(BRUSSELS) — CDT Europe is pleased to announce that it has significantly boosted its team in Brussels with two new appointments. Laura Lazaro Cabrera has joined the team as Counsel and Director of the Data and Equity Progamme, and Silvia Lorenzo Perez is newly appointed Director of the Security, Surveillance and Human Rights Programme. Both positions are new for the organisation.
“We are delighted to welcome these two new talented advocates to join our growing team,” said Iverna McGowan, Director of CDT Europe. “2024 brings significant challenges in the tech policy space, with many big pieces of legislation coming into force and the EU elections just around the corner — making the work that we do to promote democracy and human rights in the EU’s digital sphere more important than ever. We’re delighted to welcome Laura and Silvia, whose extensive experience will help us to hold policymakers to account, whilst strengthening our important work with civil society partners.”
Laura joins CDT Europe from Privacy International, where she was Senior Legal Officer. Her role involved engaging with governments, regulators, and courts worldwide to challenge laws and practices in the context of unlawful surveillance. Laura has a background in human rights litigation, from challenging abuses of law enforcement powers in Mexico, to serious human rights violations in Colombia. Her role at CDT Europe will focus on identifying adverse impacts of artificial intelligence and other data practices on human rights, and the regulatory or policy gaps that enable them, while mapping effective solutions.
Prior to joining CDT’s Brussels office, Silvia worked as a Policy Advisor to MEP Lopez Aguilar, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE). There, she led coordination efforts within the LIBE Committee, overseeing areas related to rule of law, data protection, privacy, security, law enforcement, criminal justice, and judicial cooperation. She was also an integral part of the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry tasked with investigating the utilization of Pegasus and similar surveillance spyware (PEGA). Silvia’s role at CDT Europe will focus on the intersection of human rights, security, and surveillance.