Maria Pilar (Pia) M. Lorenzo is a development professional whose initial work and volunteer experience focused on managing technical-vocational schools for girls from the marginalized sector and on providing holistic development to young people so that they could be agents for social transformation. Recently, she ventured into research and devoted some time to her other interest, which is writing. Pia believes that the ills of this world can be solved when people express the best love that they are capable of — to themselves and to others.  When men and women experience this love found in life, then it opens up new horizons that propel them to live in better and fuller ways than they may not have otherwise done. She is happy to be involved in some volunteer work since college. At present, she volunteers in United Nations Online Volunteering, and helps out in Reredos, an artist collective that depicts realities with a philosophical-theological bent in various art media. She also had volunteer engagements in other institutions including Gawad Kalinga, Haring Ibon, Klub Tala, St. Vincent School of Theology, St. Joseph Townhomes, Kalinangan Youth Foundation, among many others more. From time to time, she and her family members and friends organize visits to orphanages, home for the aged, indigent families, and public hospitals. Her love for teaching and passion for sharing what she has learned made her devote some years to teach and mentor young people. Her general interests fall within the ambit of social sciences and of humanities. Specifically, she likes the following fields: development studies, governance, public policy, education, music, art, literature, philosophy, theology, languages, history, and fashion. When she still has time, she goes hiking and biking. But of all, she loves having meaningful conversations with all sorts of people.  All her interests originate from and end in this love for life. She has received merit-based scholarship for most of her education since Kindergarten until graduate school. Recently, she has been awarded a full scholarship offer to study Advanced Master of Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies at KU Leuven (Belgium). She holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the University of the Philippines where she was a consistent University Scholar, and obtained the highest weighted average for AY 2016 and the highest grade for the comprehensive examination in September 2017. She graduated cum laude in college and with honors in high school, both from the University of the Philippines as well. She is a licensed teacher and a certified trainer. In the past, she also received certification to be an accredited NCII Cook and NCII Baker of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).