Mara is a Human Computer Interaction (HCI) researcher and practitioner with 15 years of experience in planning and executing digital transformation and innovation projects. She currently works at the Inter-American Development Bank Innovation Laboratory, IDB Lab, where she coordinates the implementation of the digital transformation program and advises on the use of disruptive technologies in operations. Within the IDB, she is part of the fAIr LAC+ initiative, aimed to foster the development and adoption of responsible AI in LAC. Prior to IDB LAB, Mara was a cabinet advisor to the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence of the Government of Spain and CEO of the innovation consultancy Ideas for Change. She is also a co-founder or SalusCoop, the first Spanish cooperative for citizens' health data.
Mara holds a PhD in Computer Science from University College London (UCL) and a MSc in Cognitive Systems and Interactive Media from Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and a BA in Audiovisual Communications.
She is a member of the board of trustees of the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) and research fellow at ESADE's Center for Public Governance (EsadeGov). Her work has been awarded in ACM CHI, ACM CSCW, Ars Electronica, among others, and presented in international media such as the BBC, The Guardian, The Financial Times and El País.
Website: IDB Lab