Team
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Big Ideas in Action is a not for profit corporation incorporated in the District of Colombia.
Learn more about our Founders and Presidents below.
Alex Depompolo
President, Big Ideas in Action
Alex Depompolo is a sustainability strategist and global connector with a passion for building climate-smart, people-centered transportation systems. She launched Big Ideas in Action to spotlight scalable, community-driven solutions—and to create space for cross-regional learning between the Global South and Global North.
Ranata Reeder
President, Big Ideas in Action
Ranata Reeder is an award winning community leader passionate about advancing initiatives to build healthy, thriving, and economically vibrant communities by uplifting people, policy, and practice. She launched Big Ideas in Action to provide practical solutions for community investors working at the intersection of public, private, and philanthropic partnership.
Waziri Mainasara Abubakar
Lagos Delegation Lead,
Big Ideas in Action
Waziri is an economist, environmentalist and budding air quality expert with UrbanBetter, a data-driven advocacy movement, urban health practice and learning platform for healthy sustainable development. As the Lagos Cityzens Hub Coordinator for UrbanBetter, he mobilizes people and resources for data informed advocacy for clean air and healthy public spaces. Waziri is also the Founder of World Environmental Education Desk (wEEd), which uses social media to simplify and share knowledge about air pollution, climate change and other environmental issues.
Meet the Experts
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Big Ideas in Action believes there is much to learn from the Global South.
Find out more about the local experts below.
Olga Lucía Sarmiento
Professor, School of Medicine at Universidad de los Andes
Dr. Sarmiento is a Professor at the School of Medicine at Universidad de Los Andes. Dr. Sarmiento's transdisciplinary research focuses on the relationship between the built environment, policy, and health, with an emphasis on inclusive and sustainable community programs in Latin America. She has led the health evaluation of policies including bikeways, Ciclovias the BRT and the cable car in Bogota. Dr. Sarmiento is currently the co-principal investigator on the SALURBAL- Climate (Urban Health in Latin America) project, The ESCALA project (Study of Climate Change in Informal Settlements).​​​
C. Erik Vergel-Tovar
Associate Professor, School of Architecture and Design
Interdisciplinary Center for Development Studies CIDER
School of Social Sciences at
Universidad de los Andes
Dr. Vergel-Tovar earned his PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as a Fulbright scholar. He earned his Master's degree in Urban Planning from the University of Rotterdam. His research focuses on understanding the relationship between travel behaviors, urban form, transportation investments, and land and housing policies. He also worked with the Colombian National Planning Department (DNP) on public policy formulation and implementation.
Juan Francisco Tunjano Romero
Civil Engineer, TransMilenio S.A.
With more than 15 years leading transportation projects for Bogotá’s transit system, TransMilenio, civil engineer Juan Francisco Tunjano Romero has guided the cable car system since its inception - from preliminary studies and design, to its construction and operations today.
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Bogotá's urban cable car system, TransMiCable, began operations in December 2018. Its 4 stations connect Bogotá's TransMilenio bus network at the Portal del Tunal station to the steep hills of Ciudad Bolívar.
Carlosfelipe Pardo
Founder, sabidurAI; Co-Founder, Futuros AI and Consultant on active mobility, World Bank
A proud recipient of the Danish Cycling Embassy’s 2018 Leadership Award, and a Distinguished TUMI friend 2019, Carlosfelipe Pardo founded Despacio.org in 2008 and was its Executive Director until 2018, and was part of the New Urban Mobility Alliance from its creation until April 2023. He has been an advisor to UNEP, World Bank, IFRC-GRSP, OECD-ITF, Greenpeace among others. He created sabidurAI in 2020 to expand opportunities for ethical applications of AI in Latin America.
Community Partners
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Big Ideas in Action works with on the ground community partners.
Find out more about the local organizations below.
Lina Marcela López Montoya
Executive Director, Despacio
Executive Director at Despacio with a Master's degree in Transport and Urbanism, Lina has over 12 years of experience in planning, design coordination, and implementation of urban mobility projects. She served as a city advisor for C40 Cities in the development of Medellín’s Climate Action Plan, was the Manager of Human Mobility at the Mobility Secretariat, and prior to joining Despacio, supported the Promotora Ferrocarril de Antioquia in conducting feasibility studies for bicycle systems in the Urabá subregion. She has been a lecturer in the fields of Urban Design, Product Design, and Management. She is part of Proantioquia’s Liderario program, an initiative aimed at developing leaders who create public value.