About

Maggie Guzman is an Impact Investing Manager who leads a new investment initiative in the social impact space for Investar Financial, a family-owned private holding company with majority and minority investments in companies, real estate and other assets. She previously worked as an analyst for Vía Educación, a nonprofit in Mexico, and prior to that at the Latin America Financing and Solutions Group for Deutsche Bank.

Guzman graduated from the University of Notre Dame, where she participated in the Kellogg International Scholars Program, in 2016 with a BA in political science and economics. While at Notre Dame, her research focused on the role of business and entrepreneurs in combating criminal violence in Mexico.

Major(s)
Economics
Current Research

From 2016:

Thesis Title: The Dynamics of Coercion; Organized Crime and Business in Mexico

My thesis is around the dynamics of coercion used by organized crime groups towards businesses in Mexico. Despite the recent wave of literature on drug trafficking, violence, and fear in Mexico, there is little on the strategies and broader implications of coercion to businesses. Businesses throughout the country have responded very differently when coerced - or faced the threat of coercion - by organized crime groups. My research explores why this variation exists. This study has the broader impact of understanding the role of civil society during periods of internal conflict.

My research interests are in Mexico's political economy and security. Through the Kellogg Institute, I have had the opportunity of participating in forums and conferences in both Mexico and the U.S.  I will be conducting research in Mexico for my thesis during these Fall and Winter breaks.

Countries
Research Tags
Other Accomplishments & Recognitions

John J. Kennedy Prize for the best senior essay on Latin America (2016): "The Private Sector and Public Security in Mexico: A Network Theory of Business Collective Action in Contexts of Large-Scale Criminal Violence"