WASHINGTON, D.C., September 17, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Mariela Mercado has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Ms. Mercado has established herself as a distinguished professional in the field of human resources, with a particular focus on employee relations, investigations and strategy. As the senior manager of global employee relations at Population Services International, she has demonstrated her expertise by leading sensitive workplace investigations and managing performance issues across more than 35 country offices in Latin America, Africa and Asia since 2020. Her role requires a nuanced understanding of complex legal frameworks and cultural dynamics, which she navigates with fluency in Italian, Spanish and English. Ms. Mercado's strategic and operational responsibilities include planning guidance for managers, conducting high-risk investigations and supporting performance management initiatives.

Before her current role as the global lead employee relations partner at Population Services International in Washington, D.C., since in 2019, her tenure at the organization also includes her time as a human resources business partner from 2016 to 2018. During this period, she furthered her skills in coaching managers on best practices and offering direct support to staff and leaders. Her commitment to organizational learning is evident in her facilitation of training workshops that align practices with industry standards.

Ms. Mercado's career trajectory includes significant contributions to PSI as the lead of Employee Relations, and before then, provided key interventions and support to different business units in Save the Children US as an associate director of human resources and business adviser from 2018 to 2019. Her exceptional performance earned her the Extraordinary Performance Award in 2019. Earlier roles include serving as a senior human resources manager for sales and marketing for Marriott International's Caribbean and Latin America division from 2015 to 2016, where she applied human resources and cultural competency best practices, a skill previously recognized by the Diversity and Inclusion Recognition award from the American Institutes for Research in 2015.

Ms. Mercado's foundational experiences include positions as a human resources liaison and recruiting associate at the American Institutes for Research from 2010 to 2015. Ms. Mercado began her career under the AmeriCorp*VISTA program supporting non profit organizations in Puerto Rico in 2002, and then transitioned as a case manager with the Department of the Family, also in Puerto Rico from 2003 to 2007. Subsequently, she moved to Washington, DC and performed as a case manager with the Alexandria Community Services Board from 2007 to 2010, where she was acknowledged for her cultural competency with an Employee Performance Recognition Award from the City of Alexandria in 2009.

Ms. Mercado's academic background includes a master in international human resources management from Georgetown University, which she earned in 2011, and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and social sciences from the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in Puerto Rico, which she completed in 2002.

Her dedication to mission-driven work is reflected in her membership in the Society for Human Resource Management. Ms. Mercado attributes her success to consistency, resilience, and a deep commitment to fairness and continuous learning—qualities that have guided her through complex challenges while maintaining integrity.

In her personal life, Ms. Mercado enjoys reading, music, nature (mostly beach), food and international travel. She is passionate about advancing the field of human resources by refining best practices, focusing on enhancing the employee experience throughout the entire case lifecycle. Her vision includes building organizational capacity by training others, shaping strategy, and strengthening systems that promote fairness and accountability.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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