Articles
U.S. Consulate General Curaçao Announces 2026 Fellows for the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI)
The U.S. Consulate General Curaçao is proud to announce the 2026 cohort for the U.S. Department of State’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Fellowship Program. This year, four young entrepreneurs from Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten have been selected to participate in this prestigious exchange program.
Launched in 2015, the YLAI Fellowship Program is the U.S. Department of State’s flagship initiative to empower emerging entrepreneurs and business leaders across the Western Hemisphere. The program supports innovation, strengthens leadership skills, and promotes economic growth through collaboration and exchange.
The 2026 YLAI Fellowship Program will run from November 2025 through May 2026, bringing together approximately 250 young leaders from across the region.
The selected Fellows from the Dutch Caribbean are:
Ishshah Carty – from Sint Maarten, in Food & Beverage industry, leading Indulgence
Najhilah Ten Meer – From Curacao, in Arts, Music, and Culture industry, leading Landish
Roxanne Rodriguez – from Aruba, in Management Consulting & System Integration, leading NotionFlows
Nathania Engelhardt – from Curacao, in Community Development leading Debat.ED.
Starting this weekend, Fellows will travel to Houston, Texas for an Opening Orientation before beginning four-week professional placements with U.S. businesses and organizations in cities across the United States. During the program, Fellows will collaborate with peers, participate in leadership and entrepreneurship training, and engage in cultural exchange activities. The Fellowship will conclude with a Closing Forum in Washington, D.C.
Through hands-on experience, mentorship, and networking opportunities, participants will return to their home countries with enhanced skills, expanded professional networks, and new resources to grow their ventures. The program also strengthens business ties between the United States and the Dutch Caribbean, contributing to long-term regional economic development.
Since its launch, more than 2,000 YLAI Fellows have collaborated with over 1,250 U.S. organizations, with many participants reporting increased access to resources and business growth following the program.
For more information about the YLAI Fellowship Program and the YLAI Network, please visit https://ylai.state.gov/. Follow the Fellowship on social media at @YLAINetwork and by using #YLAI2026.
For additional information, please contact CuracaoPAS@state.gov.
The YLAI Fellowship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and is implemented in partnership with IREX.

From left to right: Ishsha Carty, Roxanne Rodriguez, Nathania Engelhardt, Consul General Negron, and Najhilah Ten Meer
