Paola Maranan is the executive director of the Children's Alliance, an organization she has been involved with, in one role or another, since 1993.

For nine years, Paola served as Public Policy Director at the Children's Alliance. Among her key activities were helping the organization define its public policy priorities, designing and providing advocacy training to groups across the state, and coordinating the organization's efforts to look at and respond specifically to the needs of children and families of color.After leaving the Alliance to work as Program Manager for the Children's Initiative at United Way of King County, she served on the Alliance's Board of Directors. She returned to the Alliance in 2003 to serve as the organization's Executive Director.

Paola has also worked for the Washington State Family Policy Council and the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs. Prior to returning to Washington, she worked in Alabama in the areas of voting rights and prison reform.

The Children's Alliance is a member of the VOICES for America's Children National Network. Paola serves on the VOICES Member Leadership Council and chairs the Race Matters Advisory Group.

Paola received her BA in Government from Harvard University.