Dany is an international development practitioner and writer who has consulted for organisations such as the American Red Cross and the United States Institute for Peace. He has been recognised by INCAE, one of the leading business schools in Latin America, as one of 30 emerging civil society leaders of Central America.
In 2022, Dany was the local coordinator of the largest studies on extortion in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. He presented the findings to USAID offices in Washington in Central America so they could be used for future programming.
From 2017 to 2020, Dany led the field operations of the Academy for Security Analysis. In the Academy, he used his passion for evidence-based public policies to improve citizen security in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. He supervised over 20 pilot projects, including one with the Attorney General of Guatemala and another with the Judicial Power of Honduras, using rigorous evaluation methodology to establish mechanisms that improve access to justice, facilitate social reintegration and promote crime prevention. He represented the Academy to international donors, such as the UNODC and UNDP, and established partnerships with over 36 justice sector institutions in Central America.
In 2018, he was named a fellow of the Center for Evidence Based Management for his contributions in Central America. Dany also has extensive experience as a leadership development facilitator with the Latin American Leadership Academy, based in Colombia.
In addition to his work in international development, Dany has completed artistic residencies in Hungary, Portugal, and Spain. At the end of 2019, he published his first short story collection, ‘La Quebrada’ and in 2024 he published a personal essay collection ‘Chronicles of what we leave on the shore’. He has also published on current affairs in Central America in outlets such as the independent media Gato Encerrado and America Magazine in the US.
Dany holds an MSc in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University and a BA in Political Science from John Carroll University.
I believe in strong partnerships with community leaders who are committed to change. A lot can happen when we tap into the wisdom and courage of communities.Dany Diaz Mejia