I was born in Brazil and raised in the Bay Area. I completed undergraduate studies in neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University, followed by advanced training at JHU’s School of Education. I then worked as a middle school science teacher in Baltimore’s inner-city public school system. This experience was a major influence that motivated me to take on the role of leading the CNLM’s outreach and education programs. I earned my PhD at UCI in the School of Social Ecology where my doctoral work focused on the factors that influence interest, achievement, and persistence in STEM and on the impact that university-community partnerships can have on the diversity of the STEM pipeline and workforce.