Paula Ochiel

Paula is a Senior Research Analyst who focuses on small business research projects and other initiatives. Her recent work has focused on data and technology adoption among mission-driven financial institutions to increase small business access to capital. Prior to joining FinRegLab, Paula served as an Impact Manager at ICA, a non-profit venture capital Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) based in Oakland, California. In this role, she oversaw data collection, analysis, and reporting activities, and helped inform and develop the organization's impact measurement strategy and research practice. Additionally, she advised collaborative initiatives aimed at improving data quality, standardization, and aggregation across the CDFI industry. Paula holds a bachelor's degree in international studies and a master's in development practice from the University of California, Berkeley.