A proud Florida native, Andrea Bedoya earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2020, where she first discovered her passion for international relations through Model United Nations. She joined the team as a sophomore, later serving as Treasurer and eventually Secretary General. That same year, Andrea traveled to Ghana, to conduct community-based sea turtle conservation research, her first research experience in the developing world. 

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After graduating, Andrea spent two years in Seville, Spain, teaching English through the Spanish Ministry of Education. She later joined the Peace Corps in Cambodia, where she taught English at a local secondary school. Beyond the classroom, she led an after-school English club for local students. 

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Today, Andrea serves as a U.S. Deputy Trek Director at buildOn, where she works with under-resourced communities in the United States and abroad to coordinate international service programs that empower students and strengthen global connections. Her work has taken her to Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Senegal, where she has supported community-led education and development initiatives.

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Now based in New York City, Andrea enjoys spending her free time playing for a local women’s rugby team, The Village Lions.