Sonia Kaestner

Sonia Kaestner is the Managing Director, Latin America for Asset Performance Networks, based out of the company’s headquarters in Bethesda, MD. Sonia has more than 20 years of international experience in project management consulting, marketing, data analytics & research, and training & development. With fluency in Spanish (native), English, German, and Italian, she has successfully deployed team-oriented strategies and solutions in high-level organizations across the globe. In her current role, Sonia shares responsibility for the development and growth of the company’s presence in the Latin America region.

In her former role as the Director of the IPA Institute, Sonia managed the company’s Training and Development (T&D) global business unit. In addition to successfully advancing global strategies and business plans, Sonia identified regional T&D needs, opportunities, and channels. Her ability to cultivate these opportunities led to revenue growth of more than 250 percent.

Sonia has performed major benchmarking analyses of capital projects and turnaround events to help major energy and industrial companies reduce risks, implement best practices, and optimize their cost, schedule, and operability targets. By helping clients revise targets, achieve scope alignment, and structure multicultural team building meetings, Sonia has honed her ability to take client organizations to new levels of sophistication and success.

Sonia has also held positions in operations management, strategic planning, and financial management at United Technologies Corporation (UTC). While at UTC, she was able to use her operations knowledge and analytical skills to identify significant improvement opportunities to optimize operations and maximize profitability. She also played a key role in SAP implementation and the training of contract and salaried employees.

In addition to her role at AP-Networks, Sonia continues her role as an Operations and Information Management adjunct professor and research associate at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. Her research at McDonough covers a diverse array of subjects including cyber security and strategy & portfolio management. Sonia holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Georgetown University, and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Universidad Ricardo Palma.