Mariel Mendiola is a public health and nutrition specialist with expertise in school meals, health systems, and social protection. With a career spanning government agencies, international organizations, and the nonprofit sector, she brings a strong technical and strategic lens to her work supporting child and community well-being across Latin America and the Caribbean.
At the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), Mariel serves as Global Survey Team Lead for the Americas and as Global Advocacy and Private Sector Engagement Consultant. Since joining GCNF, she has coordinated regional implementation of the Global Survey of School Meal Programs and helped shape outreach strategies that connect GCNF’s mission to broader development and investment goals.
In addition to her work with GCNF, Mariel serves as a Senior Consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), where she leads a regional project on school feeding in Latin America and the Caribbean. Her previous roles include five years as an International Consultant at the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), where she provided technical assistance to governments in implementing public health and nutrition initiatives. She has also held positions at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition (INCMNSZ), the Ministry of Health of the State of Nuevo León, and the Mexican Academy of Sciences.
Mariel is based in Virgina, USA and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from the Autonomous University of Nuevo León and a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Health Administration from the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) in Mexico.
Passionate about helping countries and communities – especially children – thrive, Mariel continues to work as an independent consultant in school feeding, nutrition, public health, and international development.
