I am originally from Oxnard, California, a small city just north of Los Angeles known for its mild beach climate and vast strawberry fields. I am a third generation Mexican-American and a second-generation college student. My pathway into higher education, and ultimately to my doctorate, was made easier by the hard work of my parents. As a young child I was raised to center four things in my life: 1) love for learning 2) serve others, 3) make the world a better place, and 4) fight for those who were often made invisible. These core values continue to remain with me and guide my life.

My career path has taken me to different places across the country and I have served in many different professional roles, both inside and outside of higher education. And the driving force behind every decision along my journey has been to put myself in positions to be of service to others and to create a more hopeful and just world.

I am grounded in the power of critical hope and I approach social justice work through an intersectional and analytical lens that bridges the power of storytelling with theoretical foundations. I am dedicated to challenging myself and others to think critically, holistically, and creatively through the head, the heart and the body.