Mayra Varillas Cilia

she/her/ella

Applied Mathematics, Statistics, 2020

Mayra A. Varillas Cilia is a researcher at the UCLA Labor Center, where she leads projects on workforce development, job quality, and economic equity. She recently earned her M.A. in Education with a focus on advanced quantitative methods and is beginning her Ph.D. in the same department. She has over five years of experience in research, evaluation, and data analytics, partnering with public agencies, foundations, and advocacy coalitions to design data-driven strategies that center equity. Previously, she worked at The Walt Disney Company (corporate), where she applied analytical solutions to guide leadership decisions on streaming content, consumer products, and financial reporting.

Outside of work, Mayra is a co-founder of the Undocumented Student-Led Network (USN) and an active fellow of HOPE’s Regional Leadership Institute, the New Leaders Council–Los Angeles, and Coro Southern California’s Women in Leadership. She is passionate about advancing equity in public institutions and workforce systems, with a commitment to data justice and uplifting marginalized communities.