Michelle Molina

Michelle Molina is Policy Manager at J-PAL LAC, where she leads the implementation of the Social Development Innovation Lab (SDI-LAB) together with Guatemala's Ministry of Social Development. Her work focuses on overseeing the implementation and systematization of pilot programs, translating evidence and administrative data into recommendations to strengthen social programs, and contributing to the development of institutional capacities that support evidence-based decision-making.

Before joining J-PAL in 2026, Michelle worked at Guatemala's Ministry of Public Finance, as part of the Fiscal Analysis and Policy Directorate, where she contributed to the public spending quality agenda by developing methodological tools to analyze how public resources are planned, executed, and monitored. Her background combines experience in government, international cooperation, civil society, and academia, with a focus on public policy analysis and strengthening public management through the use of evidence.

Michelle holds a Master's degree in Fiscal Policy and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Universidad Rafael Landívar. She also has specialized training in impact evaluation and applied economic development.