officials at country and city levels throughout the Americas region. She equips officials with tools to evaluate health co-benefits, promoting actions toward a more sustainable, healthy, and equitable society.
MSc. Karen Blanco
Emission Inventories and Modeling Specialist
Chemical engineer with over 10 years of experience in formulating and implementing projects related to air quality management. Notable projects include the Ten-Year Air Decontamination Plan for Bogota, Colombia, and providing support for the Transportation component of the Integrated Plan for Air Quality Management for the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey, Mexico. Karen has developed emission inventories of air pollutants from mobile sources in Bogota, processed databases, conducted information analysis, and contributed to the inventory of particulate matter emissions from select stationary sources in Monterrey. Additionally, she has developed methodologies for emission inventories of freight transportation in Mexico.
Karen has supported various organizations in Latin America in developing initiatives related to transportation and estimating greenhouse gas reductions to support the update of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). She also has research experience in micro-scale air quality modeling, atmospheric pollutant measurement, and heterogeneous catalysis for wastewater decontamination.
MSc. Marcos Cardenas
Technical support
Technical project support professional with over 10 years of experience working across various domains of environmental management, including air, water, and solid waste. He holds a degree in environmental engineering and has served as an academic and researcher in environmental studies at universities in Venezuela and Chile. Additionally, he is recognized as a national and international speaker and lecturer in the field.
Marcos has provided support on projects related to household and ambient air pollution, air quality, environmental health, and the advancement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators 3.9.1 and 11.6.2. He has contributed to the development of national and subnational frameworks concerning air quality, climate change, and health in several countries, including Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, and Trinidad and Tobago. Moreover, Marcos has been involved in regional initiatives for Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as in designing and implementing capacity-building projects both in-person and virtually.
BSc. Jorge Martinez
Data science and Information Technology Specialist
Data science and information technology specialist with more than 20 years of working experience in areas of comprehensive environmental management, especially in air quality design and development of policies based on analysis and management of data to define environmental indicators. In addition to the implementation of scenario models, diagnosis of environmental system applications and development of tools in geographic information systems (GIS).
As part of CAI, Jorge works on big data compilation and analysis, designing tools and models and preparing graphics and maps using GIS. Jorge also administrates CAI’s website.
BSc. Isabel Osorio
Administrative Assistant
Administrative Analyst who supports the CAI in areas of budgeting, controlling costs, and performing administrative duties on payment and contracts. Isabel is also responsible for the hiring process and development of CAI's employees. Furthermore, she supports the CAI keeping all the statistics, costs, and data updated physically and in the database.
Isabel holds a B.S. degree from the University of Maryland in Management and extensive experience in Accounting and Administrative duties.
Eng. Alberto Cruzado
Industrial Emissions Expert
Alberto is currently the President of the College of Environmental Engineers of Mexico. Mr. Cruzado has more than 25 years of working experience in environmental management issues related to air quality and in protecting public health from the effects of air pollution with emphasis in industrial emissions.
As part of CAI, Alberto provides advise and expertise in the preparation of studies and projects in the field of industrial emissions prevention and control as well as industrial emission inventories in countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Honduras, and United States
Eng. Miguel Angel Roman
Technical Specialist in Environmental Health Models
National Certificate by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), as an expert in the management of the BenMAP CE Model, and Management of the WHO AirQ+ Model.
With more than 30 years of experience in environmental issues, he collaborates with the Clean Air Institute in the estimation and evaluation of the Environmental Burden of Disease for countries in Latin America, Central America and Mexico, among others.
MSc. Ana Zuleima Orrego
Advisor on Air Quality Management and Air Pollution Episodes Plans
Advisor in the definition of Air Quality Management and Air Pollution Episodes Plans with 16 years of experience on air quality management.
Including planning and supervision in air quality, climate change and management for the management of critical episodes due to air pollution.