Candidate for
Board Member; Santa Barbara High School District

I was born and raised in Santa Barbara and is a product of the local public school system, having attended Harding Elementary, Cleveland Elementary, Santa Barbara Junior High, and Santa Barbara High School. I began my education as a first generation college-bound English as a Second Language (ESL) student and transitioned into honors and the GATE program. I earned my B.A. from UC Berkeley and M.A. in Education from one of the country's top graduate schools in education: Columbia University, Teacher's College.

I have spent much of my professional career working with and mentoring students of all ages as well as working with families in Santa Barbara County. As a Program Advisor for the California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP), I coordinated the Parent School Partnership program, financial aid workshops for all high school seniors and parents, and facilitated the "Transfer: Making it Happen" (California Senate Bill 1898) program for Santa Barbara School District's local schools. In my current position at UCSB, I serve as the Assistant Director of the McNair Scholars Program, where I provide leadership and manage the US Department of Education's Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program as part of the Federal TRIO program. I am also an instructor for Interdisciplinary Studies Courses for undergraduate students at UCSB.