Lorena Valencia is a Co-founder and CEO of Enseña por Panamá. Prior to launching Enseña por Panamá, Lorena headed the Panama chapter of Learning Enterprises, which she founded in 2005.  LE Panama focuses on teaching the English language in rural communities by enlisting the help of U.S. college students to serve as teacher/mentors during their summer breaks. Under her stewardship, LE Panama has recruited over 100 teacher/mentors, and has forged a community of over 70 host families and 25 public schools.

In addition to her involvement in LE Panama, Lorena has worked extensively in both the private and social sectors. She has held several significant positions within the United Nations, including at UNICEF and UNFPA, and is currently a founding member of the Panama chapter of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers initiative.

Lorena holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a minor in Cognitive Science from Georgetown University and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Columbia University.  Lorena is an avid foodie and traveler, having "eaten her way" through 45 countries. She currently resides in Panama with her husband, Billy, and son, Bobby.