Board of Directors

Maxine T. McClellan – Founder and President Maxine is an American originally from Boston, Massachusetts and has been living in Minas Gerais since 2007.   She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and has broad experience in large scale international project management, enterprise outsourcing and process optimization.  Maxine has held international management positions with The Gillette Company, Procter & Gamble and has worked with many of the largest multi-nationals.  She has also done consulting work in the ITO/BPO sector in Brazil.  In 2009 Maxine founded  OrbiFish a globally-minded company focused on Social Media Marketing and Personal Branding working with businesses and professionals in understanding and driving success in the Web 2.0 culture.  Having lived in Europe and Latin America as well as traveling extensively, Maxine has a unique understanding of the challenges of adapting to and assimilating into other cultures.   You can follow Maxine on Twitter and Facebook or catch her on LinkedIn.

 

Kimberly Jacob – Vice President Kim is originally from Vancouver, Canada and moved to Belo Horizonte in 2006.  With a business degree in Marketing and post-graduate certificates in fundraising and not-for-profit management, Kim has more than 15 years’ experience working in the charitable sector in both Canada and Brazil.  Her Canadian portfolio includes: Vancouver Aquarium and Marine Science Centre, Canuck Place Hospice for Children, BC Blind Sports and Recreation Association and Blind Beginnings Society.  In BH, she is working with Casa do Jardim, an after-school program for underprivileged children in Nova Lima.  Specializing in corporate and foundation grant writing, prospect research, donor relations, marketing and communications for non-profit organizations, Kim brings strong interpersonal, public relations and organizational skills to her role as Director of MinasCare.

 

Breno Torquato de Paiva – Secretary Breno is a Brazilian native living in Belo Horizonte.  At an early age he lived for 3 years in the United States where he begin his English language studies.  Breno graduated of UFMG with a degree in Law.  Upon graduating he joined the law firm of  Azevedo Sette Advogados.  Breno is currently the head the firms immigration group were he directs all aspects of immigration law.  Breno is passionate about education and learning and is currently pursuing a second degree in Accounting at UFMG.

 

Dr. Corinne Davis Rodriques – Treasurer Corinne is a Professor in the Sociology and Anthropology Department at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil (UFMG).   She is director of the Center for Urban Studies (CEURB) and an researcher at the Center for Studies in Criminality and Public Safety (CRISP).   She conducts research in the area comparative criminology, with emphasis on understanding the relationship between crime, urban space and social control in the Brazilian and US contexts.   Her current research examines the relationship between social and spatial segregation, citizenship and crime.  She has published articles in the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science and Latin American Politics and Society.

 

Luiz Alexandre Costa is a native Brazilian living in Belo Horizonte . He graduated in Metallurgical Engineering from UFMG and holds a Masters Degree from PUC-MG in Mechanical Engineering as well as certifications in Production Management and Project Management.  Luiz Alexandre is the manager of Quality and Research at  Vallourec-Mannesmann do Brasil.  He is a professional with deep experience in the areas of Product Development, Quality, Process and Production, acquired in large companies in the metallurgical and automotive industries.

 

Niels Leidecker is a Danish native and permanent resident of Brazil, where he has lived since 2007 with his family. Niels has 20 years experience within the entire ICT development cycle and highly experienced within strategic business planning, optimization, innovation and development.  Niels’ main area of interest is within technology transfer from academic research to commercialization. Niels is dedicated to creating PPP contacts between Brazilian and foreign entities with his solid understanding and deep practical know-how in managing multi-cultural organizations and challenges.   Niels owns his own consultancy where he offers services such as:  Project/program management, Strategic planning, Innovation management, Business and organizational planning, Market analysis, Technological innovation and development and Professional Partner Search & Match Making.  As an active networker with a large international academic and corporate network Niels is, apart from Minas International, Group Manager for a network of Danishbusiness executives in LATAM – DABGO.

 

Emílio A. Vaz was born and raised in Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, moving to Belo Horizonte in 1986.  He started his professional life working with Banco do Brasil before beginning his career in the packing and labeling industry.  In 1997, he founded Fotomax Pre-Impressão Ltda., a packaging graphic company providing prepress services throughout Brasil. Fotomax is recognized as a  pioneer for introducing prepress technology in Minas Gerais allowing for premium quality production. Emílio runs his company with passion – always pursuing the best for his team and his clients.   He  attended PUC-MG, studying Business Administration and also has a degree in Computer Technology from Unisul Virtual.  In 2004, Emílio married Carolina Rodarte Vaz who is an attorney.