I am an Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Public Service at NYU Wagner and a researcher with Amazonia 2030. In my work, I analyze how government agencies can protect workers, the environment and consumers while strengthening firms’ ability to compete.
Early in my career, I examined the enforcement of labor laws and food safety standards and published much of my work in academic journals. Since 2020, I have expanded on this foundation to study climate policy and ways to foster forest-friendly private enterprises in the Amazon. To reach key decision-makers, I chose to publish much of this work in Portuguese. As part of this effort, I also write monthly op-eds for O Estado de São Paulo, one of Brazil’s leading newspapers.
My work has attracted significant media attention in Brazil and internationally. My research has also influenced policy, with core elements incorporated into federal and state-level government initiatives in Brazil. Through direct involvement with their implementation, I am gaining firsthand insights into the challenges and opportunities of green growth.
Beyond academia, I’m president of the board of directors at IMAZON, a leading environmental think tank in Belém, Brazil, and serve on the board of Conexsus-USA, a microcredit organization based in Rio de Janeiro.
I hold a Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Planning from MIT, an M.A. in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and a Bachelor’s in Public Administration from the Getúlio Vargas Foundation in São Paulo, Brazil.
Since 2020, I have been researching the challenges faced by forest-friendly enterprises across the Brazilian Amazon and how these obstacles can be overcome. Most of this work has been published in Portuguese, with some reports summarized and translated into English. On occasion, I publish articles written directly in English for policy, professional, and industry audiences.
My scholarly work examines how labor, environmental, food safety, and urban planning laws are enforced and followed in developing countries. My research reveals that regulatory enforcement is not simply about imposing rules, but often requires a deeper, sometimes bespoke, realignment of incentives across stakeholders. This work shows how markets can be both vibrant and humane.
Op-eds
As part of my policy engagement, I write regular op-eds on forest-friendly economic development for a range of news media. From 2021 to 2023, I wrote bilingual monthly op-eds for PlenaMata, an environmental news portal. Since 2024, I have been contributing monthly op-eds for O Estado de São Paulo, one of Brazil’s leading newspapers. I occasionally co-author op-eds for other outlets.