Mariano Godachevich (1966) is Argentinian and has a law degree from the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires. Since 2001 he has been the Executive Coordinator of the Regional Program for the Labor Market Insertion of the Blind Population (Implementing agency: FAICA; Financing agencies: IDB, ONCE Foundation for Solidarity with the Blind People of Latin America (FOAL) and Ministry of Labor and Social Security). Former Director of the Argentine Library for the Blind (BAC), appointed to that position through a competitive selection process. Won a scholarship to the University of Buenos Aires to conduct research on the subject of conscientious objection to military service. Member of the Scientific Committee of the V Latin American Congress for the Blind since 2002. Secretary of the Latin American Union of the Blind from 2002 to 2008. Represented Spanish-speaking Latin America on the Executive Committee of the Latin-American Braille Council. Was on the Technology Committee of the World Blind Union. Coordinator of the Commission on Access to Information and Culture of the Latin American Union of the Blind from 1996 to 2000. Between 1993 and 1996 was Coordinator of the Commission for the Promotion of Blind Youth in Latin America and from 1992 to 2000 was on the Human Rights and Legislation Commission, both of them under the Latin American Union of the Blind. Secretary General of the Argentine Federation of Institutions of the Blind and Visually Impaired (FAICA) from 1988 to 1990. Has also helped to organize various events connected with the Latin-American blind community. A number of his articles on legal aspects and typhlology have been published in specialized journals.

Cristina Francisco was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. At the age of nine a gunwound left her paraplegic. She studied Management, specializing in Human Resources. Married with two daughters and currently General Coordinator and first President of the Permanent Council of Círculo de Mujeres con Discapacidad, Inc. Founder member of the Dominican Wheelchair Sports Club (1975), the first Dominican entity to promote and gain recognition for this sport by encouraging its practice by the disabled. She has won several medals for her country at Pan-American, national and international competitions. Founder member of the Association of People with Physical and Motor Disabilities (ASODIFIMO) 1983, an entity created to establish the legal framework for persons with disabilities in the Dominican Republic which led to the passing of the "General Disability Act 42-2000" and the creation of the National Council on Disabilities. Through local and international seminars, courses and workshops on disability she has been an active proponent of the rights of disabled people, particularly as regards gender and equity issues at the present time.

Carlos Ramiro Cazar Flores (1949) is Ecuadorian. He graduated in Education Science from the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of Universidad Central del Ecuador (1974). He has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychological and a Master's in Integration of Persons with Disabilities from the University of Salamanca- Spain (1995); studied Physical and Psychological Rehabilitation in the Community, Israel, 2000 and has a Master's Degree in Welfare and Social Services Management from the University of Alcalá de Henares, Spain in 2003. His work focuses on Special Education, Integrated and Inclusive Education, Disabilities and Labor, Child Development, Mental Health, Organization and Planning of Disability, Project Preparation, Development, Administration and Evaluation, Training and Teaching, Disability and Rights and Disability Assessment and Classification. He has taught subjects related to mental health and psychology, education, disabilities and research at academic and scientific seminars and been a speaker and participant at numerous international conferences. Was Executive Director of the National Disability Council (CONADIS) in Ecuador since 1992. Since 1984 has taught Research and Introduction to Scientific Knowledge and General Psychology and Labor at the Faculty of Management Sciences, Universidad Central del Ecuador. Has held several management positions at psychiatric institutions and from 1989 to 1992 was National Director of Special Education at the National Department of Special Education, Ministry of Education and Culture of Ecuador. Conducted research on the Current situation of disabled persons in Ecuador. Published several articles and a book Discapacidad y derechos - de las palabras a los hechos (Disability and rights - from words to deeds), October 2003.

Luis Fernando Astorga Gatjens is a political, social and human rights activist, as well as a journalist. He is Executive Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Inter-American Institute on Disability (IID). Represents organizations of disabled persons in the region of the Americas at the mixed Working Group made up of the UN Special Committee responsible for drafting an International Convention on the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Co-editor for Latin America of the virtual magazine "Disability World". Former a consultant for the World Bank's "Alliances for inclusive development project." Currently Vice-President (Communication) of the Executive Committee of the Ibero-American Network of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (RIADIS). President of the Costa Rica Forum of Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Researcher at the Center for International Rehabilitation on the International Monitoring Project on the Situation of Persons with Disabilities, Costa Rica. From 1999 to 2002 was adviser on disability and employment to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS) and from 1999 to 2003 was on the Board of the National Council for Rehabilitation and Special Education of Costa Rica (CNREE), the governing body on disability, representing NGOs of persons with disabilities.

Flavia Ester Anau is Mexican by naturalization and was born in 1955. She is a Social Anthropologist with a degree from the National School of Anthropology and History (ENAH). Ample experience in community development: coordinated literacy groups in rural parts of Brazil and 8 kindergartens in working class supports of the federal district; was involved in community development in Mazunte, Oaxaca to establish an Ecological Community; coordinated Bioenergetic Workshops for Women in Crisis in Piña Palmera, Oaxaca and helped groups of young drug addicts in the Ajuzco district of Mexico City, in coordination with the children's home Hogar Integral de la Juventud. Currently is coordinator of the Piña Palmera Childcare Center, a successful community-based rehabilitation program following WHO guidelines. Coordinated student groups of the Universidad Iberoamericana in Piña Palmera conducting social work and also coordinated Japanese volunteers. Has participated in many conferences and workshops on disability and community-based rehabilitation at which she has shared the experience gained from Piña Palmera in the Oaxaca coastal area.

Beverly Ann Marie Beckles heads the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) in Trinidad. She has 21 years management experience in the field of disability. She also has ample national and regional experience in the field of training and employment of the disabled. As a defender of exclusion, her work has been key to the development of the National Policy Declarations for Persons with Disabilities in seven of the Caribbean islands. Her work involves close contact with governments, international agencies and civil society to promote equal opportunities for the disabled. She is highly respected in her field as demonstrated by her involvement in a multiplicity of public and private scenarios. Currently a Director of the Global Applied Disability Research and Information Network on Employment and Training (GLADNET). Ms. Beckles has received several acknowledgements for her work in the field of disability, for instance from the Government of Trinidad & Tobago, as well as other international recognitions such as the IDB's annual prize for Social Entrepreneurship (1999). Among her many academic qualifications is a Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Management from the University of San Francisco. She is currently studying for a postgraduate degree in Law.

Juan González Alvarado was born in Managua, Nicaragua in 1960. He had to use a wheelchair after both his legs were amputated as a result of a work accident in 1979. In 1988, together with the current director of Foundation for Independent Mobility (FUMI). FUMI, Omar González, he founded the "Hortensia López" wheelchair repair workshop. In 1990 he obtained legal recognition for FUMI. Since then his activities have been many and varied, including for instance as a wheelchair repair mechanic, instructor, manufacturer and foundation director.

Omar González was born in Managua, Nicaragua in 1965. His integration in the sector of disabled persons came about because his nephew suffered from hydrocephaly. While endeavoring to obtain a wheelchair for his nephew, he met Orlando Pérez who had to use one following an accident in which he suffered an injury at the cervical level of the spine, making him a quadriplegic. It was through Orlando Pérez that in 1986 Mr. González began to work at the Center for the Promotion of Integral Rehabilitation (CEPRI). In 1988, when he was still working for CEPRI, he founded Nicaragua's first wheelchair repair shop with Juan González. When the Foundation for Independent Mobility (FUMI) was legally incorporated in 1990, he starting to work there full time, managing the National Wheelchair Repair Program and using a mobile workshop with a full technical team that traveled throughout the country. From 1990 to 1996 he was deputy director of the Foundation and in 1997 was elected by the general meeting of FUMI as its Director General. He is currently on the steering committee of the project for the Development of the Sustainable Wheelchair Industry sponsored by the IDB and, together with Maria Félix Herrera of the SOLIDEZ Foundation, is one of the driving forces behind the project. He is also co-founder of FECONORI, a national federation of persons with disabilities which at present encompasses more than 21 organizations.

Henry Mejía is Colombian. He is currently Director General of the National Federation of Colombian Deaf (FENASCOL). He is one of the people behind the changes in favor of better education and social integration of the Deaf in Colombia. For 20 years he has been a leader of FENASCOL, the main organization of persons with disabilities in Colombia. During the last 8 years he has gained experience in group management in areas such Leadership and Human Rights. Has participated actively in creating the Public Policy on Disability headed by the Office of the President of the Republic of Colombia as part of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Special Programs and is currently on the National Consultative Council of Persons with Disabilities of the Ministry of Social Protection. Former member of the Board of the National Institute for the Deaf (INSOR), a decentralized body of the Ministry of National Education. Was Director of the Regional Secretariat for Latin America of the World Federation of the Deaf. Has been a guest speaker at various national and international events on aspects related to accessibility, sensitization to deafness and bilingualism for the deaf. Has also spoken at a number of events addressed at the disabled community in general on aspects related to legislation, citizen involvement, democracy and strengthening of trade unions in countries such as Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belize, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Spain, Finland, France, Guatemala, Holland, Italy, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, , Peru, Sweden, Switzerland, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela. Henry Mejía has a wealth of knowledge of the socio-educational and labor problems affecting people with disabilities.

José Eduardo Avilés Flores is Salvadoran. He graduated in Medicine in El Salvador in 1973. His studies include health service systems and health management, Mexico and El Salvador and he has Postgraduates in Hospital Management and Strategic Administration from Mexico and Costa Rica. He is an active member of the El Salvador team in the Mexico-Canada-PAHO tripartite initiative on the Victim Assistance Program for the Integral Rehabilitation of Victims of Antipersonnel Mines in Central America, which concluded in 2003. Former head of the Health Division of the Salvadoran Social Security Institute for five years. Dr. Avilés has been President of the Salvadoran Invalid Rehabilitation Institute (ISRI) since June 2002.