About Mariela

For over a decade, Mariela has shaped strategies that increase access to opportunity and investment for community members, entrepreneurs, farmers, and values-aligned stakeholders cultivating our local economy and food system. As part of Mandela Partners’ (MP) leadership team, she catalyzed the development of MPs economic ventures framework, entrepreneurship programming, and Community Capital Fund – which seeks to increase access to low-cost, relationship driven capital. In her role as Interim Director, Mariela develops and uplifts new models for investment, growth, and shared wealth that promote community ownership, asset building, and health. Mariela’s has spent her career engaging with and advocating for under-resourced entrepreneurs, key in building thriving, sustainable, and healthy communities. She brings with her a wide breadth of in the field experience in economic development, business advising, accessible capital, community engagement, and non-profit management. Mariela holds B.A. degrees in Economics and International Relations and an M.A. in Latin American Development.