Growing up in Costa Rica, surrounded by lush rainforests and vibrant wildlife, I developed a deep connection to nature and was especially fascinated with animals. My dad played a significant role in nurturing this love for nature. He always told us that everyone should plant at least one tree in their lifetime, a lesson he learned in school. His respect for the environment—whether it was trees or animals— influenced how I view the natural world. As I grew older, I was captivated by the idea of flight, imagining what it would be like to see the world from above, like a bird. For a time, I dreamed of becoming an astronaut—the closest way humans can become birds—but I changed my mind when I realized that this occupation preoccupation came more from a desire to see our planet from above than a desire to visit Mars.
I immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 7, leaving behind Costa Rica and settling with my family in New Jersey. In that time I adapted to life in this colder and busier environment even though the essence of my first home always stayed with me. A block party birthday became an indoor middle of winter celebration. Coconuts on the ground became colorful leaves every Fall. What was a love for sloths turned into an admiration (from afar) for the black bears that randomly appeared in our suburban street. The capuchin monkeys that shook the branches were replaced by squirrels that took away our dog’s peace. But over time there were other changes as well. In Costa Rica, the dry season in the cloud forest has increased by more than 4 times and urban sprawl has contributed to the loss of 3,000 sloths annually. And while New Jersey is the state that’s heating up the fastest, just on the other side of the Hudson River, New Yorke (where I live now) has also had flooding and air quality issues on their minds.
The immigrant experience in the U.S. shaped me in many important ways as I navigated between two worlds, served as my family’s translator, and felt a strong sense of responsibility to different communities. These experiences led to my passion for building capacities and bridging the gaps between the diverse environments to which I belong. Over the past decade, I’ve been fortunate to work with civil society organizations and activists, helping them leverage data and technology to drive change. At The Engine Room, I supported organizations by enhancing their digital resilience, fortifying their data and technology infrastructures, and leading capacity-building activities. My teaching role as the Adjunct Professor for Metrics and Data Visualization within the MFA for Social Design program at the School for Visual Arts has allowed me to share my passion for critical data skills with students, particularly around metrics and data visualization. Most recently I took part in the Green Web Fellowship program where I investigated the responsible use of GIS platforms and data.
Currently, I’m excited to step into my new role as the Civic Science Fellow and Data Inclusion Specialist at the Open Environmental Data Project (OEDP). In this position, I will work on initiatives around open data and environmental data governance, collaborating with a network of researchers, community practitioners, and government actors. Together, we’ll build tools, resources, and systems to support data literacy and usability in environmental governance, with a focus on environmental justice.
What excites me most about this work is the opportunity to facilitate connections between data creators and users, especially within communities that are often marginalized in discussions about climate change. The more we can help these communities communicate and share insights, the more equipped we’ll be to address interlocking global climate crises.
