Nicola Yammine

Nicola Yammine is an MPA candidate concentrating in Development and Governance. Originally from Venezuela, he earned his law degree from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB) and holds a master's in Government and Political Studies from Universidad Metropolitana.

Before Columbia, Nicola served as director of alumni relations at UCAB, where he led fundraising and engagement initiatives that financed scholarships for low-income students, cultivated a global alumni network, and built partnerships with the private sector. He also taught undergraduate courses in public speaking and public sector management. He is the executive director and chairman of Beca a un Pana, a nonprofit that has awarded more than 175 merit-based scholarships to students from underserved communities across Venezuela, pairing financial support with mentorship to expand access to higher education and build pathways to leadership.

His academic interests include comparative politics, democratic resilience, and the role of public leadership in societies facing institutional and political strain. Across his career, he has worked at the intersection of education, civil society, and public policy, collaborating with universities, foundations, and international organizations to strengthen democratic institutions and expand educational opportunity. After SIPA, he plans to advance democratic governance and effective public institutions in Venezuela.