Juan Diego Velasquez is the Managing Director of the Colombia-Purdue Partnership in the Office of Global Partnerships. A native of Colombia, after completing his undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering at Purdue University, Juan Diego stayed at Purdue to complete his graduate degrees (MS ’03, PhD ’09). He has experience in designing and implementing instructional development programs for Graduate Teaching Assistants various campus-wide service-learning initiatives. He was also instrumental in scaling up two small, team-driven activities (including the Colombia-Purdue Initiative) to university-wide initiatives with leadership shared with colleagues outside of Engineering and that serve Purdue’s Discovery, Learning and Engagement missions across all the University’s academic and service units.

Dr. Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Technology (CIT) at Purdue University. Dr. Seigfried-Spellar studies the “who and why” of cybercrime, specifically the personality characteristics and socio-legal factors associated with cyberdeviant behavior, including internet crimes against children, cyberbullying, and online trolling. She is a Fellow of the Digital and Multimedia Sciences section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and a Member of the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) and the American Psychological Association (APA). She is also a deputized Special Investigator (Tippecanoe Prosecutor's Office) and member of the Tippecanoe High Tech Crime Unit (HTCU).

A global health and data specialist with more than 12 years of experience in international development and work in emerging markets. He previously led a team that contributed to more than a $1B in winning proposals for a range of public and private sector clients including USAID, DFID, CDC, and DFAT. He has extensive experience in Value for Money analysis and has led trainings on Moneyball for development in Asia, Africa, and North America. Prior to joining QED, Rob most recently served as a Senior Advisor for the Data Informatics and Analytical Solutions team at Palladium. He has an MBA in Health Sector Management and an MPH in Global Health from Boston University.

Dr. Chad Laux is a faculty scholar that has an extensive profile in research, learning, and service that relates to globalization, over the last year. Recent global activities include Dr. Laux and colleagues developing an institutional relationship with Minuto de Dios University (Uniminuto) that has produced one grant proposal to strengthen economic development in rural (Orinoquia), Colombia formulate economic development plans for rural areas (e.g., Orinoquia), and strengthen the partnership between Purdue and Uniminuto. Current efforts include work to secure funding to work with Uniminuto partners in international labor development across rural Colombia and capacity building. Dr. Laux is co-organizer and chair of the International Conference of Lean Six Sigma (ICLSS), in partnership with Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, UK. Dr. Laux has co-organized and co-chaired the ICLSS for the past five years. Dr. Laux and Spellar organized the 150th event to Mitigate Human Trafficking in the Americas, attracting 300 attendees, including experts, 200+ students, and law enforcement, producing 25 concept notes as potential solutions. on campus. Dr. Laux gave an invited lecture to Universidad de Monterray’s conference on Innovation in Technology for Social Justice. Dr. Laux and co-authors are publishing findings of transactional research of engineering practices in human trafficking. Chad has expanded engagement for globalization at Purdue. Chad is member of the Purdue Systems Collaboratory, and the International Development Group (IDG). He also served on the expert Panel for the World Food Prize Youth Institute at Purdue. Chad has a PhD in Industrial & Agriculture Technology from Iowa State University.