About The Speaker

Mariel Sanchez is the senior program manager at PAIR Houston, where she is responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of educational mentoring programs for refugee youth. Since she joined PAIR in 2016, she has overseen Global Scholars, an initiative that supports refugee students in their paths toward high school graduation and access to post-secondary education. Prior to PAIR, Mariel worked at the YMCA International Services, providing legal representation and case management services to immigrants seeking humanitarian relief, including victims of crime and human trafficking, in addition to representing clients in asylum, DACA, and family-based immigration cases.

She graduated from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University with a master’s degree in international affairs and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from The University of Texas at Austin. She served a human rights organization in Peru as a Peace Fellow with The Advocacy Project and recently completed the Aspiring Latino Leaders Fellowship with Latinos for Education. Mariel’s personal experiences as an immigrant from Mexico shaped her interests in migration and education issues, as well as her passion for working with international populations. Mariel is committed to advancing educational and economic opportunities for refugees and immigrants and supporting their success in their new communities.