Alejandra Aponte holds a degree in Economics-Political Science from Columbia University. She joined J-PAL in June of 2010 and is currently working on a randomized evaluation of the impact of savings accounts on the rural poor. Prior to joining J-PAL, Alejandra worked as a research assistant at Columbia’s Institute for Social and Economic Policy. In addition, she has conducted field research on youth gangs and inequality in Guatemala City and impact studies of public water wells and micro-credit in rural Guatemala under a local NGO.