Civil engineer, coach, speaker and rapporteur
Carolina García Berguecio
Who am I?
I
I am a woman, mother, friend, daughter, sister, apprentice, entrepreneur, engineer, coach... that is looking at the classic definitions.
A few years ago, I suffered an accident that changed my life forever. The taxi I was travelling in started to go very fast on the road and passed other cars and collided head-on with a truck. From one day to the next, I found myself immobilised from the neck down. This meant that I was permanently in a wheelchair and needed the support of a carer 24 hours a day.
Not only did I stop walking, I had to move house, move to a new job, give up the sports I played and enjoyed so much, my relationship ended, I had to support my children, I went through a lot of grief, losses and changes that were difficult to assimilate all at once. Surrounded by friends and family, all eager to help and support, but without the possibility of putting themselves in my place.
Doctors determined that he would not be able to move anything from the neck down, nor his arms or hands.
II
If I had believed everything they told me, today I wouldn't be able to drive my adapted car, I wouldn't be able to write on my computer, eat alone, or use my phone.
Our mental limitations often prevent us from flourishing.
My disability is physical, and I cannot hide it, but I am grateful to know that there are no limits if you decide to move forward. I stopped being a victim of my story, and became the leading actor in my life.
We are not prepared for a radical change of life. However, life is worth living, despite all the challenges, misunderstandings, and periods of crisis.
I am responsible for how I want to live it.
So, who am I? I am a woman, strong, vulnerable, sensitive, grateful, resilient, a life learner.
III
I am a PCC Coach and past president of ICF International Coaching Federation, chapter of Chile and I am dedicated to accompanying people who are looking for and have decided to undergo a transformation, those who have gone through or are going through a limiting situation, loss, or their families, in processes of growth and knowledge. I accompany companies in management of
change
If we want it, we can all do it! Clinging to certainty is pointless.
The only thing I'm sure of in my life is change.
My purpose and passion is to make visible the gaps that exist in terms of Disability, both social, educational, and access to work. My intention is to collaborate so that these gaps are reduced and more people with disabilities can live a full life, with a good education and access to decent work.
IV
I declare myself a disability activist and I am the Founder of Comunidad Inclusiva, a foundation dedicated to the defense of disability and which has led me to be recognized for my contributions to closing the social gap of groups
vulnerable.
I have built a recognized personal brand to highlight the companies I have represented.
This Foundation was born when I was part of the entrepreneurship and innovation academy Her Global Impact in 2018. Precisely in that year, the law of labor inclusion for people with disabilities was enacted and I saw an opportunity to create a company dedicated to searching for profiles of people with disabilities to be able to be part of a company that would welcome them for their talent, in addition I dedicated myself to doing awareness projects in companies.
After this, we turned the company into a foundation that today helps people with disabilities have a voice and are talked about in different spaces, both in universities, companies, and in politics. We are dedicated to raising our voice wherever there is space .
Biography
Carolina García Berguecio is an Industrial Civil Engineer, graduated from the Universidad de Chile, and has dedicated the last 25 years to organizational strategy and change management in important companies. With more than two decades of experience in the mining sector, she has stood out as a Certified Coach and Mentor Coach. She is recognized as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coach Federation (ICF) in the United States, and currently serves as president of the Chilean chapter of this prestigious organization.
Carolina is an expert in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and is sought after as a speaker and presenter at conferences, workshops and talks on these topics, with a special focus on disability. In addition, she is a partner and coach at Altaira Consultores, where she continues to promote inclusive development in various organizations.
Her life took a significant turn after an accident that left her disabled and in a wheelchair. This personal experience inspired her to found the Fundación Comunidad Inclusiva, an organization dedicated to making the value of diversity visible and generating better opportunities for people with disabilities. Carolina identifies herself as a disability activist and is an ambassador for HER Global Impact, an academy focused on innovation and female entrepreneurship, as well as for ExpoInclusión, a conference and job fair for people with disabilities.
Throughout her career, she has been recognized on multiple occasions for her commitment to inclusion and her leadership in the fight to reduce inequality gaps, working tirelessly for a more just and inclusive world.
