Mayra A. Varillas Cilia (she/her/ella)

Mayra A. Varillas Cilia is an Indigenous, first-generation, and undocumented woman from the Mixteca Poblana region of Mexico, raised in the MacArthur Park area near Downtown Los Angeles. She has dedicated her career to advancing equity through research, data, and storytelling.

Before beginning her graduate studies, Mayra served as a Research Analyst at the UCLA Labor Center, where she led mixed-methods research and evaluation projects focused on labor and workforce development projects at the state and local level. Previously, she worked as a Decision Science Product Consultant at The Walt Disney Company, leading analytics projects on ESPN+ content strategy, consumer analytics, and the automation of financial reporting for ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+, supporting key executive-level decisions.

Her academic and professional work spans biostatistics, education, labor, and policy, blending data-driven insights with a strong commitment to social impact. Beyond her research, Mayra has been a longtime advocate for immigrant and worker rights, collaborating with organizations such as CHIRLA, CARECEN, and the Garment Worker Center. She also co-founded the Undocumented Student-led Network (USN), a statewide coalition dedicated to improving access and equity for undocumented students in higher education.

Rooted in her lived experience and community organizing, Mayra is passionate about harnessing education and research as tools for systemic change that uplift and empower vulnerable communities.