Program Spotlight
Rio Women's Leadership Network
The Women’s Leadership Network equips professionals across Brazil with the skills, connections, and confidence to lead change in their sectors and communities.
Rio de Janeiro
A hub for research, education, public dialogue, and bold collaborations in an incomparable metropolis.
Set against the backdrop of Rio’s stunning vistas, vibrant streets, and lively people, since opening in 2013, Columbia Global Center Rio de Janeiro has been a bridge between Columbia and Brazil’s most dynamic thinkers, institutions, and change-makers. From climate science to the Women’s Leadership Network Program, from public policy to technology, the Center connects scholars, students, and professionals across borders and disciplines.
The Rio Center teams up with NGOs, universities, and public and private partners to design programs that are as innovative as they are impactful, tackling pressing global issues through a uniquely Brazilian lens. The Center aims to turn conversation into action and theory into practice through public events, research initiatives, executive education programs, and artistic collaborations.
Through internships, immersive study programs, and hands-on learning, Columbia students and faculty have the opportunity to live, learn, and lead in Brazil. In return, the Center helps Columbia shine a spotlight on the incredible talent, creativity, and research happening in Rio de Janeiro and all of Brazil.
News and Events
Center Director
Ana Paula Vitelli
Ana Paula Vitelli is the director of Columbia Global Center Rio. Before joining Columbia Global Center Rio, Vitelli served as managing director of Blue Management Institute, advising senior executives on strategy, leadership, and organizational culture. Previously, she served as regional director for South America at the University of Manchester. In this role, she led strategic partnerships that expanded its influence and increased student enrollment. Earlier in her career at Fundação Getulio Vargas, she oversaw operations for more than 200 programs annually. She has applied her expertise to international development projects, notably serving as a consultant for the UK Prosperity Fund – Future Cities project in the area of gender and inclusion. Vitelli served as president and chairwoman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Brazil. In 2025, she was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for her outstanding service on the board of Britcham.
