KIRSTIN ELAINE MYERS, Founder & Senior Managing Director

After graduating in 1987 with Highest Distinction from the University of Kansas, (Phi Beta Kappa and University Scholar), Departmental Honors), Kirstin began her career as a civil servant in the Prefectural Government of Yamanashi Japan, where she had been invited by the Japanese Foreign Ministry. She then joined the Japanese private sector, moving to Sumitomo Life Insurance Company in Tokyo to work in the International Insurance Department. Kirstin returned to the US in 1989, where she had two children Kane and Ariana, both trilingual and well-traveled: They spent their early years in Mexico where Kirstin did consulting for Mexican government officials and Japanese executives from 1993-1995. In 1995 Kirstin returned to the US and entered the world of start-ups and high tech where she soon developed a successful track record in opening up new foreign markets and developing profitable international sales and marketing operations for companies such as Watermark Software; Brainstorm Technologies; Forrester Research; Internet Securities; Brazil and Giga Information Group. In April of 2002 Kirstin left the corporate world to parlay her extensive global network into a company, Globond International, Inc. The company was awarded the “Rising Star” Award at the Cape Ann (Massachusetts) Entrepreneur of the Year Award Ceremony in April, 2003 and was featured the next month in the New York Times. When not “globonding” Kirstin is enjoying life in lovely Gloucester, where she is active in various community and philanthropic activities, including Time Banks, Sustainable Cape Ann, Gloucester Stage Company, and the Adventure Restoration Project to name a few. She received her B.S. in Political Science from the University of Kansas and an MBA from the Simmons School of Management.

 

LUIZ OJIMA SAKUDA, Senior Managing Director

Luiz Sakuda has a BA, an MBA and a PhD (ABD) in Management from FGV-EAESP, considered the best Brazilian Business School. He also studied at ESSEC (France) for part of his MBA. Before joining Globond, Sakuda was consultant to the Schreier Family Office, Partner of Orbe Investimentos and Director of Business Development at Yavox Latin America. Sakuda also has academic experience as a professor of MBA programs for FGV Management and BSP – Business School Sao Paulo, on strategy, entrepreneurship and innovation related courses; and is now professor at FEI. Sakuda is considered one of the references on entrepreneurship in Brazil, and this reputation is based on his very diverse experience as entrepreneur, advisor, consultant, academic, and investor; as well as his academic background and on his work as founder and coordinator of a business community focused on Entrepreneurship, the Sakuda Community. Established in 2000, based on a portal, a yahoo discussion list and monthly network events, the community is supported by business magazines and various partners in Latin America, including Endeavor, the NGO Entrepreneurship/VC firm for Latin America. This integration of online and offline experience is very important for Globond, since Globond is not another online social or professional network website, but instead takes advantage of the technology to bring a new level of services to its members—globe-trotting, well-connected and successful executives, investors, journalists, academics, artists and politicians. Sakuda has always been a proactive networker and community leader. Sakuda was formerly the representative of the students on several university commissions. He wrote and published his own book of poems and short stories at 18, and acted in two Shakespeare plays. As a Japanese-Brazilian, Sakuda has been exposed to different cultures since birth. Sakuda has a very curious mind, and participates in several different communities – business, academic, artistic and others. He is conversant in French, fluent in English and of course his native Portuguese.

 

CHRISTOPHER LAWSON, Senior Managing Director

Lawson has 30 years of experience in customer service and prides himself on being a jack of all trades—some of the positions he has held include data analyst, waiter, electrician, car mechanic, carpenter, boat mechanic and painter. If you were stuck in a rowboat in the middle of the ocean, Lawson is the one you would want to keep on board—he once cut himself with a piece of sheet metal and used his mother’s sutures and needles (she is a nurse) to sew up his own stitches, leaving no trace of a cut (The other stitches he received from doctors after other accidents on the other hand have left big scars). Lawson is also the owner of Tile Excellence, Inc. His tile business took off in 1996 during the Atlantic Olympics when his company got contracts with all the major hotels in Atlanta. He grew disenchanted however, with the stressful life and complications of being a manager and company owner, and in 1999, decided to leave it all to go back to a simpler life—he went to Brazil for a couple of years where he opened an English school, explored the Brazilian jungle, and learned Portuguese. Living in Gloucester now, Lawson was born in the US state of Georgia. He was the only son of a military officer and spent his childhood living in Germany and 12 of the United States. He loved nature and animals from an early age and grew up in the woods, learning how to climb 3-story tall trees with no branches by shimmying up them (at 43 years of age, he can still do this!). At the age of 17 Lawson became a motorcycle mechanic and after high school he decided to become a tile artisan, working with granite, ceramic, slate and marble. His parents were horrified and for the next few years harassed him about going to University—his father was especially disappointed in his son’s lack of academic ambition. His father finally changed his attitude when he went to work for his son. Lawson gave up motorcycle riding after one too many serious accidents but still loves them. He is an animal lover and currently has a cat and a parrot—he left his dog Rocky in Brazil. He can make the most delicious Southern cuisine and his cornbread is to die for.

 

GENOVEVA TAVERA, Managing Director

Ms. Tavera was born in Peru and raised in few countries in South America mostly Bolivia, where she attended school and obtain a diploma in Bachillerato en Humanidades from the Colegio Aleman Santa Maria. She also holds graduate certificates of prestigious institutes in Public Relations from the Lincoln Institute and Accounting from the Colombiere Institute. After her move to Boston she obtained her AS in International Studies from Massachusetts Bay Community College, and Meeting & Event Management Certificate from Northeastern University. In Boston she worked for Mercer Management Consulting assisting consultants with market research, translation of legal and corporate documents, as the company’s liaison for international clients. She worked for Mass-Save, Inc as Program Coordinator, responsible for the management, customer support and reporting of statewide energy conservation programs for over thirty utilities. She also worked for Diagnostic Engineering, Inc. as the Regional Program & Marketing Coordinator. Currently, she is the International Sr. Administrative and International Meeting Planner for New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. responsible for planning and managing international meetings and events with concentration in Asia Pacific and the Latin American regions. Ms. Tavera has extensive experience negotiating with the hotels and transportation services and other suppliers in the US, Canada and Latin America. She also serves as the company’s liaison with over fifty-four countries, Licensees, translator of agreements and global legal documents, marketing materials print and Web, interpret Spanish/Portuguese for the Latin America Region. Her hobbies include travel, reading Latin American Literature, collect mailing stamps from around the globe, adventure walking, gardening, and swimming. She is fluent in Spanish; and has knowledge of Portuguese, Italian and French. Ms. Tavera is married with her husband Juan Carlos Alonso, and has two sons Carlos Sebastián (14) and Adrian Esteban (11). They have a dog, Lucas. and many friends.

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