Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
I’ve spent my career helping students find their way — and doing what I can to support the people around them. I’m a school counselor, college professor, and community volunteer with deep roots in Santa Ana. I care about access, relationships, and steady support that lasts. I believe every student deserves to be known, prepared, and encouraged. And I believe public education is still one of our best chances to make that happen
At Concordia, I work with graduate students who are completing their practicum and internship hours on the path to becoming school counselors. I help them process their field experiences, offer structured feedback, and guide them through the challenges that come with learning to support students in real-world settings. The work includes reviewing reflections, discussing case examples, and sharing tools they can use on site — whether that’s in student support meetings, classroom presentations, or one-on-one sessions. I also mentor students as they refine their counseling voice, professional identity, and confidence in navigating school systems. • Guide practicum and internship students through site-based learning • Provide written and verbal feedback tied to counseling competencies • Introduce field-tested strategies and real-world applications • Support professional growth through reflection, dialogue, and mentorship
At Segerstrom, I support students across grades 9–12 with academic planning, college and career readiness, and personal counseling. My work includes schedule reviews, A-G tracking, and individualized support for students navigating complex challenges — whether that’s getting back on track for graduation or preparing to apply to four-year universities. I work closely with families, teachers, and site leadership to make sure students are supported across the board. That includes coordinating with community partners and guiding students through FAFSA, Cal State, and community college applications each year. • Provide academic, college, and social-emotional counseling to grades 9–12 • Collaborate with staff and families to support student progress and well-being • Assist with master scheduling, course placement, and transcript reviews • Coordinate college application, financial aid, and scholarship guidance
As a board member, I support year-round efforts to expand scholarship access for students across Santa Ana Unified. I help plan and execute district-wide initiatives that connect funding to real student opportunities - with a focus on college access, technical education, and workforce readiness. In addition to general board leadership, I chair the Quick Start Scholarship for CTE students pursuing technical education and job training. I manage the full review process: recruiting school counselors and graduate interns to read applications, coordinating selection timelines, and working with the Foundation team to award funding. It’s a role that keeps me connected to both systems and students — helping turn community support into real-life stepping stones for young people in our district. • Lead scholarship application review and selection for CTE-focused award • Recruit and guide counselors and graduate interns through evaluation process • Collaborate with board leadership to plan annual fundraising and award cycles • Support year-round efforts to expand scholarship access across the district
As a school counselor at Century, I supported students across academics, college and career planning, and day-to-day challenges — but a large part of my work focused on building programs that made students feel seen and celebrated. I helped develop and lead Centurion Week, a schoolwide recognition initiative honoring all seniors on track to graduate, not just top performers. We launched kickoff events, brought in guest speakers, partnered with local businesses for incentives, and created visible moments of celebration — including an annual honoree photoshoot. Over time, the initiative contributed to a 7% increase in graduation rates. I also created the Apple Awards, a student-nominated recognition program that allowed students to formally thank and acknowledge school staff. These moments had a noticeable impact on school culture and staff-student relationships. It was counseling work — but also school culture work, rooted in trust, momentum, and community. • Led development of Centurion Week, a schoolwide graduation recognition program • Collaborated with local businesses to provide student incentives and support • Created the Apple Awards to strengthen staff-student appreciation culture • Provided academic, college, and personal counseling to a diverse student body
I led all college and career readiness efforts for a student body of 1,700 at Century High. My role focused on building systems, securing resources, and designing events that gave every student — whether university-bound or entering the workforce — a clear next step after graduation. I created and led grade-level conferences tailored to different student pathways, including A–G college-prep sessions and career-focused workshops for community college-bound students. We held full-scale application days, during which hundreds of students submitted CSU, UC, and community college applications on campus with real-time support from counselors and partners. I also oversaw the Higher Education Center, coordinated staff support for all postsecondary efforts, and secured $73,000 in funding from Brown Rudnick LLP over four years to support college libraries, bootcamps, and outreach programs. During my time in the role, we raised the school’s financial aid completion rate from 83% to 93%, with our efforts gaining national recognition through a FAFSA challenge that earned us a spot among finalists for a visit from Michelle Obama. • Designed and led college and career readiness systems for grades 9–12 • Directed grade-level conferences and campus-wide college application days • Managed Higher Education Center and coordinated counselor collaboration • Secured $73,000 in grant funding to expand access and programming
I oversaw Century High’s summer learning program, coordinating enrollment, monitoring student progress, and ensuring daily support for students working to stay on track for graduation. The program provided guaranteed funding for high-need students, and I worked closely with teachers, counselors, and families to make sure students showed up, stayed focused, and completed coursework. During my time leading the program, we saw a 7% increase in graduation rates among participating students. It was focused, short-term work — but it made a long-term difference. • Managed summer enrollment and daily operations for targeted student population • Tracked academic progress and flagged students needing intervention • Coordinated communication between staff, students, and families • Contributed to a documented 7% rise in graduation rates
I worked alongside site administrators to build a student-centered master schedule for the entire school. My role involved structuring course offerings, balancing class periods, and minimizing scheduling conflicts so students could access the classes they needed — from core subjects like Biology and English to electives and support courses. When placement conflicts came up, I adjusted section times and room assignments to keep things running smoothly and reduce barriers for students. Once the framework was finalized, counselors used it to place students based on graduation needs, interests, and support plans. It was behind-the-scenes work — but central to making sure the system served the students, not the other way around. • Designed annual master schedule to align with student needs and graduation requirements • Coordinated course sections and period placement to reduce scheduling conflicts • Collaborated with admin and department leads to finalize offerings and staffing • Supported counselors in placing students into the finalized schedule