I am a feminist researcher and architect of gender-transformative health and development programs. Born in the Philippines and a first-generation US immigrant, my passion for this work is rooted in my own story: growing up in a home shaped by domestic violence, I saw firsthand how inequality can silence and constrain. That experience set me on a path to dedicate the last 20+ years to dismantling those barriers across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

I’ve led initiatives to prevent gender-based violence and address gender inequalities that affect health and development at Johns Hopkins University, EngenderHealth, the World Bank, and the International Center for Research on Women, partnering with governments, multilateral agencies, and grassroots movements. My work has ranged from groundbreaking research—including the first clinical trial to reduce women’s risk of GBV by 50%—to developing large-scale programs and toolkits now used by ministries of health worldwide, to designing award-winning mass media campaigns that shift harmful gender norms and engage men and boys as allies. At Johns Hopkins, where I am associate faculty, I also teach on designing gender-transformative health programs.

In recent years, I’ve watched with concern as misinformation and online hate surged, distorting public understanding of gender roles and rights. I couldn’t stay in the academic or policy bubble anymore. So in 2025, I founded PowHer Data — a creative, nimble, values-driven agency built to break silos between research, practice, and public understanding.

PowHer Data is more than a brand — it’s a call to action to make gender equity impossible to ignore. For every girl growing up in fear. For every woman whose voice has been silenced. And for everyone who knows that gender equity isn’t a trend — it’s a necessity.