Yessica Palacio joins Filene as a Research Associate, where she coordinates the output of Filene’s research and collaborates closely with sponsors, research fellows, vendors, and internal teams. In this role, she helps manage relationships, supports the research process, and contributes to the development of new research initiatives.
Yessica brings her background in international development and a deep commitment to mission-driven work that improves lives. Most recently, she served as a Program Officer at the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), where she supported the USAID-funded Economic Inclusion Project. Her work focused on advancing financial inclusion for underserved populations, particularly Venezuelan migrants and refugees in Peru and Ecuador. The project’s impact, and especially the pivotal role of credit unions in reaching traditionally excluded communities, fueled her interest in helping credit unions fulfill their mission in the United States.
Yessica holds a MA in International Relations from the University of Melbourne and a bachelor’s degree in international business from Universidad de San Buenaventura. Originally from Colombia, her curiosity and drive to explore the world led her to Australia in 2012 and later to Washington State in 2020. She now lives in the DC metropolitan area with her husband, young son, and their very opinionated, big-eared dog, Reina, who firmly believes she’s a real queen!
