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 maximize impact, 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 chair the board 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 how to foster forest-friendly enterprises across the Brazilian Amazon. In particular, I examine the challenges these businesses face and how they can be overcome with government support. Most of this work has been published in Portuguese (Amazônia 2030 PT), with some reports summarized and translated into English (Amazônia 2030 EN). On occasion, I publish articles written directly in English for policy, professional, and industry audiences (Other Articles).
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 involves a deeper, sometimes bespoke, realignment of incentives among stakeholders. This work contributes to our understanding of how markets can be both vibrant and humane.
Op-eds