Mikaela Bona

Mikaela has expertise in qualitative political research, journalism, political communication, and development work. As a former editor-in-chief for a Filipino think tank, a college representative for over 2,000 students, and a researcher, she has a wide skill set: writing and editing political features, lobbying for institutional reform that reduce tuition for university students, working closely with the Filipino government on migrant and labor rights, organizing demonstrations. Mikaela has conducted internationally-funded fieldwork on coastal city resilience and research on BIPOC rights, women’s empowerment, unpaid care work, labor migration, education, and voting.

Mikaela holds a master’s degree in political science from Ateneo de Manila University and graduated with honors and minors in economics and Southeast Asian studies. Mikaela has been awarded competitive study grants in Japan and Brunei Darussalam. With diverse research interests tied together by a passion for gender, intersectionality, economic development, and poverty alleviation, she hopes to develop analytical skills to create actionable steps for inclusive change. Mikaela is a recipient of a Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies Fellowship.