María Alejandra Sandoval Avila

As a Senior Creative Lead, I lead client management, fostering strong partnerships with businesses, governments, and nonprofits. I actively led the development of community-centered design approaches for our practice, and support the advancement of the Dalberg Design Latam regional pipeline.

The Nature Conservancy – Sustainable Prosperous Communities, South-East Mexico
Led a foundational study for The Nature Conservancy, focusing on smallholder producers in South Mexico and four value… Show more

As a Senior Creative Lead, I lead client management, fostering strong partnerships with businesses, governments, and nonprofits. I actively led the development of community-centered design approaches for our practice, and support the advancement of the Dalberg Design Latam regional pipeline.

The Nature Conservancy – Sustainable Prosperous Communities, South-East Mexico
Led a foundational study for The Nature Conservancy, focusing on smallholder producers in South Mexico and four value chains to develop financial and non-financial products supporting their transition to regenerative practices.

Pro Mujer - Empowering Women Through Economic Independence and Entrepreneurship
Led a study on rural and indigenous female entrepreneurs in Chiapas and Yucatán, enabling Pro Mujer's expansion into Mexico's southeast. Conducted state-level analysis and engaged stakeholders using Human-Centered Design. Results informed the development of financial and non-financial services for over 10,000 women entrepreneurs.

CGAP – Financial lives of platform workers in India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa
Co-led foundational research and recommendations development to understand the financial lives of platform workers in multiple sectors across five countries. Engaged ~400 participants using a mix of methods, shaping the development of financial products and services to enhance their livelihoods.

Skoll Foundation – the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Project
Led global, national, and subnational immunization professionals' engagement for the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Project, supporting low- and middle-income countries in preparing and operationalizing equitable COVID-19 vaccine programs.

Facebook - Community Leaders Program
Contributed to Facebook's Community Leadership program, offering personalized mentorship to leaders worldwide focused on mental and maternal health services. Developed an educational curriculum to enhance leaders' capacity for sustainability and growth. Show less

As a Creative Lead at Dalberg Design, I manage project teams from project scoping through implementation. I plan and execute qualitative research and provide oversight of the research process to ensure continuous learning and adaptation. I guide teams to translate research outputs into robust HCD frameworks and compelling client narratives. Project work ranges from research, MVP development to implementation and scaling in agriculture, financial inclusion, global health, and organizational… Show more

As a Creative Lead at Dalberg Design, I manage project teams from project scoping through implementation. I plan and execute qualitative research and provide oversight of the research process to ensure continuous learning and adaptation. I guide teams to translate research outputs into robust HCD frameworks and compelling client narratives. Project work ranges from research, MVP development to implementation and scaling in agriculture, financial inclusion, global health, and organizational capacity building and innovation. I am currently part of our DEI task force, imagining and developing our approach into a more equitable and community-centered practice. Show less

As a Senior Designer at Dalberg Design, I conduct qualitative research and integrate a Human Centred Design approach on projects that span international development, from financial health to agriculture to health and reproductive health work, for a number of different clients, such as The Gates Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and Facebook. Recent projects include:

- Partnership with the Financial Health Network and the AARP Foundation focused on understanding how Low… Show more

As a Senior Designer at Dalberg Design, I conduct qualitative research and integrate a Human Centred Design approach on projects that span international development, from financial health to agriculture to health and reproductive health work, for a number of different clients, such as The Gates Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and Facebook. Recent projects include:

- Partnership with the Financial Health Network and the AARP Foundation focused on understanding how Low Middle-Income Americans over the age of 50 relate to technology to manage their financial lives, and define sector level recommendations for financial service providers to design better Fintech products to serve this population.
-Supporting Facebook’s Community Leadership Program, which seeks to “elevate the role of community leaders as a critical piece in building diverse, supportive societies that bring people closer together, despite their differences.” I worked to create an “educational curriculum around leadership development, strategic community engagement, and technical skills,” and offer personalized mentorship to leaders around the world.
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Dalberg Design is a new design studio within Dalberg founded by former frog leaders. We take a human-centered approach to navigating and coordinating stakeholder ecosystems, scaling development solutions, and designing products and services for poverty alleviation. We work with foundations, multilateral institutions, governments, and non-profit organizations.

Research, analysis and design of tools to develop social innovation projects in the Colombian context. Testing of the design model and tools with youth from the Tiempo de Juego foundation in Bogotá, Colombia.

Designed workshops and innovation tools for the institution’s internal-entrepreneurial events.
Kept a record of the development of the organizational innovation project of Universidad EAN.
Delivered workshops and facilitate events related to innovation within the institution.