Rafaela Herrera

Rafaela Herrera

Director of Operations

Rafaela Herrera believes that education, business, and technology can be powerful tools for building a more equitable world. Across her career, she has been motivated by the desire to expand access, create opportunity, and help people and organizations grow with intention, combining strategy, operations, and innovation in service of social impact.

Before joining the Latin American Leadership Academy (LALA), Rafaela was the co-founder and COO of Sirius Education, where she helped build and scale an AI-focused higher education institution in Brazil. Earlier in her career, she supported more than 500 entrepreneurs through Startup Farm and later as Head of Startups at Cubo Itaú. Her trajectory has also been recognized with distinctions including Forbes Under 30 Brazil and Young Leader by Instituto Anga. At LALA, she brings together mission-driven execution and operational leadership to help strengthen the systems that enable greater impact.

7 Facts About Rafaela Herrera

1

I love singing and take vocal lessons as a hobby.

2

I have four different coffee brewing methods at home.

3

I’ve lived in more than 15 homes throughout my life and once tried to become a digital nomad.

4

I worked in the baking industry, at a wheat mill, taking care of the quality of wheat flour and bread mixes.

5

I had a small healthy meal business early in my career. The idea was to bring healthier food to low-income families, but the experience taught me more through what didn’t work out.

6

My friends once gave me a joke gift because they say I can be impressively bold.

7

I was an ISMART scholarship student for 10 years and studied full-time from ages 12 to 22.