I founded College Bridge not only because of what I’ve observed as an educator, consultant, and researcher, but also because of what I experienced as a student growing up in the U.S.

I, too, was one of those students who got derailed by the system that professed to support me. As a third grader I was thriving, reading at nearly tenth grade level. At 15, I dropped out of high school – I was on my own, without support or guidance.

I’ve always loved learning. I was a natural at math. But it took until I was 24 years old to figure out how to attend college.  I studied math and secondary education, inspired to become a teacher and improve public education. I eventually pursued a doctorate at UCLA to better understand why kids struggle so much with math. I was determined to find a solution and forge a path towards both college access and success for underrepresented students. The solution became College Bridge.

Founded in 2011, College Bridge is the culmination of intense research paired with decades spent in classrooms with students, administrators, counselors, teachers, academics and researchers, all fueled by my personal journey. I know first hand what it’s like to get lost in the system that neither recognizes the needs of students nor how to prepare them for success in higher education. I am committed to focusing on student trajectories and building bridges to renovate our educational system, one school at a time.