Juan Manuel Palacios, started his career in the development sector with non-profit organizations about 27 years ago, working as project coordinator, project manager, operational director and regional manager for international cooperation and non-profit organizations, on leadership projects, development of indigenous populations, art and culture, income generation, microfinance and small business development. Between 2003 and 2006 he worked in the Northeast of Brazil, in monitoring, evaluation and financial training for over 25 NGO’s in self-sustainability and organizational strengthening.

In 1996, he founded VRS Consult, a consulting company for strengthening of management skills for companies and non-profit organizations, planning, monitoring and evaluation, budgeting, self-sustainability and strengthening of Human Resources.

He has developed training processes in Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Brasil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia, Mexico, USA, Mozambique, Angola, Guinea Bissau, South Africa, Peru, Haiti, Thailand, Costa Rica, etc., and delivered consultancy in project management, organizational sustainability and strategic planning in about 15 countries in Latin America and the Portuguese speaking region in Africa.

Juan Manuel is a CPA, and has an MBA, with additional studies in Management, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Company Incubation. Additionally, studied development of small tourism enterprises in Okinawa Japan. Certified ProjectDPro Foundations, ProjectDPro Practitioner, ProgramDPro, and Risk Management for development organizations.

He is a professor for College and Master Degrees since 1994, in topics as: Budgeting, marketing, Project Management, Organizational Strategy, Finances, etc.