Student Spotlight: Margarita Sanchez

A Passion for Social Impact

Margarita Sanchez, a Colombian student in Penn’s Nonprofit Leadership (NPL) program, has always cared deeply about children and the social sector. She joined the program to shift her career toward nonprofit work and help strengthen fundraising efforts in Latin America.

“I want to bring the fundraising world, as developed as it is in the U.S., to Colombia and Latin America,” she explains. Seeing how structured and well-supported nonprofits are in the U.S., she is eager to bring similar opportunities back home.

Learning and Growing in the Nonprofit Sector

Margarita is currently volunteering and learning about fundraising. “Right now, I’m focused on understanding how fundraising works here because it’s nowhere near as developed in Latin America,” she says. The NPL program is equipping her with the tools to help close this gap and create lasting change.

One of the most inspiring parts of the program for Margarita has been her philanthropy class with Eileen Heisman. “She’s a huge trailblazer in this sector,” she says. “I was really honoured to be part of her class last semester.”

Leading Change Through Elemental

Beyond her studies, Margarita is already making a difference in Colombia. She founded Elemental, a mental health initiative that supports children, teenagers, and families in Bogotá. The program uses evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), with a strong focus on early intervention.

Over the past two years, Elemental has grown from serving just four families to 38, partnered with four top schools, and positively impacted over 500 students and families.

A unique part of Elemental is its nonprofit branch, which operates on a pro-bono model. “All profits are used to provide free mental health support for underserved communities,” Margarita explains. Now, she is working on making this model sustainable by expanding revenue streams. She plans to offer training for educators, workshops for parents, and digital tools that make mental health care more accessible.

Looking Ahead

With her passion and dedication, Margarita is on track to make a lasting impact. Whether through fundraising reform or expanding Elemental, she is determined to create more opportunities for children and families in Latin America. The NPL program is helping her build the skills and connections she needs to turn her vision into reality.