The WACKER ACADEMY Team of Instructors
The WACKER ACADEMY team is available all over the world to further your professional development. We offer customized seminars and education solutions for your business needs – in theory and practice, and in keeping with the state of the art. Our certified instructors and moderators will share their knowledge, bringing to bear their curiosity, expertise and comprehensive understanding of new trends and markets.
Instructors at the WACKER ACADEMY of Central America and Northern South America (Mexico City)
Jesús Acuña
Jesús Acuña is WACKER POLYMERS’ sales manager for the Andean region. He joined WACKER in 2015 after working for Esenttia as a senior R&D engineer for polypropylene. Jesús is a chemical engineer and holds an MS degree specializing in polymers. He is currently responsible for sales and market development at WACKER POLYMERS for the construction, adhesives and coatings industries in Colombia and Ecuador.
Gloria Alzate
Gloria Alzate joined WACKER in 2018 as a sales manager for Construction Silicones in the North Andean region (Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela). Possessing a bachelor's degree in architecture and additional studies in management, Gloria brings over 15 years of experience in the construction market. She previously worked for Sika and Henkel, where her responsibilities included not only technical sales, but also training for architects, engineers, construction workers and other construction-related professionals on how to use construction chemicals in projects and at construction sites.
Gerardo Bautista
Gerardo is a chemical engineer from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), where he holds a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering (with Bioengineering as a focus). He has more than 7 years’ chemical-industry experience of technical sales for industrial applications, personal care, the household sector and now construction. He joined WACKER in 2015 as sales manager for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Gerardo provides support to construction customers in the following markets: paints, coatings, maintenance and general construction. Also, he has participated as a speaker for associations such as Mexico’s ANAFAPYT (representing paint and printing ink manufacturers), where WACKER has a presence.
Daniela Canizal
Daniela Canizal joined WACKER in 2022 as a sales manager for Polymers, overseeing distribution in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and the Andean region. With over 15 years of technical sales expertise in the chemical sector, she has a background working at Grupo Idesa, PYOSA and Aniq. In addition to her degree in marketing, Daniela is a chemical engineering graduate from the National Polytechnic Institute with a specialization in polymers.
Carlos Castellanos
Carlos Castellanos is a laboratory technician for Construction Polymers with experience mainly in R&D, technical assistance adhesives and PU applications. He is responsible for providing technical assistance to WACKER POLYMERS clients in the Andean region. Carlos holds a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the National University of Colombia.
Guillermo Castillo
Guillermo Castillo is a sales manager for Central America and the Caribbean and Andean regions, where he focuses on handling elastomeric silicones for automotive, energy, healthcare and industrial applications. He has extensive experience working in quality and product engineering for companies such as Chrysler. While working at Dow Corning, he developed skills in sales, technical applications, distribution and marketing. At Hules Mexicanos he worked as a technical developer, sales employee and technician, and his most recent experience was as a consultant on issues pertaining to strategy, sales, operations and ISO. Guillermo holds a degree in chemical industrial engineering from the National Polytechnic Institute.
Rashid Cisneros
Rashid Cisneros joined WACKER in 2023 as a sales manager for Silicones in the North Central America region. He provides support and management for defoamers, mold release agents, silicone fluids and emulsions. His previous employers include Grupo Idesa, The Lubrizol Corp and A. Schulman. His work in the areas of sales, quality, supply chain, regulations and product safety has given him experience in the LATAM, US and EMEA markets. Rashid holds a degree in chemical engineering from the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos.
Juan Guevara
Juan Guevara is a laboratory technician for the Construction Polymers business unit at Wacker Mexicana, where his responsibilities include testing dry mix mortar technologies with a focus on construction markets in Central America and the Caribbean region. He has a BS in civil engineering from the National Polytechnic Institute. Previously, he collaborated with Cemex as a laboratory coordinator for cement and concrete solutions at the Innovation and Development Center.
Diana Jaimes
Diana Jaimes has been a sales manager at WACKER since 2023 for consumer care and silicon performance in the North Andean Region (Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela). Her previous employers include Brenntag, Sun Chemical, Lubline and Univar. With more than 10 years of experience, she possesses extensive knowledge of various industry segments within Latin America, such as food, personal care, pharmaceuticals, paint, coatings, agricultural applications and oil & gas. Diana holds a chemical engineering degree from the National University of Colombia and has pursued a specialization in project management from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.
Adolfo Larrazabal
Adolfo joined WACKER in 1999 as a textiles sales manager and for 13 years was responsible for various WACKER SILICONES market segments. He developed the region’s personal care business and, in 2008, lived in Colombia, where he helped establish the Colombia office by conducting a market study of the region. In 2012, he moved to Brenntag Latam (a champion WACKER distributor) for 4 years, developing the silicone and polymer markets. Adolfo rejoined WACKER in 2016 and is currently the senior sales manager for rubber and elastomers in the Middle Americas region. He has a BS in Chemical Engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Guillermo Lopez
Guillermo is a sales manager for Mexico in the Functional Additives business unit. He has more than 40 years of experience in the chemical industry, mainly with epoxy resins, polyurethanes, plastisol and release agents based on silicone fluids. At WACKER, Guillermo has been responsible for elastomers, pyrogenic silica, sealants, silanes and fluids, plastics, textiles, defoamers and industrial coating resins. Previously, he had worked for Hysol de Mexico, a company focused on epoxy resin compounds. He has a chemical engineering degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Lorena Martínez
Lorena Martínez is a laboratory technician at Wacker Mexicana, where she focuses on the consumer & industrial markets in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean region. She has an industrial engineering degree in Colombia and a master’s degree and PhD in advanced technology from the National Polytechnic Institute (Mexico). Having previously worked for projects in specialty polymers and architectural restoration, Lorena has experience in researching, formulating, characterizing and consolidating project development with an emphasis on the coatings market (flooring industry, paints for the transportation industry, coatings and adhesives) using materials like epoxy resins, polyurethanes, cements, acrylic resins and others.
Iliana Mora
In 2022, Iliana Mora assumed the role of sales manager at WACKER, overseeing the Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean region. Her responsibilities encompass providing assistance to the personal care, home care and release coating sectors. With over 15 years of experience in the personal care industry, she has previously worked at Clariant and Vantage Specialty Chemicals. Iliana holds a degree in chemical engineering and a master's degree in industrial administration from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Guadalupe Pérez
Guadalupe Pérez joined WACKER in 2023 as performance solutions manager for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean region. She has a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the National Polytechnic Institute with a specialization in polymers. She previously worked at Amercoat and PPG COMEX. With over 19 years of experience in the chemical industry, she has served as a process engineer with expertise in formulating industrial, protective and marine paints. Guadalupe possesses extensive knowledge of epoxy, acrylic, polyurethane and polysiloxane, as well as resin synthesis, organic copolymers, silanes, alkyd and acrylics.
Daniela Querci
Daniela joined WACKER in 2019 as WACKER POLYMERS commercial manager for the Middle Americas region. Her previous employers included Stepan, Grupo Petroquímico Beta, Akzo Nobel/Comex and Hercules-Aqualon. She has over 15 years’ solid experience, covering market analysis, R&D, quality control and a wide range of applications (in construction, paints, architectural coatings, oilfields, personal care and the household sector). Daniela has a Chemical Engineering degree from the Technological University of Mexico and several certificates from organizations such as the IMCYC, ACI and UNAM.
Yazmín Reza
Yazmín Reza is a sales manager for WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS, focusing on the Central North America region since 2021. With over 23 years of experience in the food industry, she has worked with international companies like FMC, DuPont and Kemin, specializing in hydrocolloids, antioxidants and antimicrobials. Her current responsibilities include sales in food, nutrition, agrochemicals and fine chemical applications involving cyclodextrins, cysteine, poly-vinyl acetate resins, organic intermediates and acetyl acetone. Yazmín holds a food chemistry degree and a specialization in quality control from La Salle University.
Hector Sanchez
Héctor Sánchez ist seit 2012 bei Wacker Mexicana als Senior Technical Specialist in der BU Construction Polymers tätig. Er verfügt über mehr als 16 Jahre Erfahrung in der Entwicklung und Herstellung von Fahrzeuglacken sowie im Bereich Trockenmörtel. Herr Sánchez leitet das Labor des Construction Technical Center in Mexiko und ist verantwortlich für die anwendungstechnische Kundenbetreuung in der Region Mittelamerika. Er hat einen Bachelor in Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen der Universidad Tecnológica de México und verfügt über Erfahrung in Forschung, Entwicklung und Produktion aus seiner früheren Tätigkeit bei DuPont.
Nelson Sastoque
Nelson Sastoque works in POLYMERS as a technical manager for the North Central America region, where he is responsible for TCs and for providing technical support to polymer customers. With over 15 years in the polymer chemical industry, he has experience in technical and R&D/innovation departments, leading the development of new products in coatings, construction, adhesives, paper, packaging and graphic arts. He possesses extensive knowledge of polymerization, polymer science, surface modification and product testing. Nelson holds a BS in chemical engineering from the National University of Colombia and a postgraduate certificate in coating technology from Ramon Llull University.
Gabriel Torres
Gabriel Torres joined WACKER in 2021 as a sales manager for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean region within the POLYMERS division. He currently provides commercial assistance to a variety of markets, such as construction, coatings, adhesives, special additives and other applications relevant to the Polymers division. With a background in chemical engineering and a specialization in the polymers industry, Gabriel brings over 10 years of extensive experience in sales and customer service across various industries.