| Sonia Ospina |
Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
295 Lafayette Street, Room 3075
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 998 - 7478
Fax: (212) 995 - 4162
Email: sonia.ospina@nyu.edu
• B.A., Education and Social Sciences, Faculty of Education, Universidad Javeriana (Bogota, Colombia),
1978.
• M.S., Policy Analysis and Public Management, W. Averell Harriman School for Management and Policy,
SUNY at Stony Brook, 1985.
• Ph.D., Sociology, Department of Sociology, State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook, 1989.
Teaching
• P11.1020, Managing Public Service Organizations
• P11.2135, Managing Human Resources
• P11.2905, Qualitative Research Methods
• P11 3112, Women and Management in the Public Sector
Research
Professor Ospina is presently pursuing research in three areas: Leadership and social change; public management
and governance in Latin America; and collaborative problem solving in public service organizations. In the first area
she is conducting a national, multi-year study of how leadership is perceived, created and structured in community
efforts organized to produce social change in this country. In the second area she is exploring the impact of State
reform on public management practices and systems in Latin America, with particular interest on innovation,
evaluation systems and social policy efforts. In the third area she is exploring collaborative practices in the context
of labor management cooperation, identity based non-profit organizations and public sector diversity.
Publications
Books
• Evaluación de Resultados para una Gestión Pública Moderna y Democrática. Experiencias
Latinoamericanas. (Outcome Evaluation for a Modern and Democratic Public Management: Latin American
Experiences). Cunill, N., Ospina S(ed.) Venezuela: CLAD - Editorial Texto, C.A.
• Gerenciando las relaciones intergubernamentales. Experiencias en América Latina. (Managing
intergovernmental relationships. Latin American Experiences) Ospina S., Penfold, M. (ed.) Editorial Nueva
Sociedad – NASPAA, 2002.
• Illusions of Opportunity: Employee Expectations and Work Place Inequality. Ithaca: Cornell University
Press/Industrial Labor Relations Press: 1996.
• Democracia sin Participación? Tendencias y Características en Colombia. (Democracy Without
Participation? Trends and Characteristics in Columbia). Bogotá: Ed. Grupo Social, 1981. (with O. Ibarra, G.
Muñoz, M. Orjuela and G. Rey).
Book Chapters in Co-edited Books
• “Una agenda de investigación sobre la evaluación de los resultados de la gestion pública” (A Research
Agenda about Outcome Evaluation of Public Management) in Cunill, Nuria, Ospina, Sonia (ed.) Evaluación de
Resultados para una Gestión Pública Moderna y Democrática. Experiencias Latinoamericanas. Venezuela: CLAD
– Editorial Texto, 2003, pp. 11-42 (With Nuria Cunill)
• “El Sistema Nacional de Evaluación de Resultados de la Gestión Pública (Sinergia) de Colombia”
(Colombian National System of Outcome Evaluation of the Public Management) in Cunill, Nuria, Ospina, Sonia
(ed.) Evaluación de Resultados para una Gestión Pública Moderna y Democrática. Experiencias Latinoamericanas.
Venezuela: CLAD – Editorial Texto, 2003, pp. 143-238 (With Doris Ochoa)
• “La Evaluación de los resultados de la gestión pública: Una Herramienta Técnica y Política” (Outcome
Evaluation for Public Management: A Technical and Political Tool) in Cunill, Nuria, Ospina, Sonia (ed.) Evaluación
de Resultados para una Gestión Pública Moderna y Democrática. Experiencias Latinoamericanas. Venezuela:
CLAD – Editorial Texto, 2003, pp. 435-494 (With Nuria Cunill)
• “La Reforma del Estado y los cambios en las relaciones intergubernamentales de final de siglo” (State
Reform and Changes in Intergovernmental Relations by the end of the Century) in Gerenciando las relaciones
intergubernamentales. Experiencias en América Latina. Ospina, S., Penfold, M. (ed.) NASPAA - Editorial Nueva
Sociedad. 2003
Book Chapters, Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles and Published Reports
• "Performance Evaluation, Public Management Improvement and Democratic Accountability: Some Lessons
from Latin America", Public Management Review, Spring 2004, Vol 6, no. 2, pp. 230-251. (with Nuria Cunill and
Ariel Zaltsman).
• "From Consent to Mutual Inquiry: Balancing Democracy and Authority in Action Research", Action
Research, March 2004, Vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 47-69 (22) Sage Publications (With Jennifer Dodge, Bethany Godsoe,
Joan Mineri, Salvador Reza and Ellen Schall)
• "Qualitative Research", Goethals, G., Sorenson, G., MacGregor, J. (editors). Encyclopedia of Leadership,
London: SAGE Publications, 2004
• "Understanding Cooperative Behavior in Labor Management Cooperation: A Theory-Building Exercise."
Public Adminsitration Review, July 2003, vol.63, no.4, pp. 455-471(17) Blackwell Publishing Inc.
• “Diversity.” Jack Rabin (ed). Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy, Marcel Decker: New
York, 2003.
• "Enacting Labor Management Cooperation: New Competencies for the New Times" in Jonathan Brock and
David B. Lipsky (ed.) Delivering Quality Government Services. Champaign, Illinois: Industrial Relations Research
Association. 2003, pp. 137-170 (With Allon Yaroni)
• "Co-Producing Knowledge: Practitioners and Scholars Working Together to Understand Leadership." In
Cynthia Cherrey and Larraine R. Matusak (ed.) Building Leadership Bridges 2002. International Leadership
Association. 2002, pp. 59-67 (With Bethany Godsoe, Ellen Schall and Jennifer Dodge)
• "Negotiating Accountability: Managerial Lessons from Identity-based Nonprofit Organizations." In Nonprofit
and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. Vol. 31, No.1, Mar. 2002, pp. 5-31 (with William Diaz and James O'Sullivan).
• "Working Together: Meeting the Challenges of Workforce Diversity." In Steve Hayes and Richard Kearney
(ed.). Public Personnel Administration: Problems and Prospects. 4th edition. Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs. 2002,
pp. 238-255 (with James O'Sullivan).
• "Managing Diversity in Civil Service: A Conceptual Framework for Public Organizations." In IMDESA-IIAS
(ed), Managing Diversity in the Civil Service. IOS Press: Amsterdam. 2001, pp. 11-29.
• "Globalization and Local Development: Toward a Municipalist Perspective." Revista de Estudios Sociales
(Social Studies Journal). Colombia, Vol. 8, Jan. 2001, pp. 21-34 (in Spanish).
• "Public Management Evaluation: Concepts and Applications in Latin America." Reforma y Democracia.
CLAD, Venezuela, No. 19, Feb. 2001, pp. 89-122 (in Spanish).
• "Linking Consulting and Research Activities: A Case Study in Public Management." In Management
Dialogues: Researchers and Practitioners Find a Space to Share Experiences. COLCIENCIAS and Corporacion
Calidad, Bogotá, Colombia, 2000, pp. 83-104 (in Spanish).
• "Integrated Managerial Training: A Program for Strategic Management Development." Review of Public
Personnel Management. 28:2, 1999, pp. 185-195 (with M. Watad).
• "Living and Learning: Women and Management in Public Service." Journal of Public Affairs Education. 5:1,
Winter 1999 (with E. Durbin and E. Schall).
• "An Agenda for Action." In Friedman, J. De. Groute and P. Christenseon (ed). Innovating Work and Life:
The Wharton Resource Guide. San Francisco: Jossey Bass-Pferrer, 1998. pp. 377-386 (with E. Durbin, A.
Schwartz and E. Schall).
• "Public Administration as a Discourse Community: Some Lessons from the U.S. Case for Latin America (La
Administración Pública como Comunidad Discursiva: Lecciones del Caso Estadoudinense para América Latina)."
Reforma y Democracia, CLAD, Venezuela, No. 10, Feb. 1998, pp. 83-112 (in Spanish).
• Diversifying the New York Area Hispanic Mosaic: Colombian and Dominican Leaders’ Assessment of
Community Public Policy Needs. California, NALEO Educational Fund/The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, 1997
(with A. Hoffman, L. Desipio and H. Pachón).
• Constructing the New York Area Hispanic Mosaic: A Demographic Portrait of Colombians and Dominicans
in New York: California, NALEO Educational Fund/The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, 1997 (with L. Desipio and
H. Pachón).
• "Information Technology and Organizational Change: The Role of Context in Moderating Change Enabled by
Technology." In Kautz, K and Pries-Heje, J. (ed). Diffusion and Adoption of Information Technology. Oslo:
International Federation for Information Processing: 1996, pp 202-219 (with M. Watad).
• "Realizing the Promise of Diversity." In Perry, J. (ed). Handbook of Public Administration. 2nd edition.
Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco: 1996, pp 441-459.
• "Bringing Opportunity Back In: Organizational Inequality and the Study of Work Attitudes." Journal of
Administrative Theory and Praxis, 18:1, 1996, pp. 27-40.
• "Professional Education in Public Management (La Gestión Pública como Objeto de Educación
Profesional)." In Ogliastri, E. and G. Gonzalez (ed). Gerencia Pública: Asunto Privado? (Public Management:
Private Matter?) Bogotá, Colombia: Editorial Tercer Mundo, 1995 (in Spanish).
• "Management, Public Policy and Social Development: Toward the Professionalization of Public
Management." (Gestión, Política Pública y Desarrollo Social: Hacia la Profesionalización de la Gestión Pública).
Gestión y Política Pública. 2:1, 1993, pp. 35-56, Mexico (in Spanish).
• "Expediency Management in Public Service: A dead-end Search for Managerial Discretion." Public
Productivity and Management Review. XV: 4, 1992, pp. 405-421.
• "When Managers Don't Plan. Structural Consequences of Non-strategic Public Personnel Management."
Review of Public Personnel Administration. XII: 2, 1992, pp. 52-67.
• "Opportunity and Satisfaction in a Public Bureaucracy." Journal of Business and Economic Review, 4:2,
1991, pp. 70-90.
Book Reviews
• “Common Interest Communities: Private Government and the Public Interest" by Stephen Barton and Carol
Silverman. In Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (JPAM) Vol. 15, No. 1: 1996, pp. 135-137.
• “Focus Groups, Theory and Practice" by Stewart and Shandasan. In Social Work with Groups: A Journal of
Community and Clinical Practice. Vol. 17, No. 1, 1994.
Professional Affiliations & Activities
• Policy Council, Association of Public Policy & Management (APPAM), 1999-2001.
• Executive Council, Diversity Committee Co-Chair, National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and
Administration (NASPAA) 1996-1999.
• Editorial Board, Journal of Public Affairs Education JPAE, 1998-2000.
• Editorial Board, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory J-PART, 1996-1999.
• Associate Editor, International Public Management Journal, 1998-2000.
• Co-Director, National Program of Innovation and Quality in Public Management, (Colombia) 1996-1999.
• Member:
o Academy of Management
o Eastern Sociological Association
o Association of Public Policy and Management
o Latin American Center for Development Administration (CLAD)
o International Leadership Association
295 Lafayette Street, Room 3075
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 998 - 7478
Fax: (212) 995 - 4162
Email: sonia.ospina@nyu.edu
• B.A., Education and Social Sciences, Faculty of Education, Universidad Javeriana (Bogota, Colombia),
1978.
• M.S., Policy Analysis and Public Management, W. Averell Harriman School for Management and Policy,
SUNY at Stony Brook, 1985.
• Ph.D., Sociology, Department of Sociology, State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook, 1989.
Teaching
• P11.1020, Managing Public Service Organizations
• P11.2135, Managing Human Resources
• P11.2905, Qualitative Research Methods
• P11 3112, Women and Management in the Public Sector
Research
Professor Ospina is presently pursuing research in three areas: Leadership and social change; public management
and governance in Latin America; and collaborative problem solving in public service organizations. In the first area
she is conducting a national, multi-year study of how leadership is perceived, created and structured in community
efforts organized to produce social change in this country. In the second area she is exploring the impact of State
reform on public management practices and systems in Latin America, with particular interest on innovation,
evaluation systems and social policy efforts. In the third area she is exploring collaborative practices in the context
of labor management cooperation, identity based non-profit organizations and public sector diversity.
Publications
Books
• Evaluación de Resultados para una Gestión Pública Moderna y Democrática. Experiencias
Latinoamericanas. (Outcome Evaluation for a Modern and Democratic Public Management: Latin American
Experiences). Cunill, N., Ospina S(ed.) Venezuela: CLAD - Editorial Texto, C.A.
• Gerenciando las relaciones intergubernamentales. Experiencias en América Latina. (Managing
intergovernmental relationships. Latin American Experiences) Ospina S., Penfold, M. (ed.) Editorial Nueva
Sociedad – NASPAA, 2002.
• Illusions of Opportunity: Employee Expectations and Work Place Inequality. Ithaca: Cornell University
Press/Industrial Labor Relations Press: 1996.
• Democracia sin Participación? Tendencias y Características en Colombia. (Democracy Without
Participation? Trends and Characteristics in Columbia). Bogotá: Ed. Grupo Social, 1981. (with O. Ibarra, G.
Muñoz, M. Orjuela and G. Rey).
Book Chapters in Co-edited Books
• “Una agenda de investigación sobre la evaluación de los resultados de la gestion pública” (A Research
Agenda about Outcome Evaluation of Public Management) in Cunill, Nuria, Ospina, Sonia (ed.) Evaluación de
Resultados para una Gestión Pública Moderna y Democrática. Experiencias Latinoamericanas. Venezuela: CLAD
– Editorial Texto, 2003, pp. 11-42 (With Nuria Cunill)
• “El Sistema Nacional de Evaluación de Resultados de la Gestión Pública (Sinergia) de Colombia”
(Colombian National System of Outcome Evaluation of the Public Management) in Cunill, Nuria, Ospina, Sonia
(ed.) Evaluación de Resultados para una Gestión Pública Moderna y Democrática. Experiencias Latinoamericanas.
Venezuela: CLAD – Editorial Texto, 2003, pp. 143-238 (With Doris Ochoa)
• “La Evaluación de los resultados de la gestión pública: Una Herramienta Técnica y Política” (Outcome
Evaluation for Public Management: A Technical and Political Tool) in Cunill, Nuria, Ospina, Sonia (ed.) Evaluación
de Resultados para una Gestión Pública Moderna y Democrática. Experiencias Latinoamericanas. Venezuela:
CLAD – Editorial Texto, 2003, pp. 435-494 (With Nuria Cunill)
• “La Reforma del Estado y los cambios en las relaciones intergubernamentales de final de siglo” (State
Reform and Changes in Intergovernmental Relations by the end of the Century) in Gerenciando las relaciones
intergubernamentales. Experiencias en América Latina. Ospina, S., Penfold, M. (ed.) NASPAA - Editorial Nueva
Sociedad. 2003
Book Chapters, Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles and Published Reports
• "Performance Evaluation, Public Management Improvement and Democratic Accountability: Some Lessons
from Latin America", Public Management Review, Spring 2004, Vol 6, no. 2, pp. 230-251. (with Nuria Cunill and
Ariel Zaltsman).
• "From Consent to Mutual Inquiry: Balancing Democracy and Authority in Action Research", Action
Research, March 2004, Vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 47-69 (22) Sage Publications (With Jennifer Dodge, Bethany Godsoe,
Joan Mineri, Salvador Reza and Ellen Schall)
• "Qualitative Research", Goethals, G., Sorenson, G., MacGregor, J. (editors). Encyclopedia of Leadership,
London: SAGE Publications, 2004
• "Understanding Cooperative Behavior in Labor Management Cooperation: A Theory-Building Exercise."
Public Adminsitration Review, July 2003, vol.63, no.4, pp. 455-471(17) Blackwell Publishing Inc.
• “Diversity.” Jack Rabin (ed). Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy, Marcel Decker: New
York, 2003.
• "Enacting Labor Management Cooperation: New Competencies for the New Times" in Jonathan Brock and
David B. Lipsky (ed.) Delivering Quality Government Services. Champaign, Illinois: Industrial Relations Research
Association. 2003, pp. 137-170 (With Allon Yaroni)
• "Co-Producing Knowledge: Practitioners and Scholars Working Together to Understand Leadership." In
Cynthia Cherrey and Larraine R. Matusak (ed.) Building Leadership Bridges 2002. International Leadership
Association. 2002, pp. 59-67 (With Bethany Godsoe, Ellen Schall and Jennifer Dodge)
• "Negotiating Accountability: Managerial Lessons from Identity-based Nonprofit Organizations." In Nonprofit
and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. Vol. 31, No.1, Mar. 2002, pp. 5-31 (with William Diaz and James O'Sullivan).
• "Working Together: Meeting the Challenges of Workforce Diversity." In Steve Hayes and Richard Kearney
(ed.). Public Personnel Administration: Problems and Prospects. 4th edition. Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs. 2002,
pp. 238-255 (with James O'Sullivan).
• "Managing Diversity in Civil Service: A Conceptual Framework for Public Organizations." In IMDESA-IIAS
(ed), Managing Diversity in the Civil Service. IOS Press: Amsterdam. 2001, pp. 11-29.
• "Globalization and Local Development: Toward a Municipalist Perspective." Revista de Estudios Sociales
(Social Studies Journal). Colombia, Vol. 8, Jan. 2001, pp. 21-34 (in Spanish).
• "Public Management Evaluation: Concepts and Applications in Latin America." Reforma y Democracia.
CLAD, Venezuela, No. 19, Feb. 2001, pp. 89-122 (in Spanish).
• "Linking Consulting and Research Activities: A Case Study in Public Management." In Management
Dialogues: Researchers and Practitioners Find a Space to Share Experiences. COLCIENCIAS and Corporacion
Calidad, Bogotá, Colombia, 2000, pp. 83-104 (in Spanish).
• "Integrated Managerial Training: A Program for Strategic Management Development." Review of Public
Personnel Management. 28:2, 1999, pp. 185-195 (with M. Watad).
• "Living and Learning: Women and Management in Public Service." Journal of Public Affairs Education. 5:1,
Winter 1999 (with E. Durbin and E. Schall).
• "An Agenda for Action." In Friedman, J. De. Groute and P. Christenseon (ed). Innovating Work and Life:
The Wharton Resource Guide. San Francisco: Jossey Bass-Pferrer, 1998. pp. 377-386 (with E. Durbin, A.
Schwartz and E. Schall).
• "Public Administration as a Discourse Community: Some Lessons from the U.S. Case for Latin America (La
Administración Pública como Comunidad Discursiva: Lecciones del Caso Estadoudinense para América Latina)."
Reforma y Democracia, CLAD, Venezuela, No. 10, Feb. 1998, pp. 83-112 (in Spanish).
• Diversifying the New York Area Hispanic Mosaic: Colombian and Dominican Leaders’ Assessment of
Community Public Policy Needs. California, NALEO Educational Fund/The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, 1997
(with A. Hoffman, L. Desipio and H. Pachón).
• Constructing the New York Area Hispanic Mosaic: A Demographic Portrait of Colombians and Dominicans
in New York: California, NALEO Educational Fund/The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, 1997 (with L. Desipio and
H. Pachón).
• "Information Technology and Organizational Change: The Role of Context in Moderating Change Enabled by
Technology." In Kautz, K and Pries-Heje, J. (ed). Diffusion and Adoption of Information Technology. Oslo:
International Federation for Information Processing: 1996, pp 202-219 (with M. Watad).
• "Realizing the Promise of Diversity." In Perry, J. (ed). Handbook of Public Administration. 2nd edition.
Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco: 1996, pp 441-459.
• "Bringing Opportunity Back In: Organizational Inequality and the Study of Work Attitudes." Journal of
Administrative Theory and Praxis, 18:1, 1996, pp. 27-40.
• "Professional Education in Public Management (La Gestión Pública como Objeto de Educación
Profesional)." In Ogliastri, E. and G. Gonzalez (ed). Gerencia Pública: Asunto Privado? (Public Management:
Private Matter?) Bogotá, Colombia: Editorial Tercer Mundo, 1995 (in Spanish).
• "Management, Public Policy and Social Development: Toward the Professionalization of Public
Management." (Gestión, Política Pública y Desarrollo Social: Hacia la Profesionalización de la Gestión Pública).
Gestión y Política Pública. 2:1, 1993, pp. 35-56, Mexico (in Spanish).
• "Expediency Management in Public Service: A dead-end Search for Managerial Discretion." Public
Productivity and Management Review. XV: 4, 1992, pp. 405-421.
• "When Managers Don't Plan. Structural Consequences of Non-strategic Public Personnel Management."
Review of Public Personnel Administration. XII: 2, 1992, pp. 52-67.
• "Opportunity and Satisfaction in a Public Bureaucracy." Journal of Business and Economic Review, 4:2,
1991, pp. 70-90.
Book Reviews
• “Common Interest Communities: Private Government and the Public Interest" by Stephen Barton and Carol
Silverman. In Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (JPAM) Vol. 15, No. 1: 1996, pp. 135-137.
• “Focus Groups, Theory and Practice" by Stewart and Shandasan. In Social Work with Groups: A Journal of
Community and Clinical Practice. Vol. 17, No. 1, 1994.
Professional Affiliations & Activities
• Policy Council, Association of Public Policy & Management (APPAM), 1999-2001.
• Executive Council, Diversity Committee Co-Chair, National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and
Administration (NASPAA) 1996-1999.
• Editorial Board, Journal of Public Affairs Education JPAE, 1998-2000.
• Editorial Board, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory J-PART, 1996-1999.
• Associate Editor, International Public Management Journal, 1998-2000.
• Co-Director, National Program of Innovation and Quality in Public Management, (Colombia) 1996-1999.
• Member:
o Academy of Management
o Eastern Sociological Association
o Association of Public Policy and Management
o Latin American Center for Development Administration (CLAD)
o International Leadership Association
Especialista en Ciencias Sociales, lleva 14 años en la escuela Robert Wagner de la Universidad de Nueva York,
donde ha sido directora de estudios doctorales. Actualmente co-dirige, entre otras investigaciones, un estudio
comparativo sobre las administraciones públicas en diferentes países latinoamericanos.
Ha recorrido el continente como investigadora, profesora y conferenciante. Con tres libros publicados (sin contar
artículos o capítulos independientes), ha recibido numerosos honores, como el Human and Professional
Excellence Award, que le concedió la comunidad de Colombia y Ecuador de Nueva York, en 1995.
Ospina nació en Boston, Massachussets, hecho que atribuye a un “accidente geográfico”: sus padres son
colombianos y, de 6 hermanos, cuatro han nacido en Colombia. Ella creció en Bogotá, pero reside en Estados
Unidos desde hace 22 años, donde está casada y con un hijo: “Cuando vine aquí carecía de redes de todo tipo.
Pensaba que sólo sería por un tiempo, pero me fui quedandito”.
Siempre ha sentido el trabajo con la comunidad como un compromiso personal. Una de las investigaciones en
que está involucrada con NYU Wagner es la Leadership for Social Change, auspiciada por la Fundación Ford y
el Advocacy Intitute, que estudia el proceso en que surge el liderazgo en diferentes comunidades (no sólo latinas),
y trabaja con los propios individuos líderes.
Tiene una interesante perspectiva de lo que es el liderazgo, y afirma que la comunidad hispana no carece de él en
absoluto:
“Solemos verlo como algo que pertenece a una persona que sobresale y cuyos méritos hay que analizar, pero en
realidad es colectivo. En la medida en que el grupo logra movilizarse por lo que necesita, hay liderazgo. La
persona que sobresale sólo representa la cúspide de un iceberg. El liderazgo es todo el resto, el trabajo de
muchísimas otras personas”.
Sonia es amante del arte, la literatura y el deporte, y en sus ratos libres practica el triatlón con sus colegas de la
universidad.
donde ha sido directora de estudios doctorales. Actualmente co-dirige, entre otras investigaciones, un estudio
comparativo sobre las administraciones públicas en diferentes países latinoamericanos.
Ha recorrido el continente como investigadora, profesora y conferenciante. Con tres libros publicados (sin contar
artículos o capítulos independientes), ha recibido numerosos honores, como el Human and Professional
Excellence Award, que le concedió la comunidad de Colombia y Ecuador de Nueva York, en 1995.
Ospina nació en Boston, Massachussets, hecho que atribuye a un “accidente geográfico”: sus padres son
colombianos y, de 6 hermanos, cuatro han nacido en Colombia. Ella creció en Bogotá, pero reside en Estados
Unidos desde hace 22 años, donde está casada y con un hijo: “Cuando vine aquí carecía de redes de todo tipo.
Pensaba que sólo sería por un tiempo, pero me fui quedandito”.
Siempre ha sentido el trabajo con la comunidad como un compromiso personal. Una de las investigaciones en
que está involucrada con NYU Wagner es la Leadership for Social Change, auspiciada por la Fundación Ford y
el Advocacy Intitute, que estudia el proceso en que surge el liderazgo en diferentes comunidades (no sólo latinas),
y trabaja con los propios individuos líderes.
Tiene una interesante perspectiva de lo que es el liderazgo, y afirma que la comunidad hispana no carece de él en
absoluto:
“Solemos verlo como algo que pertenece a una persona que sobresale y cuyos méritos hay que analizar, pero en
realidad es colectivo. En la medida en que el grupo logra movilizarse por lo que necesita, hay liderazgo. La
persona que sobresale sólo representa la cúspide de un iceberg. El liderazgo es todo el resto, el trabajo de
muchísimas otras personas”.
Sonia es amante del arte, la literatura y el deporte, y en sus ratos libres practica el triatlón con sus colegas de la
universidad.