Cecilia Amaral was born and raised in Minas Gerais, Brazil. She has most recently worked at the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth of the United Nations Development Programme (IPC-IG/UNDP), where she developed and implemented communication strategies to promote policy dialogue and to facilitate learning and knowledge exchange around innovative social policies among countries of the Global South. Cecilia completed a master's degree in media, communication and development at the London School of Economics. Her research used the social reality of Brazil as a basis to understand how Brazilian print media frames discourses surrounding young offenders. She received her bachelor’s degree in communications from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora. Cecilia has also worked as a teacher and translator. In her free time she enjoys reading, exploring new places, and spending time with friends and family.