Term: March 2025 - February 2027

Catherine Alayón Torres is the INEE Country Focal Point for Ecuador. She currently serves as Education and Protection Manager at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Ecuador, leading strategies to strengthen local education systems, promote safe learning environments, mainstream protection, and develop methodologies, with a special focus on communities in crises, emergencies, and human mobility. 

She is a social worker certified by the National University of Colombia, and has a Master's Degree in Inclusive and Intercultural Education with a specialization in Pedagogies for Youth and Adult Education. In 2021, she received a scholarship from the Carolina Foundation, training as an Expert in Conflict Prevention, Crisis Management and Post-Conflict (REACT), with certification in Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) from Helsinki España. Throughout her career, Catherine has established herself as a reference in humanitarian action, specializing in emergency education, child protection and mine action. Her work has been focused on teacher training, articulation with actors and strengthening of education systems in crisis contexts, with extensive experience in Latin America and the Caribbean, where she has supported educational initiatives in post-conflict and emergency scenarios. In addition, she has contributed to the formulation of public policies for risk management and educational continuity, promoting sustainable solutions adapted to the challenges faced by communities in vulnerable situations.

Through her training and experience, she has developed competencies in humanitarian response and crisis management in highly complex contexts, contributing to the implementation of innovative strategies for education in emergencies and child protection in crisis environments. Catherine lives in Ecuador and speaks Spanish, English and basic Portuguese.

Email: [email protected]