Daniel Villanueva

Daniel Villanueva is a Spanish Jesuit and computer engineer (University of Valladolid), with a Licentiate in Social Moral Theology (Boston College) and a Global Executive MBA from Georgetown University and ESADE. He also holds postgraduate degrees in Humanitarian Aid (Fordham University) and in Leadership, Innovation, and NGO Management (ESADE). His expertise spans international development, education, global management, institutional networks, digital communication, and global citizenship.

Since 2023, he has served as General Coordinator of the International Federation of Fe y Alegría, a global movement of popular education that, for 70 years, has provided learning opportunities to nearly 800,000 students in marginalized communities, advancing social justice and transformation through schools and community engagement across 22 countries in Latin America, Africa, and Europe. He previously worked at Entreculturas – Fe y Alegría Spain as Coordinator of the Africa Department (2008–2011), Deputy Director (2012–2014), General Director (2015–2017), and Executive Vice-President (2018–2023). From 2018 to 2023, he was also responsible for International Development of the Jesuits in Spain.

He has led international projects and teams, and for years has offered workshops and talks to faculty and leadership groups on networks, education, global citizenship, strategy, and communication. His dissertation, titled The Jesuit Way of Going Global, explores the internationalization of Jesuit missions. He has also delivered two high-impact TEDx talks—Do Fences Work to Stop Immigration? (2019) and From Education in Emergency to Education Emergency (2024). In addition, he serves on the boards of social institutions such as the Jesuit Refugee Service and academic institutions including Georgetown University.