Kandya is a PhD candidate in Social Policy, funded by the LSE PhD Studentship. She was born and raised in Cartagena, Colombia, and completed a M.A. in Latin American Studies at Georgetown University on a Fulbright scholarship in 2017. She also holds a M.A. in Development and Culture from Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar (2013) and a bachelor's degree in Communications from Universidad de Cartagena (2009).
Kandya has 10 years of work experience. Her work experience covers social development, human rights protection, social inclusion, and cultural industries. Her current research explores the role of civil society actors in the design and implementation of cultural policies in Colombia.