Uniting
Research and Policy

Carmen Alexandra Rozas Olivera is an MPP student at the Harris School of Public Policy, originally from Cusco, Peru. She aspires to become a leader in social policy, with a focus on reducing the social infrastructure gap and improving access to quality public services in Peru. Carmen is also dedicated to advocating for gender equity in leadership roles within the public policy sector. 

Growing up surrounded by the ancient ruins and vibrant traditions of Cusco, Carmen became aware early on that there is more to her city than the world-famous landmarks. She witnessed significant social and economic inequalities and came to understand that public policies have the power to address these disparities. However, she also realized that success requires transformational leaders who ensure that every Peruvian sol invested by the government is directed toward improving the lives of those who need it most. 

Before joining the University of Chicago, Carmen built a career that spans both consulting and public service, gaining deep insights into policy decision-making at the highest levels. With five years of professional experience as a consultant specializing in public investment, strategic planning, social evaluation, and economic analysis, her work has involved collaboration on national and international development projects across sectors such as innovation, health, agriculture, economy, environment, education, and transportation. 

Carmen also served as an Investment and Public Administration Specialist at the Ministry of Health, where she implemented improvements to monitor the execution of major health investments and assisted regional and local offices in streamlining their investment planning and execution processes. 

Passionate about gender equality, Carmen has been actively involved with the NGO Hacedoras since 2022. At Hacedoras, she plays a key role in designing programs that foster leadership among young women and has successfully led fundraising efforts, expanding the organization’s reach and impact. She has also designed and implemented career mentoring programs for over 200 fourth- and fifth-year secondary school students in Cusco. 

In addition to her public policy work, Carmen is a committed educator, having taught economics courses at Universidad del Pacífico for the past five years, where she has mentored more than 300 students. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Universidad del Pacífico and has further specialized in Public Administration from the same institution, as well as in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.