Mariana Pinto

Mariana is a Master’s student in Portuguese with a focus on Brazilian Studies in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she also serves as a Teaching Assistant in Portuguese. She holds a Graduate Certificate in International Relations and Diplomacy from IBMEC University and a BA in Tourism and Hospitality from Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina.

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mariana lived for seven years in the Middle East, two years in Doha and five years in Dubai, where she began her career working in entities that fostered not only bilateral trade but also the cultural and social relationship between Brazil and the Arab countries, especially in the Middle East. During this time, with her international experience concentrated in the Gulf region, her worldview expanded, making her versatile and adaptable to dynamic and multicultural environments.