A little bit about me

                                                                         Background

                                                                         I was born in Peru. My mom and I moved to the USA when I was 7 for me                                                                           to get a chance at the American Dream. Despite only having a limited                                                                                 budget working as a nanny, my mom always prioritized our well being                                                                                 and nutrition.  I inherited her passion for wellness and believe that                                                                                       everyone - no matter their socioeconomic status - should have access to                                                                             a psychologically and physically healthy life.  You can read a little bit                                                                                    about my story here.

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                                                                         Education & Career

                                                                          I fell in love with well being research as an undergraduate student at  the                                                                            University of Pennsylvania, where I did research at the Positive Psychology Center under the incredible mentorship of Angela Duckworth while minoring in nutrition. Afterwards, I was awarded a  Fulbright to complete a Masters in Psychological Research Methods in the UK.  In between my undergraduate and Fulbright, I received a grant to move to Mexico and research predictors of women's decisions to seek mental health treatment, which culminated in this publication. 

 

I went back to Penn in 2017 to obtain my Masters in Management Science and  PhD in Organizational Behavior via a degree in Management and Applied Economics at the Wharton School. Afterwards, I was a visiting scholar at Wharton while I worked for McKinsey, first as a consultant and then as the Manager for Social Responsibility in Latin America. Outside of my work, at McKinsey, I led the launch of the affinity group for social mobility, PRISM, in the Southern USA.

 

Now, I plan to launch an organic high-protein functional foods company, Nourish.

 

Research 

My research, which you can find here, primarily focuses on improving employee wellbeing at the individual, organizational, and societal level. My PhD dissertation was on how overcoming adversity can lead to character growth, ultimately providing a source of strength to people at work. This topic was inspired by my my journey as an immigrant and as a first-generation college student, as well as the journeys of many others with even more compelling stories of overcoming adversity.

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I have presented my research at top industry and academic conferences and universities including Harvard and Stanford.

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Fun

In my free time, I love traveling, and enjoying any outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, and rucking. When I am indoors, I love weightlifting, coming up with fun new healthy plant-based recipes, hosting dinner parties, reading, and watching documentaries and inspirational sermons. I am lucky to be married to an incredible German man, Patrick, who I met during my Fulbright (thank you Fulbright!)

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I am Christian, and and I try to live my life by the verse, "Love your neighbor as yourself."