Dr. Maria Cristina G. Bautista worked with a children’s charity in New Zealand for five years as its programme coordinator for Africa.  A trained economist, she completed degrees in London (MSc and PhD) and the Philippines (MA, AB).  Her career brought her to live and work across the globe as an international development specialist, notably in Pakistan, Cambodia, Kenya and Fiji, usually with regional remit, for employers such as WHO, USAID, AusAID. She did consultancy work for multilaterals, which brought her to Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Mindanao.  Prior to her international career she was a long-serving member of the Economics Department faculty of Ateneo de Manila University.  Coming full circle, she is serving as Professor (Research) with the Graduate School of Business of Ateneo de Manila University based in Rockwell Makati City. Her recent publications reflect field collaborations in computer and information science, public health, sociology, law, drug policy, neurosurgery and gender analyses. Earlier research included human trafficking, decentralization, environment, ageing, among others.  She founded the Technical Assistance and Management Services (TeAMS) NZ Limited in late 2021 in continued pursuit of research to support evidence-based decision making as its purpose or ikigai. She holds residence in both New Zealand and the Philippines.