Teresa holds a master’s degree in development, agriculture, and society from the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro; a postgraduate degree in labour economics and trade unionism from the State University of Campinas; and a bachelor’s in social sciences from the Federal University of Ceará. She worked in public policy management for eight years, with a focus on promoting popular participation. Since 2016, she has been part of the National Secretariat of the Brazil Popular Project, which brings together intellectuals, academics, militants from popular movements, and representatives of civil society organisations to debate and formulate analyses and proposals for a popular project of national development.