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Marcia Orellana served the Program Assistant for Migration Policy for 2022-2023. Her responsibilities included lobbying and advocating for immigration reform and migrant assistance. In this role, Marcia met with congressional staff and coalition members to discuss pressing immigration issues, such as creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Marcia was born and raised in Guatemala City, Guatemala, where she found her passion for seeking socioeconomic justice, immigration, and women’s empowerment. Her passion and experience in these fields grew as she volunteered for various projects in rural Guatemala through Rotary International.

This passion and drive for helping others continued as she enrolled at Pepperdine University, where she pursued these passions in scholarship, volunteering, and professional avenues. Marcia wrote her international relations thesis on a case study of two countries’ adaptation of democracy and customary law and how it affects women’s rights and legislation.

During her time in college, she also interned at USDA to help disadvantaged foreign economies and at the International Rescue Committee, assisting refugees in resettling, finding gainful employment, and starting their road to the American Dream. Marcia is also an avid traveler and enjoys exploring different cultures.

In April 2022, Marcia graduated from Pepperdine University, magna cum laude in International Studies with a concentration in Political Science and a minor in Nonprofit Management.