This article continues the series of interviews with the Officers of the IEEE ComSoc Member and Global Activities (MGA) Council for the term 2026–2027, published every month in the Global Communications Newsletter.
In this series of interviews, I introduce the Vice-President and the six Directors on the MGA Council (namely: Member Services, Industry Outreach, and AP, NA, LA, EMEA Regions), as well as the three Chairs of the Women in Communications Engineering (WICE), Young Professionals (YP), and Sister Societies Standing Committees. Additionally, I will introduce the Chair of the Communications History Committee, aligned under the Technical and Educational Activities Council. One by one, they present their sector activities and plans in each interview.
In this issue, I interview Yessica Sáez, IEEE ComSoc Director of the Latin America Region (2026–2027).
Yessica is a Professor and Researcher at the Technological University of Panama (UTP). She is a member of Panama’s National Research System (SNI) and holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University. She has been an active IEEE volunteer for more than 15 years and has served in numerous leadership positions within the IEEE Communications Society. She currently serves her second term as IEEE ComSoc Latin America Region Director (2026–2027). Previously, she served as Chair of the IEEE Communications Society Panama Chapter, leading initiatives that strengthened technical activities, member engagement, and regional collaboration. Her volunteer service also includes membership on the IEEE ComSoc Women in Communications Engineering (WICE) Committee, participation in multiple Member and Global Activities (MGA) initiatives, and contributions to programs focused on chapter development, volunteer leadership, and student engagement throughout Latin America. Her professional interests include communications technologies, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, digital health, engineering education, volunteer leadership development, and strategies to strengthen member engagement within global technical communities.
Stefano: Hello, Yessica! Let us begin with a brief introduction to the Latin America Region for our readers. What countries does it include? Which Chapters have the most ComSoc Members?
Yessica: The IEEE ComSoc Latin America Region (Region 9) spans Latin America and the Caribbean, bringing together a diverse community of communications professionals and students. Today, our region represents approximately 5.3% of the global ComSoc membership and includes 19 Chapters, 8 Joint Chapters, and 95 Student Branch Chapters.
Among our Chapters, Brazil and Peru have some of the largest ComSoc communities, supported by dedicated volunteers who organize technical activities, professional development events, and initiatives for students and young professionals throughout the year.
Stefano: From your perspective as LA Region Director, do you see any specific characteristics of your Region that make it challenging to coordinate or that set it apart from other ComSoc Regions?
Yessica: Yes! Latin America is a very diverse region, not only geographically, but also culturally, economically, and institutionally. Each country has different realities, levels of Chapter activity, access to resources, and volunteer availability. This makes coordination challenging, but also a very enriching experience for me.
At the same time, our region has a strong sense of community and commitment. Many initiatives depend on highly dedicated volunteers who work with passion, even with limited resources. For me, the challenge is to connect those efforts, reduce barriers, and create opportunities that are accessible and meaningful for Chapters across the entire region.
Stefano: How is the LA Region Board organized? What are its members and main activities? Did you set up specific working groups?
Yessica: The LATAM Board brings together a diverse team of women and men from across Latin America, representing both academia and industry.
It is organized around the Society’s main strategic areas, with dedicated coordinators leading Membership Development, Student Activities, Young Professionals, WICE, Technical Activities, Industry Relations, Awards, Communications, social media and Website, Distinguished Lecturer Programs, and the Global Communications Newsletter, supported by our Regional Secretary and Past Director.
Rather than creating separate working groups, we have organized the Board into functional committees that collaborate closely across initiatives. This multidisciplinary and multinational structure enables us better to serve our Chapters and members throughout the region.
Stefano: This is your second term as LA Region Director. What have been your priorities so far?
Yessica: People are the foundation of the IEEE Communications Society. While conferences, publications, and technical activities are central to our mission, it is our volunteers who transform ideas into meaningful impact. After serving my first term as Latin America Region Director, I have become even more convinced that our greatest responsibility is to create opportunities for people to grow, lead, collaborate, and inspire others. This vision defines our LATAM priorities for the 2026–2027 term.
Our priority is strengthening our Chapters. Chapters are where members experience IEEE ComSoc every day. They organize technical talks, connect local communities, engage students, collaborate with industry, and create opportunities for professional development. Our role at the regional level is to empower local leaders by providing resources, sharing best practices, encouraging collaboration among Chapters, and recognizing the outstanding work of our volunteers across Latin America.
Leadership development is another cornerstone of our strategy. Every successful volunteer organization depends on continuously preparing its future leaders. Rather than waiting for leadership to emerge naturally, we want to cultivate it intentionally. This vision inspired the proposal of the Regional Leadership Impact Program (RLIP). The idea behind this program is simple: Latin America has outstanding researchers, industry experts, and volunteer leaders whose knowledge should be shared more broadly across the region.
The RLIP seeks to build a network of regional speakers by identifying experts from different countries who are willing to support IEEE ComSoc Chapters through technical lectures, professional development sessions, and leadership talks. By connecting Chapters with speakers from within Latin America, we aim to facilitate knowledge exchange, strengthen collaboration among Chapters, increase the visibility of regional expertise, and make high-quality technical content more accessible throughout the region.
Stefano: Did you set up any specific initiatives for students in the LA Region?
Yessica: Students represent another fundamental pillar of our vision. They are not simply future members: they are today’s innovators and tomorrow’s leaders.
During this term, we are supporting the Student Tech Leadership Conference Program (STLC) ComSoc program, an initiative designed by the Membership Services Board to support student-led technical conferences. Beyond financial support, the program seeks to provide students with meaningful leadership experiences by allowing them to organize conferences, lead multidisciplinary teams, manage projects and budgets, establish partnerships, and engage with both academia and industry.
In addition, we are launching the IEEE ComSoc LATAM Student Contest: Applying ICT for the Environment. This is a regional competition that encourages students to develop innovative solutions to environmental challenges using information and communication technologies.
We hope these experiences will encourage students from LATAM to remain active IEEE volunteers throughout their professional careers and to develop the next generation of technical leaders.
Stefano: After students, what about Young Professionals and other engineers who are engaged in their profession in the industry?
Yessica: Professional members remain equally important in our regional strategy. Engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals seek opportunities to remain technically current while expanding their professional networks. Throughout this term, we will continue promoting Distinguished Lecturer activities, technical webinars, professional development events, networking opportunities, and stronger collaboration between academia and industry.
We are also exploring new ways to highlight regional expertise and foster stronger connections among professionals across Latin America, creating additional opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration. Our objective is to ensure that IEEE ComSoc membership continues to deliver value throughout every stage of a member’s professional journey.
Stefano: What about Chapter Awards and funding?
Yessica: Our goal is to help Chapters grow by increasing awareness of ComSoc funding opportunities, including Chapter Funding and the Distinguished Lecturer Program, while encouraging more Chapters to apply for regional awards. We also want to strengthen collaboration among Chapters by sharing successful initiatives and promoting joint activities across Latin America.
Stefano: What’s next? Any new membership services that you are planning or already developing in your current term, 2026–2027?
Yessica: One of the initiatives we are currently planning is the Regional Leadership Impact Program (RLIP). The goal is to connect outstanding experts from Latin America with our Chapters, expanding access to high-quality technical talks and strengthening collaboration across the region.
Together with enhanced student programs, stronger Chapter engagement, and improved regional communication, we hope to provide even greater value to our members.
Stefano: That’s great! It’s good to read about so many new and well-established initiatives. A final remark to conclude this interview?
Yessica: I would like to thank all the volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to making ComSoc stronger in Latin America!
Our region has incredible talent and potential, and by working together, we can create more opportunities for our members, inspire the next generation of engineers, and continue building a vibrant and collaborative community. I look forward to what we will achieve together in the coming years.