Originally from Peru, Vania has always understood the importance of carrying her culture everywhere she goes. Raised in Eugene, OR, Vania spoke Spanish at home and English in school, shining light and critical thinking towards inclusion practices in her community. In college, Vania was a student activist working towards feminist issues and also raising awareness about human right abuses outside of the US. After college, she became a community organizer for the AFL-CIO, helping with the 2012 election and also educating and helping Latinx communities to register to vote in the state of Oregon. She also became a registered lobbyist and championed environmental issues such as the protection of marine reserves and accessible public transportation for low income communities.
The last seven years, Vania has worked in the international development field primarily focusing in Latin America. In DC, she worked at the Washington Office on Latin America, and then transitioned to Oxfam. In her capacity as youth engagement advisor at Oxfam, she helped trained student leaders to promote Oxfam's campaign in their colleges and universities. She also has built curriculum on diversity and inclusion practices for students.
Vania holds a BA in Spanish, History, Political Science, and Latin American Studies from the University of Oregon, and a MA in Latin American Studies from New York University. In her free time, she loves exploring new places, running long distances, practicing yoga, and traveling.