Macarena Torres Girao, MSc, currently serves as an Award Manager in the Grants, Contracts & Compliance Unit at Counterpart International, starting in September 2023. Prior experience includes five years at Chemonics International, where Macarena held roles such as Senior Program Manager for the Middle East & North Africa Division, overseeing the White Helmets Assistance Program, and Program Manager for the Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Afghanistan Division, managing operational and financial resources. Earlier positions involved significant contributions at the International Monetary Fund as Division Coordinator and various roles at AMIDEAST and the Embassy of Peru in Morocco, focusing on education, project support, and diplomatic research. Macarena holds a Master of Science in Violence, Conflict, and Development from SOAS University of London and dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Studies and Arabic Studies from American University, along with extensive study abroad experiences in Arabic language.