Jean Sebastian Pedraza Paez, Ann-Kathrin Beck and Dominik Ziller

Jean Sebastian Pedraza Paez 

I’m a Colombian youth leader, rural youth advocate, who has important experience in rural youth issues. I’m graduate with Associate Degree in ICT from SENA, and Bachelor’s Degree in Political science and public management from International University of La Rioja, I have also carried out several studies in the development of projects, public policies and rural development. 

For more than 8 years I have participated in the formulation, and implementation of different projects that contribute to social and rural development in different parts of Colombia and in some countries in Latin America, in 2021 I was selected as one of the twelve Changemakers for the Kofi Annan Foundation, thanks to my work empowering young people in the transformation of food systems 

Currently I'm the chair of the Steering Committee and Cordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean of YPARD, an international movement made by and for young professionals for agricultural development, allowing young professionals from all over the world to fully develop their potential and contribute to innovative agricultural development.  

On the other hand I am one of the co-founders,of the national rural youth network of Colombia, an initiative that seeks to empower rural youth, through training processes, facilitating access to opportunities, initiating the creation of public policies, so that these generate initiatives, that allow them to remain in the rural areas, and generate development in their territories, Personally had the opportunity to participate in the creation, strengthening and consolidation of the network, besides contributing to the replication of similar initiatives with youth leaders from Peru, El Salvador and Mexico, I also collaborated and participated in different international conferences with institutions such as IFAD, FAO, Procasur, and Rimisp. 

I am part of the RELASER Forum (latin american network of rural advisory services), as a youth representative, a scenario of dialogue and debate on public policies related to extension services and rural development in Latin America 

Twitter: @Sebas_Oneband 
LinkedIn:@ Jean Sebastian Pedraza Paez 

Ann-kathrin Beck 
Junior Adviser to the Vice-President, Office of the President and the Vice-President, IFAD 

Ann-Kathrin Beck is an advisor to the Vice-President of IFAD. She offers strategic advice regarding innovation projects and opportunities, the quality assurance of project designs and political analysis, and supports the cross-organizational collaboration and decision-making of IFAD divisions in these areas. Furthermore, she coordinates IFAD’s involvement in global initiatives such as the Global Alliance for Food Security and the World Food Forum. 

Prior to joining IFAD, Ann-Kathrin worked in political analysis and advisory for Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Mexico and Indonesia; and as a consultant with the University of Chicago’s International Innovation Corps in India where she focussed on organizational strengthening as well as monitoring and evaluation for the national NGO SEWA Bharat. During her studies, she also worked with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) on a rural development project in Ghana. 

Ann-Kathrin holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the Central European University, Budapest and the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals and a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and Administration from the University of Konstanz. 

LinkedIn: @Ann-Kathrin Beck
Twitter: @annminuskathrin 

Dominik Ziller

Dominik Ziller is Vice-President of IFAD. He gives strategic direction to the institution, and promotes corporate approaches and solutions. He has direct oversight of the budget, quality assurance and ethics offices.

Prior to joining IFAD, Ziller was Director General for International Development Cooperation for International Development Policy at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. His responsibilities included the European Union's development cooperation, United Nations, World Bank Group, regional development banks, OECD, development processes of the G7 and the G20, the World Trade Organization and topics of financing for development and effectiveness/transparency. During Germany's G20 Presidency, Ziller chaired the Development Working Group.

Previously, he held various senior positions at the BMZ, including head of the Directorate for Asia and head of the Budget Division. Between 2011 and 2013, he worked for Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusam¬menarbeit (GIZ), where he was a member of the Executive Management Committee.

He holds a Law Degree from the Ludwig Maximilian Universität München and Practical Law Degree from the Federal German State of Bavaria.