Cecilia is an international development expert and business owner with over 25 years of experience creating new ways to think about and solve the complex challenges of equitable socio-economic development and climate change. She has advised the Panamanian opposition to Noriega; designed a $30m White-House mandated reconciliation program in Bosnia; negotiated partnerships with Russian regional governments; designed and implemented USAID’s first SMS-based market information systems; and served as Senior Economic Advisor for USAID/Iraq and USAID/Yemen, and as Vice President at a Fortune 500 company. She is currently advising PPL on Program Cycle Capacity building, working with the private sector in Colombia on peace initiatives, and collaborating with a media production company on development of the creative economy in LAC.
Cecilia holds a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) with a specialization in Latin American Studies, and a Bachelor’s degree in History from Williams College. She is currently pursuing an M.S. in Sustainable Urban Planning at George Washington University (2015). She grew up in the Philippines and Panama, and speaks fluent Spanish. Cecilia is an NCAA All-American swimmer.