Raised as an urban kid, playing on the steep streets of the world's highest (12,000 ft above sea level) capital city La Paz, Bolivia, at age 10 my family moved to another worldly region, Washington D.C. making me a real urbanist. I grew up in a humble low income single-mother household, with memories of my Aymara grandmother, whose legacy I reflect, embracing the barriers, struggles and achievements faced by all first-generation immigrants in a land that is also ours.

Always a scholar, as alumna of the University of Maryland and American University respectively, I earned undergraduate degrees in Arts Humanities and Architecture, and a Master’s degree in Int. Service and Global Environmental Policy. 

My practice accounts for almost 20 years in community-centered urban planning and design, with expertise in policy analysis, equitable development, environmental justice, and public service. I am recognized by many as an expert in housing displacement prevention and in advancing equitable growth policies for front-line communities. 

My expertise is in intersecting evidence-based policies with technology, managing data-analytics and conducting environmental and social impact assessments to pursue effective, sustainable, and empowered solutions. Over the years, I made significant contributions by spearheading 30+ community-based projects/programs locally, regionally, and worldwide. As well as drafting and advocating on over 30+ bills, 28 of which became law, in the District of Columbia.