Marcela Celorio is an attorney, career diplomat with the rank of Ambassador, and Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Polidore Foundation. During her 30-year career in the Mexican Foreign Service, she lived and worked in different countries and cultural environments, an experience that gave her first-hand insight into diverse social realities and a deep understanding of the importance of building bridges among people, communities, and institutions.
Throughout her career, she championed initiatives aimed at strengthening connection, belonging, and participation. In Mexico, she played an active role in advancing the constitutional reform that allowed Mexicans to retain their Mexican nationality when acquiring another nationality. She later developed the concept of Cross-Border Diplomacy, inspired by her experience along the U.S.–Mexico border and by her conviction that many contemporary challenges require the engagement not only of national governments, but also of local stakeholders, communities, businesses, and civil society.
Polidore grew out of a conviction that took shape throughout that journey: living in diverse societies requires more than simply coexisting; it requires understanding others, knowing the rules that make life in community possible, and recognizing that our rights also come with responsibilities toward one another and toward the community.
Over time, that vision evolved into a broader purpose: developing civic leaders capable of creating positive change in their communities. Put simply, Polidore helps form good citizens: people who better understand themselves and their surroundings, respect others, exercise their rights responsibly, and are willing to participate and contribute to the common good. Through coaching, mentoring, networking, and civic education, Polidore creates spaces for learning, dialogue, and connection for young people from diverse backgrounds across the United States and Latin America, helping them broaden their perspectives and turn ideas into action.
Today, Marcela brings together her diplomatic experience with her work across the private, social, and corporate sectors. As a mentor, board member, and founder of Polidore, she seeks to place the experiences, relationships, best practices, and lessons learned throughout her own journey at the service of a new generation of leaders who can build bridges, engage with people who see the world differently, and participate responsibly in shaping their communities. Her current work also includes organizational mentoring and corporate board service.
