Director of Programs

As Director of Programs at Rise Up Together, Claudia leads the design, implementation, and evaluation of global programs, overseeing grantmaking, partnerships, budgets, and program operations to ensure alignment with the organization’s mission. Claudia manages and supports the global programs team, fosters strategic relationships, and represents Rise Up Together in external forums. She joined Rise Up in 2013 to launch one of its first major initiatives, the Youth Champions Initiative, and continues to champion the leadership of girls, women, and youth around the world. Claudia is most passionate about advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights, advocacy, and maternal and child health. 

Her professional journey spans research and fieldwork, including studies on women’s social movements in Argentina and preterm birth in Puerto Rico. Claudia holds a degree in social anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis and a master’s in public health with a focus on maternal and child health from the University of California, Berkeley. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, she also spent four years in Peru as a Peace Corps Volunteer, where she worked to reduce women and children’s exposure to indoor air pollution and prevent teen pregnancy through youth empowerment and sexual education. A passionate photographer and filmmaker, Claudia also delights in the everyday joy of raising her two daughters in a trilingual household, where curiosity and love of languages are always encouraged.