Larissa Prata Varella is an MIPP graduate and BSIA Fellow currently acting as the Balsillie Executive Institute (BEI) main point of contact, supporting all administrative aspects related to BEI’s professional certificate-based courses. She is also responsible for providing direct administrative support to the BSIA Director.

She has acted as an international liaison working in global social governance, particularly in terms of the intersectionality between health and education efforts in the Global South. She has experience with supporting and managing education projects in Angola, Brazil, India, and Romania, as well as with leading network formation initiatives, most recently creating an effective knowledge network between the Balsillie School of International Affairs and think tanks in Brazil to target knowledge mobilization and facilitate mutual learning.

Larissa holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from IBMEC RJ (Brazil), and after completing a Master of Science in Global Health at Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), she has worked in Brazil and Angola managing health and education projects in the private sector and within public-private partnerships. She also earned a Master of International Public Policy (MIPP) from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2022, specializing in Human Security.