Can you tell us a little about your career path and the key milestones along the way?
Inspired by my grandfather’s lifelong work in rural Bolivia, I studied law and developed a strong interest in agrarian and Indigenous rights — a foundation which showed me the power of legal and organisational tools.
Although I initially envisioned a career in international organisations, an unexpected opportunity took me to an NGO focused on rural development in Bolivia’s tropical lowlands, which pushed me to blend legal, economic, and practical development work.
To deepen my understanding, I received a Fundación Patiño scholarship and studied at the Geneva Graduate Institute. There, I focused on rural development and food systems, honing skills in impact evaluation and econometrics, tools I saw as essential for meaningful development work. The Institute’s diversity of people and ideas expanded my worldview in profound ways.
Through the Applied Research Seminar, I worked on a project in Cambodia and met Christophe Gironde, Senior Lecturer at the Graduate Institute, who later became my mentor. That led to five years in the DEMETER Project, where I studied land governance and rural livelihoods. Seeing parallels between Cambodia and Bolivia shaped how I addressed challenges back home.
Eventually, I returned to Bolivia and co-founded 4 Llamas Coffee with my partner, a company rooted in sustainability, people, and innovation. It’s a project that brings together years of learning, dreaming, and doing.
What motivates you in your daily work, and how did your studies at the Institute feed this motivation?
My work is a blend of everything I love: fieldwork, creativity, and research. I get to be in constant contact with producers, work with communities, and, at the same time, think critically and innovate with ideas. This combination is a rare privilege.
Along the way, I’ve met inspiring people who bring passion and perspective to our shared efforts. These connections are among the most rewarding parts of my journey.
The Institute gave me the tools and space to grow. It sharpened my technical skills, but more importantly, it helped me think critically about how to connect theory with practice. The diverse community made me grow not only as a professional but also as a person.
Today, our work with 4 Llamas Coffee is more than just producing coffee. It’s about embracing a way of living, sharing, and connecting. Coffee, for us, is not just a product; it’s a language that carries stories, dreams, and identity. That purpose, mixed with joy and learning, is what keeps me going every day.
What advice would you give to current Institute students for their future careers?
Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Real impact often happens far from a desk. Build things (projects, relationships, systems) and let failure teach you. Some of the best ideas are born from constraints.
And don’t obsess over having the “perfect plan”. Stay open, stay humble, and stay grounded in what truly matters to you. If you hold on to that, the rest will follow, sometimes in ways far more rewarding than you imagined.
This article was published in Globe #36, the Graduate Institute Review.
