The Purple Line: Episode 53 with Maria Luisa Boyce

Maria Luisa Boyce serves as Vice President of Global Public Affairs for UPS, where she advances logistics, trade compliance, customs policy, and government affairs across Latin America. Born in Bogotá, Colombia, she grew up across five different Latin American countries—Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, and Honduras—where her parents still reside. She later lived for 14 years in Phoenix, Arizona, before making Washington, DC her home. A graduate of Universidad Externado de Colombia, where she studied finance and international relations, Maria began her career in banking before spending a decade leading the Border Trade Alliance, a not-for-profit representing over a million constituents along the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders. She then transitioned into government service at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), serving as Senior Advisor to the Commissioner and Small Business Ombudsman as a political appointee. After more than seven years at CBP, she joined UPS, where her deep expertise at the intersection of the private and public sectors now informs her work on trade facilitation, compliance, and international programs. Maria currently serves as Treasurer on the CHLI Board and is a strong advocate for mentorship, bipartisanship, and leading with professional skills and expertise rather than personal labels. She is also actively involved in supporting programs like the Women Exporter Program, helping women entrepreneurs gain access to international trade opportunities.