Our Founders

Since a very young age, I have experienced an intense passion for trade. At the age of 14, I started trading chewing gum, seasonal shoes, and even the oranges I produced on my property or acquired at wholesale markets. This gave me the opportunity to experience the thrill of trading for the first time. Currently, I am involved in it at ISA Foods, where we focus on trading all animal proteins of the highest quality in the market.

My first formal job took place during my internship at Cadena, a company in Medellín specializing in lithographic printing solutions, advertising, and digital commerce. There, I gained valuable lessons that helped me understand the workings of businesses and gave me the opportunity to apply my learnings.

Subsequently, I chose to move to Boston with the aim of improving my English, in addition to pursuing a master's degree in global marketing. This training provided me with the opportunity to intern at a company dedicated to protein trading, which represented a significant change in my professional life. It was there that I found what I longed to do until my last day: the protein business. Even today, I experience the same enthusiasm when buying and selling any load—just like it was the first time.

I come from a large family; we are six siblings, and I am the youngest of them. I consider myself very fortunate to have the continuous support of my loved ones. Currently, I am married and have a beautiful daughter; they have become my motivation and source of inspiration, particularly in tense situations related to global market movements.

For me, sports have always represented a great passion, particularly soccer. I had the opportunity to participate in the Antioquia department league, an experience that showed me the importance of discipline and perseverance. These principles have played a crucial role in my personal and professional life. In the realm of soccer, I understood that solidarity, humility, and group collaboration are fundamental to achieving success. I think these same principles are essential for the success of any project involving diverse people.

At ISA Foods, we persist in the dream. Every day, we gain more knowledge about the markets and improve our work. My goal for the company is clear: I want ISA Foods to become the best workplace, where all our employees feel valued and motivated, like members of the ISA Foods family.

I am Katherine Santana, one of the founders of ISA. Together with Juan Ricardo, I lead the company's commercial team.

Before joining ISA, I worked at another trading company, performing various roles. I started in logistics, then moved to purchasing, sales, and finally to training new talent, where I met Juan Ricardo. From the very first moment, his persistence, curiosity, and customer service caught my attention. I was fortunate that he invited me to join this project.

That stage taught me the value of authentic connections and how they can be the gateway to new opportunities.

Juan and I share a great passion for business, but what truly unites us are the values we both hold. At ISA, one of the values that is always present is "family," and I consider this to be one of the most important foundations we have as a company. This is the type of bond we want to establish with our clients and suppliers: one based on a familial and close relationship, always seeking to improve and stay updated.

I am the mother of Valeria and Antonella. As a family, we enjoy traveling, visiting museums, and trying new places and foods. However, we also greatly value our time at home, accompanied by Max and Bella, our little dogs. Additionally, we enjoy painting and photography.

My goal is to continue building relationships that endure over time, both with my collaborators and with our clients and suppliers—always with the conviction of doing things correctly and contributing positively to our community.