Tom Trebat to Lead Columbia Global Centers | Santiago

March 24, 2023

Rio Center Director Tom Trebat has been named interim director of the Santiago Center.

Wafaa El-Sadr, executive vice president of Columbia Global, announced the news Friday.

“Tom's extensive knowledge of Chile and its stakeholders, as well as his experience with the Santiago Center and team, made him a natural choice to guide and direct the Center during this time of transition after the untimely passing of Karen Poniachik, the Santiago Center’s previous, long serving director,” El-Sadr said. “I am confident that his leadership will help us re-imagine the Center and ensure its resilience for the future.”  

Trebat has been director of Columbia Global Centers | Rio de Janeiro since its inception in 2012. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, has a PhD in economics from Vanderbilt University, and is former executive director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at Columbia University. Prior to his joining Columbia Global Centers, he had a lengthy career on Wall Street dedicated to economic research on Latin America.

“Karen left us all too soon," Trebat said. "The work to which she was so dedicated is still unfinished. She was my colleague and also my friend for many years. Inspired by her life and her example, I am honored to step in to build ever closer relations between Chile and the Columbia University community."

El-Sadr said Trebat will work closely with the staff from both Centers to explore programming synergies in such areas as climate change and public health as well as faculty and student engagement.  

“The Santiago Global Center has a long history of success and impact,” she said. “With Tom’s guidance,  the Santiago Center will provide effective programming for the future, with a diverse portfolio of donors and supporters, and ever closer connections with the growing network of Global Centers.”