Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Mrs. Zavaleta currently lives in Maryland, where she has dedicated the last eleven years of her life to working with programs meant to empower youth and adults at the YMCA/ Youth and Family Services – Linkages to Learning Program. In her role as a Community School Coordinator at Rolling Terrace ES in Takoma Park, MD, she has had the opportunity to work with wonderful organizations and community partners. She also contributes to and volunteers for organizations that advocate for peace and environmental protection.
In 2008-2009 she was invited to go as a volunteer to Guatemala to work in a project called “Gardens for Peace” – a program designed to empower women refugees of war. In 1998 she was Co-founder of Escuela Bolivia, in Arlington, VA; a successful Saturday school program that supports immigrant students in grades K-12. Between 1990-2011 she worked at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and The World Bank Group (IBRD), both in Washington, D.C.