Martha Patricia Castellanos Saavedra, PhD

Dr. Martha Patricia Castellanos Saavedra is a Colombian economist with a distinguished career in higher education, educational technology, and academic innovation. She holds a Doctorate in Education with a concentration in Educational Technology and Distance Education from Nova Southeastern University (United States), where she was awarded the Charles L. Faires Medal for Academic Merit. She also earned a Master’s in Telecommunications Management from the University of Strathclyde (Scotland) and postgraduate specializations in Project Management and Virtual Learning Environments.

Dr. Castellanos currently serves as the National Academic Vice President at the Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina (Areandina), where, under her leadership, the institution achieved High-Quality Multicampus Accreditation and international recognition in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings (2023) and QS Rankings. She has also served as Manager of Colombia’s National Ten-Year Education Plan 2016–2026, Executive Director of Computadores para Educar, and National Coordinator of Virtual Educa Colombia, leading major education and technology policy initiatives in collaboration with organizations such as the OAS, UNESCO, and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF).

Author of more than 40 academic publications and books, Dr. Castellanos is recognized as a leading voice in digital transformation in education. She is a member of the Inter-American Dialogue (Washington, D.C.) and the Colombian Association of Women in ICT (Mujeres TIC).