I was born in Daly City and raised in Hayward, CA, and my parents discovered at an early age that I needed to be challenged academically. They enrolled me in an enrichment program which became the foundation for my academic career. I pioneered new learning programs for my school district and helped create and implement a peer assistance program to increase my high school graduation rates from 62% to 96%. I also became a tutor in the enrichment program I had enrolled in as a child and tutored students from Kindergarten through 12th grade in math and English.

After high school, I set off for college at St. John’s University in Queens, NY, where I majored in legal studies and doubled minored in business associations and international studies. I graduated in the top 2% with my Bachelor of Science and started law school at the University of San Francisco School of Law, where I graduated with my Jurisdictional Doctorate with honors. While a full-time law student, I clerked for experience, was a peer tutor, and worked part-time as a legal research assistant. I was also the president of the Pilipino American Law Society, the president of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, and the vice president of the Student Bar Association. As a prominent student leader at USF, I planned various diversity panels and events to promote representation in law schools. I participated in legal outreach programs with my alma maters and helped to found the Bay Area Pilipino American Law Student Coalition. I also co-founded Komunindad, the first ever Inaugural Conference for Filipinx American Law Students along with FBANC and the other student leaders of the Bay Area PALS Coalition.

I believe in the importance of community and representation in education, and in hindsight, the most difficult but rewarding things I learned while in law school were time management and to accept my flaws and turn them into my strengths. My experiences in education, along with being a first-generation daughter of blue-collared workers, sparked a passion to pave a path in higher education for those that come after me. Accordingly, I love working with my elementary and middle school students to prepare the way for success.

As a teacher and a tutor, my goal is to help my students develop a growth mindset. I strive for my students to want to thrive on a challenge, and not see failure or difficulty in a negative manner. Challenges should be a springboard for growth and development of their abilities. I believe that together with open communication and the 1-on-1 nature of tutoring, my students and I can make their goals a reality.