Carlos Zepeda was born in Nicaragua to an agricultural engineer father and a mother who worked as a communications professional. By accompanying his father on numerous trips to the countryside to meet with representatives of the World Bank and USAID, Carlos was afforded the opportunity to understand the issues faced by many economically challenged communities. His father worked to enhance opportunities for self-sufficiency for farmers and others in the country. This served as an early model of how to serve others.

Arriving in the U.S. in the early eighties, after the political changes in Nicaragua, Carlos set a goal to become a participant in change. There was one particular USAID employee who encouraged him to pursue a career in international development. To that end he studied languages, cultures, and international relations/administration during his academic career. While working as a research consultant in a comparative administration project funded by the Department of State, Carlos authored a report comparing airport management practices in Miami and Mexico City’s international airports. This experience led to a love of research. In his most recent role, Carlos was the COO of Minority Development Empowerment, Inc., where he monitored over 100 outcomes and indicators from 23 programs on a quarterly basis.

Carlos holds a bachelor’s degree in French, with an additional concentration in International Relations, and a PhD in Public Administration from Florida International University. Additionally, Carlos completed Harvard’s Strategic Frameworks for Nonprofit Organizations Online Executive Education Program offered in February 2009.