“If you want to be a diplomat, it’s important to look outside yourself and have an openness to learning,” says Mónica Ballesteros Arias ’11. That’s a lesson she took away from her time at the Madeleine Korbel Albright Institute for Global Affairs, established by Madeleine Korbel Albright ’59, the first female United States secretary of state. During the institute, select juniors and seniors work together to understand global challenges from a multidisciplinary perspective.
Mónica, who hails from Mexico City, was tapped as one of the institute’s first student-scholars in 2010. The daughter of a teacher and a doctor, she has an implacable desire to contribute to public life. She now serves as deputy chief of staff for David Kershenobich, Mexico’s secretary of health.
Before taking the position, Mónica had focused her career on the study of economic inequality; she worked at both Mexico’s Ministry of Finance and the Economist Group in the U.S. A job offer arrived in 2024 from the Ministry of Health at a time when she felt U.S. political winds shifting. “I was living in DC and saw myself more as an immigrant—even as someone who is privileged, I felt that ‘otherness.’”
She also was compelled by Kershenobich himself. Having previously run one of Mexico’s premier health research institutes, he is now guiding his country’s public health transformation. “Mexico is moving to a system where basic medical care is guaranteed by the government,” Mónica explains, encompassing everything from emergency room services to pharmaceuticals—including vaccines.
“Our team just closed a deal with [the pharmaceutical company] Moderna,” which specializes in mRNA vaccines, Mónica says. The mRNA molecule has shown promise in combating diseases as varied as cancer and tropical scourges like dengue. Moderna will soon build a production plant in Mexico.
“We have $40 billion to spend annually, and that gives us a lot of purchasing power — and preparedness for the next pandemic,” Mónica says, noting that she had to work around the clock to support the health ministry’s negotiation of the Moderna contract. Her next project, equally challenging, will involve the rollout of Mexico’s universal healthcare IDs across the country. “Our current administration’s agenda is inspiring,” Mónica says.
Post a Comment
We ask that those who engage in Wellesley magazine's online community act with honesty, integrity, and respect. (Remember the honor code, alums?) We reserve the right to remove comments by impersonators or comments that are not civil and relevant to the subject at hand. By posting here, you are permitting Wellesley magazine to edit and republish your comment in all media. Please remember that all posts are public.