 Previous to that he worked at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, the Harvard Institute for International Development and the World Bank.He earned Doctoral and master's degrees in education at Harvard University and obtained a Licenciatura en Psicologia at the Universidad Central de Venezuela.He received an Honorary doctorate in Humane Letters from Emerson College, a Centennial Medal Award from the Institute for International Education, and a Global Citizen Award from the US Committee for Teaching About the United Nations.