Katia holds a MA in International Affairs with concentration Governance and Human Rights from The New School, NYC. As the Director of Programs at the Huairou Commission (HC) in NYC (USA), she leads strategic planning processes with international grass roots women’s organizations, collaboratively developing programs based that respond to women's identified priorities. She leads HC’s Resilience Program overseeing its Resilience and Land & Housing campaigns leading to the implementation of 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Katia co-chairs the Council of the International Land Coalition- a global alliance of civil society and intergovernmental organizations working together to put people at the centre of land governance. A staff member of the Huairou Commission since 2008, Katia has built multi-stakeholder regional platforms in the global south that promote policy innovation and operational accountability. A native Brazilian, she is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish. Prior to joining HC, Katia conducted research on specific women's issues for various NGOs, including the Women’s Right Division of Human Rights Watch, International Rescue Committee, and African Services Committee.