A look at my journey …

I was born in Lima, Peru, and moved to the Bay Area when I was 7 years old. My mother had migrated to the Bay Area when I was just a child, while my father moved to the East Coast when I was 5. For most of my life, I was raised by my grandparents, and I am endlessly grateful to them for all the opportunities and success I’ve had.

When I first stepped into a U.S. classroom, I was placed in a small room with two or three other students who had just arrived from different countries. They handed me flashcards with words I needed to learn in English, and I spent months going through this process. Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore and told my mom how frustrated I was. She worked multiple jobs and went to school, and I never wanted to burden her with my “small” problems. But early on, I learned I had to speak up for myself and advocate for what I needed. That lesson became crystal clear when I lost my mother to a drunk driver when I was just 12 years old. At that point, advocating for myself wasn’t optional — it was a survival mechanism to make sure I didn’t get lost in the system.

After my mother passed, I started high school at a private school where I didn’t fit in. As a Latina, an immigrant, and a first-generation student, it felt like I didn’t belong. My college counselor repeatedly pushed me to apply to “safety schools,” suggesting I had slim chances of getting into my top choices. But when I got accepted to the #1 public university in the country, I realized I’d need to keep advocating for myself, and continue to fight for what I needed if I was going to make it.

Berkeley was often a lonely place. I had friends and sorority sisters who shared similar struggles and helped me navigate some obstacles, but the intersection of my unique experiences sometimes made me feel like I didn’t belong. In May 2013, I became the first person in my family to graduate with a Bachelor's degree from the #1 public university. That achievement felt bittersweet, but also like proof that self-advocacy and perseverance could get me through anything.

I jumped straight into the education field, certain it was the right path for me. But with no mentors and minimal guidance in my new job, I found myself overwhelmed. For months, all I did was work and sleep. My mental health took a huge hit, and I knew I had to leave. The leadership at the school didn’t align with my values, so I made the difficult decision to quit mid-year.

I left for a new job that promised a better work-life balance, and I decided to apply to graduate school. When I graduated in 2013 with a 2.75 GPA, graduate school seemed out of reach, but somehow I found my way in. Unfortunately, I hated my new job. The students felt like numbers, and the experience they were having wasn’t authentic. I ended up leaving mid-year — again — and switched jobs twice within the same school year. But then, I found a high school I truly loved. I worked with amazing educators and students, but the commute was tough, and when the leadership announced they were leaving, I felt a gut instinct to run.

By this time, I was already in grad school, and I was encouraged to apply for a role in a new school that was opening that fall. The job wasn’t even posted yet, and reaching out to the Board President directly terrified me. But I did it, and it ended up being one of the best decisions of my career. I grew tremendously as a leader and made a real impact. I completed my master’s degree with a 3.96 GPA and started and finished my doctoral degree with a 3.92 GPA. Along the way, I connected with incredible educators, families, and students who I’m still in touch with today.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought its own challenges, but it also gave me the chance to be part of the first-ever district and charter school merger in Oakland, CA. I helped guide a school community through both a physical move and a school redesign. Through that redesign, we created a community school that unapologetically provides high-quality education for children of color. For the past four years, I’ve been serving as the Community School Manager and have been with the same school community for 10 years.

In 2021, I completed my doctoral research on supporting newcomer students, which inspired my Surge Fellowship capstone project: La Casa de Jenny — a navigation center for immigrant families. After finishing my doctorate and Surge Fellowship, I continued dreaming and participated in the Surge Angels Fellowship. There, I developed a business plan for La Casa de Jenny, which won me $40,000 in seed funding after I pitched the idea in January 2023.

With over 10 years of experience in Oakland, I’ve built trust and deep relationships within the immigrant community, and now, as the CEO and founder of La Casa de Jenny, I’m working to bring intentional change to the Bay Area’s immigrant families. La Casa de Jenny is named in honor of my late mother, who came to the U.S. to pursue her own American dream but tragically passed away in 2004 before she could achieve it.

Through all these experiences, I’ve learned how to navigate imposter syndrome, build confidence in myself, and understand the value of what I contribute to my community. Now, I coach first-generation women of color who want to elevate their leadership in a way that’s true to themselves.

If you’re ready to start working together, click the link below!