I was born in Brazil and grew up in the Bay Area, where my curiosity about the brain first took shape. I went on to study neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University and completed advanced training at JHU’s School of Education before becoming a middle school science teacher in Baltimore’s public schools. Teaching in that environment deeply shaped my commitment to equity and inspired my transition into neuroscience outreach and education.

I later earned my PhD at UC Irvine in the School of Social Ecology, where my research examined the factors that shape students’ interest, achievement, and persistence in STEM—and how university–community partnerships can expand diversity in the STEM pipeline and workforce.

Today, this work continues through the NeuroEngage Lab, where we are building a science-of-science-outreach ecosystem grounded in logic-model–driven design, evaluation, and community partnerships.

Learn more at NeuroEngageLab.com.