Adjunct Faculty UNH teaching Global Governance. He is also a lecturer/adjunct at the John Hopkins University MA in NGO Management program, Northeastern University/CPS Global Studies and International Relations Master Program, and Columbia University SPS Nonprofit Management program, teaching multiple nonprofit/NGO management, human rights, international development, social movements and global policy courses. Until August 2021, he was Senior Lecturer in the Columbia University SPS Nonprofit Management program, teaching and developing the Governance, Leadership and Managing the Mission-Based courses. Before Columbia, he was previously a lecturer at Northeastern University, where he developed the curriculum and taught courses for the Global Studies and International Relations Master of Science Program. Dr. Ponce was also a lecturer at Tufts University, Venezuelan Central University, and Andres Bello Catholic University. Dr. Ponce has over three decades of experience working in the fields of Governance, Civil Society Development, Nonprofit Management, Networking, Public-Private Partnerships, Human Rights and Democracy Empowerment in the US and globally. He has monitored, fundraised and executed program activities of over $90 Million, for an extensive portfolio of private and public donor-funded programs, including USAID, DRL, OTI, DOS, IAF, NED, European Union, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, DFAIT, World Bank, CAF, IAF, Kellogg, Tinker Foundation, among others.
Additionally, Dr. Ponce has played important roles as social, political, economic, policy and management consultant to countless national and international nonprofits, government agencies, private companies and institutions in strategic management, planning, governance, judicial reform, rule of law, accountability, social responsibility, regulatory, fundraising, empowerment, environmental, alternative dispute resolution and human rights. Dr. Ponce also played a role at international and regional non-profits networks; he is a former member of the Steering Committee of the World Movement for Democracy, a former member of the International Steering Committee of the Community of Democracies, and former General Coordinator of the Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (Redlad). He is the Senior Fellow at Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC), MSI consultant, and fundraiser for several nonprofits. He was the Director for Latin American and the Caribbean and a Senior LAC Fellow at Freedom House where he successfully managed a multimillion regional portfolio with multiple programs in various countries. He is active in the media as El Tiempo Latino newspaper Anti-Corruption Source/Columnist, and he writes op-eds and articles for several newspapers in the US and Latin America, published several books and he was the Co-Editor of the Nueva Politica Magazine.
Education
- DLP, Doctorate in Law and Policy, Law and Policy, Northeastern University, 2010
- MAUEPP Master of Arts, Urban and Environmental Policy Planning, Policy and Planning, Tufts University, 2005
- MSEL Master of Studies in Environmental Law, Law, Vermont Law School, VT, 1997
- JD Juris Doctorate (Abogado), Law, Universidad Catolica Andres Bello, Caracas, Venezuela, 1992
Interests
- Artist, mix-media and acrylic painter. https://www.carpediemart.org
- Multiple exhibits and awards as a painter, including exhibits in NY, MA, and San Francisco
- Organizer and Co-Curator: The Myth of the Cuban Healthcare System, Photo exhibit at the Art Museum of the Americas, Washington DC, October 15-30,2021
- Organizer and Co-Curator: Venezuela: Contrast and Destruction, Photo exhibit at the Art Museum of the Americas, Washington DC, October 15-30,2021
- Organizer and Co-Curator: Victims of the Venezuela’s Dictatorship Photo Exhibit, Medellin Convention and Exhibition Center, Colombia (June 23 – 29, 2019), and at the Organization of the American States Main Building (July 8-15, 2019).
Awards
- 2020 Silver Award and 2019 Bronze Award, Outstanding Latin American Political Article, Jose Marti Media Awards, National Association of Hispanic Publications
- 2019 Powermeter: Most influential Latinos in Washington DC Metro Area, El Tiempo Latino Newspaper
- 2013 Democracy Gold Medal Award, Honduras National Congress
- 2012 Dr. Cardenas Great Cross Academic Award (Orden Gran Cruz Universitaria “Dr. Roman Cardenas Silva”), Tachira National Experimental (University Universidad nacional Experimental del Táchira
- 2011 Reagan-Fascewll Fellowship, National Endowment for Democracy
- 2003 Fulbright Scholarship
- 2000 Arminio Borjas Award in First Degree (Condecoracion Armino Borjas, Primer Grado), Venezuela National Bar Association Highest Award
- 1998 Rene Cassin Award, France Human Rights Commission, Paris, France
- 1997 Vermont Law School’s Academic Excellence Award, VLS, June 1997
- 1997 Magna Cum Laude, Vermont Law School
- 1997 National Dean’s List for Outstanding Performance
- 1996 World Bank and Fundayacucho’s Fellowship
- 1995 Awards from the Girardot (Aragua) and Libertador (DF) Mayor’s Offices
- 1994 Venezuela’s National Congress Award, Deputy Chamber
- 1992 Andres Bello Catholic University Honorary Academic Award
Courses
- GCHS 820 Global Governance
Publications
Current Research/ Forthcoming Publications or Articles
- 2022 Freedom of Association for Nonprofits, NGOs and Civil Society in Latin America under Covid-19 (Article) (Forthcoming, Summer 2022)
- 2022 Cuba Medical Brigades: False humanitarianism and human trafficking (Article/Report) (Forthcoming, Summer 2022)
- 2022 The Theory and Practice of Coordinated Disruption (Summer 2022) (Article)
- 2022 Winning and Managing Government Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Forthcoming, Spring 2022)(Book)
- 2022 Foreign Aid: Decades of Broken Promises and Scam (Fall 2022) (Article)
Books and Edited Volumes
- 2021 MISSION CROSSROADS: The Art and Science of Managing Successfully a Nonprofit (Book/Author), Carpe Diem Publisher. ISBN-13: 9798731468909
- 2012 Limits to Freedom of Association of Civil Society Organizations in Latin America: Comparative view and special case study of Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador, Cuba and Venezuela, (Book/Author) Tomas Moro Global University, Boston/Colombia. ISBN-10: 1475023324
- 2006 In What Ways Does Political Ideology Influence Latin American Sustainable Development?, (Book/Author) Kindle Edition. ASIN : B001804IZ
Articles/Blog/Reports/Papers
- 2021 Rent-Seeking and US Foreign Aid: How to Improve Efficiency and Major Impact of Democracy and Development Aid (Paper, Summer 2021).
El Tiempo Latino and El Planeta newspapers
- 2018-22 Contributor articles policy and foreign affairs https://eltiempolatino.com/
Personal Blog
- 2012-22 Two Latin Americas http://twolatinamericas.blogspot.com/
Freedom House Reports
- 2015-19 Research, information, editing and contributions to main Freedom House’s Reports and policy papers: Freedom in the World, policy recommendations, briefings, and special reports.
Nueva Politica Magazine, Editor (Monthly articles and co-editor of the magazine)
- 2012-14 Multiple Articles: “Anarchism 2.0”, “Democracia en crisis”, “The Ignorant have matched us”, “Libertad de asociación: Tarea pendiente en Latinoamerica”, “Narco-State: Venezuela a failed country”, “Venezuela: Narco-Estado?”, “US Elections: Latinization of American politics”, “Discriminacion Global: Latinos Explotados”, “Panorama Regional: Estado de la Democracia”, “La samba imperial del Brasil”, “El outsider al final de la historia”, “Dos décadas perdidas: la Venezuela que no fue”, “Latinos discriminados en Estados Unidos: Hipocrecia de los impuestos sin beneficios”, “El Legado: Chavez será solo imagen de camisetas”, “La revolución no viaja en Facebook”, “El Cambalache de la desintegración: Los ignorantes nos han igualao”, “Discriminacion global migratoria: Latinos migrantes explotados”, “sociedad civil: el quinto poder”, “Cooperacion internacional: decadente y en decadencia”, “El Tea Party muere, tiempo de reconfigurar los partidos y dar espacios a las minorías”, “Los Bolichicos: desnudando la mafia de nuevos millonarios”.
Monthly policy/democracy/human rights magazine, Nueva Politica
- (Revista Nueva Politica), Tomas Moro Government School. Multiple Articles
Book Chapters
- 2012 “Cumbre y Sociedad Civil: como actor de cambio social.” In Ramirez, Socorro, Foros Camino a Cartagena, Gobierno de Colombia and Organización de Estados Americanos, Bogota, Colombia. 2012
- 2010 “Desarrollo Sostenible en Tiempos de Ideologías Relativas.” In Rastelli, V. And Chacon R., Educar para el desarrollo Sostenible:Experiencias iberoamericanas, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Editorial Equinoccio.
- 2008 Tools to Defend Civil Society in Authoritarian Regimes, WRI, DC. Report
- 2007 “Justicia de Paz en Venezuela: Buenas practicas y lecciones aprendidas.” In Projusticia, Propuesta de Justicia de Paz para el Ecuador, Corte Suprema de Justicia, Ecuador.
- 2005 In What Ways Does Political Ideology Influence Latin American Sustainable Development?, Tuft University, UEP. Report / Author
- 2005 Manual de Derechos Humanos para Jueces, Amnesty International. Editor
- 2005 Situation of Access to Environmental Information Participation, and Justice in Latin America 2004 – 2005, The Access Initiative, Report / Co-Author
- 2003 Manual de Justicia de Paz Comunitaria, Asociacion Civil Consorcio Desarrollo y Justicia. Training Manual / Co-Author
- 2002 Manual de Derechos Humanos, Instituto de Defensa Legal, Lima, Peru. Training Manual / Co-Author
- 2001 “Regulacion de Servicios Publicos en Venezuela.” In Servicios públicos, privatización, regulación y protección del usuario en Bolivia, Ecuador y Venezuela, Comision Andina de Juristas, CAJ, Lima, Peru.
- 2000 Democracia y derechos humanos en el contexto económico latinoamericano, Comision Andina de Juristas, Lima, Peru. Book / Co-Author
- 2000 “Venezuela: El Impulso de la sociedad civil.” In Justicia de Paz en la Region Andina: experiencias comparadas y utopias compartidas, Corporacion Excelencia por la Justicia”, Bogota, Colombia,
- 1999 “La Juticia de Paz en Venezuela.” In La Justicia de Paz en debate, Instituto de Defensa Legal, Instituto de Defensa Legal, Lima, Peru.
- 1998 Educando Valores Ambientales, Imprenta Nacional, Venezuela”, Booklet
- 1996 “Derecho Ambiental y Desarrollo Sustentable en el Marco de los Derechos Humanos.” In Recopilacion para la comprensión, Estudio y Defensa de los Derechos Humanos, Meneses, David, Fundacion Konrad Adenauer, Caracas,
- 1996 “Sistemas alternativos y Justicia de Paz en el mundo.” In Ley Organiza de la Justicia de Paz, Editorial Juridica Venezolana, Caracas, Venezuela.
Grants
- Multiple grants and cooperative agreements from the USAID and DRL for research, photo exhibits, advocacy and country-base projects.
Speakers Bureau Topics
- International Development
- Humanitarian Aid
- Foreign Aid
- Global Policy
- US Foreign Policy
- Nonprofit Management
- Strategic Planning
- Human Rights
- Social Movements
- International Affairs
