Mariel Baconawa

Biography

Mariel Baconawa, B.S., is an Assistant Specialist at the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of California, Irvine, where she graduated Cum Laude in 2020. Baconawa also completed the Licensed Practical Nurse Course at the Academy of Health Sciences at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, which included 52 weeks of didactic training and clinical rotations at Madigan Army Medical Center in units including medical-surgical, ICU, maternal-child, and cardiac step-down.

Baconawa has worked at the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders since 2021, progressing through multiple positions from Staff Research Associate to her current role as Assistant Specialist. In this capacity, she assists the Principal Investigator with research documentation including grant proposals, IRB applications, and consent forms, while also collecting and entering data for clinical and research purposes focused on improving treatment and health outcomes for children with neurological and developmental conditions. She has experience with electronic data capture systems including StudyTrax, OnCore, and REDCap, as well as statistical software R.

In addition to her research work, Baconawa maintains clinical practice as a Charge Nurse at Guardian Rehabilitation Hospital, where she works with adults and seniors requiring acute and long-term healthcare. She served in the United States Army Reserves from 2014 to 2020, achieving the rank of Corporal and leading a team of soldiers in a medical support unit. Baconawa is fluent in Tagalog and holds BLS certification.

Education

• B.S. in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, 2020
• Licensed Practical Nurse Certificate, Academy of Health Sciences, 2015

Distinctions

• Cum Laude, University of California, Irvine, 2020