I study how states can better respond to the needs of people living at the margins.

How do weak states get closer to vulnerable groups they cannot see? What role do non-state actors play in bridging the gap between governments and those most in need? How can these insights inform policies for socially and economically marginalized communities, especially those living in slums?

These questions drive my research on bureaucratic politics, social movement influence, and urban inequality in the Global South. I study how social movement activists who become bureaucrats shape public service delivery and trust in Argentina’s slums. Using a mixed-methods approach that includes original fieldwork, in-depth interviews, quasi-experimental evidence, and a survey experiment with slum leaders, I examine the wins and losses of bringing social movements into the state.

My dissertation investigates how movement actors embedded in local communities reshape state action when they gain bureaucratic authority. I argue that these actors bring into the state a distinct form of knowledge and implementation logic—rooted in collective organization, territorial knowledge, and relational authority. These features can transform bureaucratic performance, policy implementation on the ground, and perception of the state’s presence in hard-to-reach populations

I hold a BA and MA in Political Science from Torcuato Di Tella University (UTDT) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. My research has been supported by the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, the Graduate Program in Development, and Brown University.

I am a PhD Candidate in Political Science at Brown University. I am currently on the academic job market (AY 2025–2026).