We are pleased to announce that Dr. Catalina Jaime will join the Risk-informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) as Head of Secretariat.
In this role, Catalina will lead the Secretariat and the team to provide strategic, operational and technical support to the REAP governance bodies and Working Groups. Within the Partnership, she will ensure coordination and communication between workstreams and initiatives, in line with the REAP 2030 Strategy and the Governing Board’s direction. Beyond the Partnership, Catalina will represent the Secretariat and support joint advocacy on financing and policy integration, ensuring REAP adds value and coherence.
Catalina brings more than twenty years of experience in humanitarian action, with a strong focus on climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and early warning early action. Her work has taken her from Colombia to Nepal, Haiti, Uganda, and the Philippines, where she has played a vital role in strengthening systems that protect communities before crises occur.
Before joining REAP, Catalina led the Climate and Conflict portfolio at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, where she advanced approaches to anticipate and manage climate risks in fragile and conflict-affected settings. She played a significant role in shaping the global Anticipatory Action agenda, managing the first pilot project in Uganda in 2013, supporting the IFRC in establishing its Anticipatory Action financing mechanism, and co-creating the Anticipation Hub. These milestones stand as a testament to her steadfast dedication to risk-informed humanitarian action.
Catalina’s work reflects a broader commitment to collaboration across sectors and institutions. She has supported governments and organizations around the world in developing systems for risk reduction and early action, and led strategic partnerships, including collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to integrate climate risk into humanitarian operations.
She holds a PhD in Early Warning and Early Action in conflict settings, serves as a Visiting Researcher at the University of Twente, and is a Trustee at MapAction. Her selection as a Lead Author for the IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) stands as recognition of her expertise in the intersection of poverty, livelihoods, mobility, and fragility.
Earlier in her career, Catalina was the Knowledge Broker for the UK-funded Science for Humanitarian Emergencies and Resilience (SHEAR) programme and led the information management team of the Shelter Cluster during the 2010 Haiti Earthquake Response.
Catalina’s leadership symbolizes REAP’s ongoing commitment to anticipate risks and act before they turn into crises. Her appointment underscores the importance of bridging science, policy, and practice to strengthen global resilience.
The Partnership warmly welcomes her and is looking forward to the impact of her vision and experience.