Female Leaders Of The Americas
About Us
Female Leaders of the America was founded by Leslie, Gianela, and Kristie in early 2021 after receiving a mini-grant from the U.S. Department of State and Steven's Initiative. Through this program, we hope to connect young girls from throughout the world and inspire them to be leaders and pursue careers related to government, politics, international relations, language, culture, and a variety of other fields. Learn more about us below!
Our team
Kristie M.
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Pronouns: She/her
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Kristie is a student at the University of California, Berkeley studying Global Studies. She is passionate about international exchange, global education, and foreign languages. Kristie co-founded FLOTA as a high school student in order to promote mutual understanding and foster dialogue between youth from North and South America. She is so excited to see the project grow and reach event more people.
Sabrina S.
Co-Director
Pronouns: She/they
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Sabrina is a currently a college student at UC Berkeley. In her free time, she plays piano, goes on hikes, and enjoys watching movies centered around environmentalism or philosophy. Connecting with those passionate about learning and leadership is why she took part in FLOTA! Learning about diverse cultures and history is extremely important to her.
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Rayssa S.
Executive Director
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Rayssa is a 19 year old Brazilian girl from the northeast region. She is very passionate about many things in life, like politics, literature, music, cinema, sports, nature, and many other things. She is currently pursuing her degree in International Relations at UEPB. Her personal goal is to make a difference in the lives of the ones that need a change in our society independent of the professional path she'll choose. As a FLOTA Director, she feels very confident about the good work that this project has been doing and will continue to do with its growth every year.
Maria Luiza F.
Executive Director
Pronouns: She/her
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Maria Luiza is the FLOTA Director (she had the opportunity to be president in FLOTA 2022 and Alumni Engagement Director & Virtual Partner Call Director in 2023) and a young Brazilian who loves to write, read, draw and play guitar. In addition, by encouraging each participant to be a leader, provide contact with other bright girls and cultures, and remind us that we should not remain on the fringes of ignorance, she thinks that it is a great honor to help amplify the voices of the program!
Valentina
Community Development Director
Pronouns: She/Her
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Valentina is an undergraduate first-year student at Northwestern University studying journalism, psychology, and film & media studies. She is 19 years old and was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil with a passion for empowering women and fostering social change. She is the founder of the Girls' Empowerment Council of The Americas (GECA), leading initiatives to uplift and empower young girls across the region. As Community Development Director for the third time in FLOTA, she is committed to creating an inclusive and safe space for young girls in the Americas. During her free time, she is probably enjoying a good romance book, watching her comfort TV shows, and hanging out with her closest friends.
Elizabeth H.
Outreach Director
Pronouns: She/Her
Elizabeth is an 18-year-old from the Boston area and a 2023 FLOTA alum. 2025 will be her second year as FLOTA’s Outreach Director, and she looks forward to recruiting passionate participants from all over the Americas. She is fascinated by politics and speaks both Mandarin Chinese and beginning Swedish. In her free time, she loves hiking with friends and her dog, Noodles.
Juliana C.
Program Activity Coordinator
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Juliana is an 18 year old activist for quality education and accessibility for disabled people in Brazil. She participates in many social projects like CPM, Ledores and Origami For Good. Among her aspirations are becoming a criminal profiler, doing her bachelor’s degree in the US and becoming a polyglot. In her spare time she enjoys reading mystery and thrillers and
practicing calligraphy. She’s ready for another year of FLOTA and really looking forward to making the program even better in 2025!
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Alice P. R.
Government & Politics Track Director​
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Alice is a Brazilian college applicant passionate about International Relations and women’s empowerment. Currently serving as the Gov & Politics Track Director, she is dedicated to addressing global political issues and fostering critical thinking among participants. As a former alumna, Social Coordinator, and Alumni Engagement Director, Alice is best known for her contribution to the FLOTA Conference, now in its third edition, which connects FLOTA girls with leaders worldwide. Outside the program, she also enjoys pistachio ice cream, practicing Muay Thai, and exploring educational systems across the globe, embodying her love for learning and making a difference.
Luiza Vieira Caleia
Language & Culture Track Director
Pronouns: She/her
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Luiza is an energetic high school student in Brazil. A common day of hers is filled with interactions with people, as she loves to communicate. She leads a social impact club in her city and is a volunteer for international NGOs. The biological sciences are her favorite field of study, and she constantly advocates for biodiversity protection. She is also passionate about languages, culture, and the humanities, especially comparative studies. She could not be happier to be part of the creative process at FLOTA and is excited to mentor inspiring girls.
Kay L.
International Relations Track Director
Pronouns: They/Them
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Kay is a college student from Ecuador who is passionate about politics, both international and local, physics and chemistry. Kay currently studies and works in the US in Chicago, IL.
María Fernanda Franco
Human Rights & Law Track Director
Pronouns: She/Her
Mafer is an international relations student at Peruvian University of Applied Science in Lima-Peru. She’s interested in human rights and international cooperation. Mafer is currently doing an internship at the European Union. In her free time she enjoys listening to The Beatles.
Jéssica Almeida
Social Media Director
Pronouns: She/her
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Jéssica Almeida is the Website and Social Media Director for the Female Leaders of the Americas program. She is passionate about leadership, innovation, the arts, and
environmental impact, and is actively involved in projects that focus on culture and women’s empowerment. In addition to her professional work, Jéssica is committed to inspiring girls in her community to pursue their dreams, believe in themselves, and overcome barriers. She loves animals and enjoys singing, drawing, creating digital content, and immersing herself in different cultures​​
Dessiree M.
Social Media Director
Pronouns: She/Her
Hello! I’m Dessiree. It’s such a pleasure to be part of the Female Leaders of the Americas (FLOTA) for 2 years. This has been an incredible journey that has allowed me to connect with like-minded individuals. Also, as a dedicated advocate for STEM education and youth empowerment, I have pursued opportunities to explore the intersection of science, technology, and leadership. Looking forward, I aim to continue developing innovative solutions and fostering collaboration, all while pursuing my passion for empowering others to create a brighter future.
Priscila Carvalho Morais Coelho
Alumni Engagement Director
Pronouns: She/Her
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Priscila is 19 years old from Brazil. She is passionate about education, arts, books, volunteering, cultures, and more. Priscila's goal is to make an impact in the communities around her. She participated in the 2024 cohort and is now the alumni director
Geovanna
Director of Clubs and External Projects
Pronouns: She/her
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Geovanna is a Brazilian high school student in a technical program specializing in Legal Services. Passionate about law, psychology, and education, she aims to combine these fields to contribute to the development of public policies. Her favorite hobbies include writing, playing the violin, spending time with her dog, and engaging in competitive debates
The Female Leaders of the Americas program is currently supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of State and Steven's Initiative. For more information about our sponsor, please read their statement below!
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"The Stevens Initiative Alumni Small Grants: The Experiment Digital is funded by the Stevens Initiative which is sponsored by the US Department of State and administered by the Aspen Institute. The Stevens Initiative is also supported by the Bezos Family Foundation and the governments of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. The Initiative is an international effort to build global competence and career readiness skills for young people in the United States, the Middle East and North Africa."