Thaiza has spent a decade as a development professional in the social sector. She trained as an educational social worker with a focus on out- of-school academics for children on the margins. She spent a year training as a medical social worker where she had the opportunity to counsel patients while working on creating awareness and eradicating the stigma surrounding HIV-Aids.

Thaiza started her career in a Fair-Trade Organization with a focus on women's empowerment initiatives through income generation activities. She worked for 3 years as Project Officer with James Percy Foundation, UK to channelize funds to deserving projects across India. With a desire to work more closely with local indigenous communities, she joined Gabriel Project Mumbai (India Office) as Senior Manager Programs for its Education and Healthcare initiatives.

Thaiza enjoys interacting with local tribal people and building close bonds with them. She believes that knowing them better, would help us serve them better. In her free time, she enjoys listening to TED podcasts, music and bird watching.