Listeners this week we have a conversation with Marie Claire Vasquez Durán and Maria Victoria Abreu.

Marie Claire Vasquez and Maria Victoria Abreu, both born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, studied Economics at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), and as adults emigrated to the United States, each pursuing their own personal and professionals goals.

Marie Claire went to California, earning a master's degree in International Policy Studies from Stanford University, and then a PhD in the same area of study, from the University of Maryland. She worked for several years in research related to Latin American democracy and development, as a consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank and Brookings Institution, and then radically changed her career, dedicating herself to being a wedding planner and designer (Claire Duran Weddings & Events), recognized by some of the leading and most prominent experts and publications in the industry (Martha Stewart Weddings, Vogue, Brides, among others). On a personal level, Marie Claire married a Dominican engineer, a doctor in his area as well, and had a daughter, who is now 7 years old. She has always been very artistic, passionate about classical ballet and piano. She has lived in Maryland since 2010.

On the other side, María Victoria, after graduating from PUCMM, went to Spain where she pursued a master's degree in International Cooperation for Development at the Complutense University of Madrid, and later received a Fulbright scholarship to get another Master's degree in International Political Economy and Development, at Fordham University, in New York City. She has spent many years consulting with international organizations such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank and the IDB, as well as with non-governmental entities, both in the Dominican Republic and internationally. Since 2014, she has lived in Maryland, where she married an American engineer (wedding organized by Marie Claire!), and they have a 2-year-old son. Maria Victoria loves to write and enjoys urban art.

During our conversation we talked about:

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