When Ana Maria Vallarino and Miky Fabrega first built a friendship through the Central America Leadership Initiative (CALI), they connected as values-aligned leaders committed to driving change in their country. Little did they know that their bond would evolve into a deep friendship and collaboration that would help Panama navigate one of its greatest challenges: the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this Fellows on Fellows conversation, Ana Maria and Miky share the inside story of how they joined forces with 10 other CALI Fellows, along with others across the Aspen Global Leadership Network, to launch #TODOPANAMA, a civic movement that filled critical gaps in the government’s pandemic response. From distributing over 500,000 masks to raising $3.3 million for public health awareness, #TODOPANAMA demonstrated the power of collaboration, fueled by Fellowship, in a time of crisis.

Beyond that one point of impact, Ana Maria and Miky continue to support each other through their many leadership transitions. Ana Maria now leads the CALI as Executive Director, while Miky has recently created a new role within the Panamanian government focused on steering the creative industries – an idea he had at an Aspen Institute event years prior and made happen through the support of fellow Fellows.

Whether you’re seeking to build more effective collaborations or simply navigate the challenges of leadership with greater resilience, this conversation will leave you inspired.

Fellows on Fellows

Fellows on Fellows is a five-episode dialogue series from the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN). Spanning business, government, and the nonprofit sector, AGLN Fellows share a commitment to enlightened leadership and the drive to tackle the most pressing challenges of our times. Through transformative Fellowship programs and gatherings like the Resnick Aspen Action Forum, AGLN Fellows have the unique opportunity to connect, collaborate, and challenge each other to grow and commit to a lifelong journey of impact.

Fellows in Fellows puts two AGLN Fellows together in honest, heartfelt conversation as they share the real moments that shaped them as leaders: breakthroughs, setbacks, tough decisions, and the lessons that come from being fully “in the arena”. These conversations are a reminder of Fellowship in action. Watch the trailer and look out for weekly releases in January here on aspeninstitute.org and on the Aspen Institute’s YouTube channel.