About Me
The best insights come from unlikely rooms — co-design sessions with domestic workers, strategy workshops with executives, usability tests with everyday users.
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From field interviews in the South Bronx to boardrooms in global cities, from a fintech startup's onboarding flow to a $9M bilateral cooperation program. That's the range I bring.
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I build research functions from scratch, facilitate workshops that align cross-functional teams, and translate complex human behavior into decisions that move organizations.
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Trilingual, tapatía, and most at home in the messy, high-stakes problems that demand both rigor and empathy.
Experience
2024-2025
Senior Researcher, UX
National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) / Durham, NC
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Built and scaled in-house UX research function.
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Designed evaluation framework to guide development and performance of Ask Aya, NDWA's AI-powered chatbot offering domestic workers real-time support and coaching.
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Founded behavioral design practice to integrate behavioral science insights into product and program development.
2021-2024
Senior Behavioral Researcher
Duke University | Common Cents Lab / Durham, NC
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UX and behavioral research across 20+ projects with financial institutions, fintechs, and nonprofits in the US and Latin America to improve financial health products for low-income users.
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Facilitated stakeholder workshops to identify user barriers and opportunities, translating behavioral science insights into actionable product recommendations.
2019 – 2021
Research Consultant
GGHC / New York
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Designed and conducted qualitative research on social and economic trends for organizational programs and initiatives.
2016 – 2019
Research Associate II
MDRC / New York
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Conducted qualitative research evaluating programs serving low-income communities.
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Synthesized research findings into actionable recommendations to inform program and policy design.
2007-2011
Sustainable Development Programme Director
2021-2024
Executive Director
2019 – 2021
Journalist (Economics & Finance)
British Embassy / Mexico City
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Launched and oversaw multi-million portfolio
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Led sustainable development team and bilateral cooperation initiatives
Universidad de Guadalajara Foundation / Guadalajara, Mexico
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Leading a team of 19, set up the Foundation’s first portfolio of projects
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Led the overhaul of the university’s alumni database and Professional Opportunities Center
El Informador / Guadalajara, México
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Researched and published daily articles on local economic affairs.
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Created and produced a weekly radio show on science and technology in the region.
Education
PhD, Public and Urban Policy
2016
The New School for Social Research / New Yorkā
MSc. Development Management
2004
London School of Economics and Political Science / London
BSc. International Relations
2000
Tecnológico de Monterrey / Monterrey, México
Languages
Spanish, English, French