I am the STEM Programs Manager for the University of Southern California’s (USC) Joint Educational Project. Through my efforts, I have provided STEM instruction to over 23,000 underrepresented minority students in the Los Angeles Unified School District, 600 educators, 20 school principals, and countless community members. I coordinate STEM programming for K-5 students across a gamut of schools through the Wonderkids and Young Scientists Programs. I teach science classes to high school students through USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative (NAI), a college preparatory program for low-income youth. I have presented dozens of STEM and NGSS-based professional development sessions to pre-service and in-service educators both in schools and at local, national and international conferences. This passion for STEM education is reflected not only in my work but also with my science-themed wardrobe that I wear to all my teaching and community events.

 Furthermore, I have received 3 degrees from USC including my Bachelors of Science in Biology, Masters in Science in Marine Environmental Biology in 2011, and my Masters in Arts and Teaching with Single Subject Science credential in 2014. I am a current doctoral student in Education, focusing on Teacher Education in Multicultural Societies (TEMS) focusing on pre-service STEM pedagogy training for elementary school teachers.

 In 2016 I was the recipient of the prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 in Science and the 30 under 30 in Environmental Education from the North American Association for Environmental Education for my community work in STEM in leveling the playing field in STEM for thousands of low-income students of color. My mission is to level the playing field for underserved students in STEM by facilitating programming that will create a more diverse generation of scientists and a more scientifically literate population.