Dear Friends,
After an extensive search process, in which we received over 100 applications from around the world, Land is Life’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Luisa Castaneda as our next Executive Director, effective January 1, 2025. In her new role, Luisa joins us in our mission to advance the self-determination and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples in the seven socio-cultural regions of the world. We are confident that under her leadership, the organization’s success and impact in achieving its mission and vision will continue to flourish.
Luisa was born and raised in Puerto Boyacá, Colombia. She has a Master’s in Law from the Libre University, Colombia and an LLM in Comparative Law and Economics from the University of Turin and IUC, Italy. Currently, as a Vanier scholar, she is finalizing her Doctorate in Comparative Law at McGill University.
Luisa has over a decade of experience in supporting Indigenous Peoples: advocating for the territorial rights of the Arhuaco People in Colombia through strategic litigation; championing food sovereignty as part of the Indigenous Peoples Unit at FAO; and working as an Advisor to the Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Dario Mejia Montalvo. Luisa joined the Land is Life team in 2023, and has demonstrated that her commitment and vision make her an exceptional individual for the role of Executive Director.
We would also like to express our appreciation to Land is Life’s founding Director, Brian Keane, for leading the organization during this transition period, during which he expanded our work to protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights defenders in the Amazon, and created and launched our Indigenous Women’s Program, Indigenous Women’s Fellowship, and Food Sovereignty and Security Program. Brian will rejoin Land is Life’s Board of Directors, and continue working with the organization in the role of Senior Advisor.
We invite you to join us in welcoming Luisa Castaneda and look forward to your continued support and engagement as we embark on this exciting new chapter.
Mariam Wallet Med Aboubakrine
Board Chair
Land is Life
