Andy Mendez is a graduate student at The Heller School for Social Policy & Management at Brandeis University, pursuing an MBA in Social Impact and an MA in Sustainable International Development. Her area of focus includes social entrepreneurship, economic policy, and workforce development as part of a larger counterterrorism response. Before joining The Heller School, Andy earned her bachelor’s degree in Media Production, Management, & Technology, with a concentration in Latin American Studies, from the University of Florida. After graduating, she served in the Peace Corps as a Youth Development Specialist in Morocco. She supported strategic partnership building, expanded access to girls’ education, and increased youth involvement in entrepreneurship. Since returning to the US,

Andy has supported program management and capacity-building initiatives at community-based nonprofits in Chicago. At The Heller School, Andy served as a Communications Assistant for the Global Research Studies Seminar, a co-author for the inaugural Social Impact Case Collection, and a board member for the Brandeis University Africa Forum. After graduation, Andy hopes to continue her work in inclusive economic development, focusing on marginalized youth in the MENA region, to promote equitable opportunity and reduce youth involvement in violent extremism.