Maru Valdes, a Mexican citizen, is Head of Policy Seminars and Conferences of IFPRI’s Communications Division. Maru’s work throughout her career has had a strong focus on capacity development activities. Before joining IFPRI, Maru worked in international organizations, such as the World Bank and the Organization of American States, developing and implementing seminars and workshops for local governments in Latin America and Southeast Asia on issues such as finance and private sector development, urban planning, and environmental and socially sustainable development. In addition, she worked at the Ministry of Social Development in Mexico City where she was Deputy Director of the Habitat Program, a program focused on urban poverty alleviation. Maru has a BA in International Relations from the University Of San Diego, California (USD), and a Master’s degree in Latin American Studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.