Mariana Aguilar

Finance and Grants Associate

Why LEO?

"In my time as an undergraduate, I read academic papers that described different methods used to study poverty’s effects, and whether grand interventions across states or the country had significant impact on outcomes of interest. It was often the case that those interested in answering these questions engaged more with the data on a screen than they ever did with the people whose lives were (somewhat, though not entirely) described by such data. I admire that, in a discipline that often has to do this meaningful research “from a distance,” LEO has prioritized for its research to be relational–for the rigorous research to be connected to the dignity and the story of these communities. I joined LEO because I also care to answer the question of how to effectively eliminate poverty and its negative effects alongside our partners, rather than distanced from them."

Bio

As the Finance and Grants Associate, Mariana supports LEO’s financial operations and grants administration through financial management, reporting, budgeting, and grant funds administration. Prior to joining LEO, Mariana earned B.A. in Economics and Theology from the University of Notre Dame.