Can you tell us about your educational background and where you grew up? 

I was born and raised in Bolivia. I studied Business and Entrepreneurship, and during my thesis research, I began working with Indigenous women in my country. That experience exposed me directly to the structural and intersecting barriers many women face in my country and around the world and deepened my commitment to gender equality and inclusive development. This experience eventually led me to pursue a master’s degree in Gender, Development, and Globalisation at the London School of Economics, and later apply to the Graduate Programme.

What made you apply to the graduate programme/what is your motivation to work with UNDP?

I was drawn to the Graduate Programme because I wanted to grow in a space where my work could contribute to structural change, especially for women and communities often left behind. UNDP stood out to me not only for its global leadership in development, but for how it works alongside governments and communities to drive change that’s grounded in local realities.

What excites me most is the potential of policy work to shape the way people live, to influence the systems that can either hold people back or help them thrive. I believe that through our policy work, we have the power to reshape and improve the lives of the people we serve.

Working in such a diverse, mission-driven environment is also a huge privilege, and one of the most enriching parts of this journey. The opportunity to be part of a team with people from all over the world, and to learn from colleagues across regions, cultures and disciplines was something I deeply valued and hoped to experience.

What are the main activities/tasks you are working on? What is a day at the office/in the field like? 

As a Communications and Reporting Analyst at UNDP’s Istanbul Regional Hub, I work in the Regional Programme Team, where no two days are the same. My tasks range from strategic to creative, and from structured to hands-on and adaptive.

A big part of my role involves leading the coordination of inputs for key reports, like the Annual Report, and supporting collaboration across teams. I also contribute to internal communications and knowledge-sharing efforts across the Hub, helping connect the dots between teams and initiatives. I also manage our regional pipeline of opportunities, tracking upcoming projects, aligning them with regional strategies, and identifying areas where collaboration or support is needed. 

On the external communications side, I manage our LinkedIn page to share our regional stories externally. But my focus isn’t just on “communicating”, my work also involves embedding learning into everything we do. Whether it’s co-creating internal knowledge products, or supporting teams to implement learning-agendas, my aim is to help teams reflect, share, and improve how we work.

One of the most meaningful aspects of my role is contributing to project design. I support teams with background research, coordination, budgets and gender analysis, and I’m especially passionate about making sure we integrate a gender lens from the start.

I have also stepped into facilitation roles, from sensemaking sessions and strategic retreats to dialogues with the private sector, which have pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow both personally and professionally.