Talita Nascimento is a Master of International Education and Development candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University, with focus on Policy and Planning. She also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from University of São Paulo – USP. Prior to Columbia, Talita worked with M&A and private equity in a law firm, and in an investment bank for four years. After a fruitful experience in the private sector, Talita realized that she wants to pursue a career in the public administration. Then, in 2013, Talita became a general – coordinator at the Ministry of Education of Brazil and worked directly with higher education policies for two years. At Columbia, Talita is also a research assistance on a comparative study conducted by Prof. Oren Pizmony-Levy, which aims to analyze the public engagement with two international large-scale assessments TIMMS and PISA. After graduate school, and with an expanded knowledge in Education, Talita wants to deliver more insightful policy proposals and qualified diagnostics, based on solid theory and evidence, to Brazilian education, either by achieving strategic responsibilities in the government or by developing projects in NGOs.