I attended Bates College, where I received a degree in Child & Family Studies (Psychology, Sociology, Education) and Spanish. I received my Masters in Social Work from the University of Maryland. I grew up in Montgomery County and am happy to be raising my own children, Alicia and Mateo, with my husband, Jordan, in this area. I am part Ecuadorian and was fortunate to live in Spanish-speaking countries as a child and an adult. I am passionate about and get the greatest joy from engaging with people, whether through my travels, personal life, or professional environment. My dedication to engaging with adolescents around topics of their health and well-being began when I was in middle school and had the opportunity to be a founding member of a peer education program focused on the prevention of HIV among youth in Washington, DC. The continuation of this work on a wider range of health and wellness topics throughout high school, college, and my professional career led me to McLean, where my youngest sister was a student. I was brought into McLean to provide health prevention presentations in Middle School and Upper School for over a decade in order to contribute to the knowledge and tools they needed to be their healthiest and safest selves. I am excited to now be a full-time member of the team and institution that truly was transformative for my sister and now is for my son. I continue to present as an expert at various independent schools in the DMV on my areas of expertise around consent and healthy relationships. I am most excited by my work as the Middle School Coordinator of Social-Emotional Programming and K-12 Department Chair for Social Emotional Learning at McLean School. I get to work with students, faculty, and staff to integrate into our community lessons, services, and community-building activities that foster the trust, safety, support, and sense of belonging that students need to realize their full social, emotional, and academic potential as confident students and global community members.