Jaclaine Mercado
Philippines

I graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines in 2005 with a degree in Political Science and went straight to graduate school where I finished my Masters in Political Science in 2006 from the same university. After that, I started a career in the private sector and after three years realized that a career in international organizations and development is where my passion lies.

I proceeded to pursue my second Masters degree, this time in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University in New York where one of my career tracks is Transnational Organizations and Leadership. In the summer of 2010, I interned at UNDP in New York City where I wrote case studies on women’s groups helping combat climate change and promote biodiversity. Thus, with my last semester in graduate school was to be held in Washington, DC, an internship at UNEP RONA served as the perfect opportunity to learn and continue to be a part of the UN family.

As the communications intern, I am involved in compiling daily environment in the news, preparing for various conferences, attending Congress and Senate hearings and UN DC events. I feel very lucky to be a part of the UNEP RONA team composed of vibrant and pleasant individuals and to be treated as a valuable part of the group. Being part of UNEP RONA made my time in Washington DC even more memorable!