Baby joined Colibrí in 2019, bringing 25+ years of knowledge and experience working with communities, nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, state and local governments in Puerto Rico. Born and raised on the Island, she started her career in a grassroots organization, where she learned the importance of advocacy and coalition building across sectors.
Throughout her professional journey, she has facilitated dialogues among policymakers, educators, professionals, corporate and community leaders seeking to advance early childhood development, education, and community-building initiatives to break the cycle of poverty in Puerto Rico. She has also collaborated with local philanthropy moving from traditional grantmaking to focused, long-term giving strategies. Her government experience includes working at the municipal level and serving as the Governor’s Education and Culture Advisor from 2009 to 2012.
Baby is an advocate for the role of philanthropy, nonprofits, and communities in Puerto Rico’s rebuilding efforts, and is a strong believer in their capacity to engage as equal partners in the process. She is convinced Puerto Rico is positioned to launch critical transformative initiatives by combining public and private funding streams, and is committed to assuring resources flow to the hands of social innovators that will use them creatively to achieve the objectives of multiple sectors.
She hopes to make Colibrí, an effective connector, forging alliances and linked interventions to maximize the Foundation and its partner’s social impact on the Island. She serves on fiduciary and advisory boards of several nonprofits, schools, and foundations on the Island addressing issues of quality education, social mobility, and child poverty.