Maria Angelica joined the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime in 2026 as a Grants Manager. Working with the Global Programme Management team, she is based in Colombia.

Maria brings more than a decade of experience managing multi-donor initiatives across the LATAM region, with deep expertise in human rights, the rule of law, and women’s economic empowerment. Prior to joining GI-TOC, she served as the Regional Programme Manager at the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), where she led projects at the intersection of human rights and the reinforcement of the rule of law, and also worked at WEConnect International, advancing women’s economic empowerment.

Earlier in her career, Maria worked at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) in Portugal, where she gained her first direct experience tackling crime and security challenges—work that sparked her commitment to evidence-based approaches to preventing and countering organized crime.

Maria holds a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and an M.A. in International Studies and International Cooperation from the Universitat de Barcelona.