Fernando Rodriguez Silva Santisteban

Fernando is finishing a Master of Public Policy and Master of Science in Management Science & Engineering, and continuing his work towards a Ph.D. in Management Science & Engineering. His focus is on decision analysis applied to policy and philanthropy, using an engineering and economics framework.

During his time at Stanford, Fernando has taken extensive coursework in probability theory and statistical analysis and worked as a course assistant for the School of Engineering and the Graduate School of Business. He has thoroughly enjoyed his time as part of the Public Policy Program, regularly attending the program’s events and becoming an active member of the student community through his role as Graduate Student Council representative. His collaboration with faculty across departments has allowed him to broaden his perspective and allows him to tailor his work towards different audiences.

Prior to Stanford, Fernando was based in Lima, Peru. He graduated as a civil engineer in 2014 and joined a project management and boutique consulting startup in the construction sector. Three years later he shifted towards the nonprofit sector and became the leader of the strategic planning team for Crea+ Peru, a local nonprofit working with public schools to strengthen underprivileged children’s self-efficacy. In recent years, he worked with the impact team of Magic Bus Foundation in Mumbai and researched COVID-19 impact on entrepreneurship in Africa with the Stanford GSB Seed program. His cross-sector experience in developing economies has shaped his perspective as a policymaker, which he hopes to leverage as a consultant upon graduation.