Although born and raised in the hustle and bustle of Northern California's Bay Area, I now reside in a small town in the hills of the Sierra Nevada. I work full-time as a Program Specialist at a small California Community College where I manage the Dual Enrollment (high school) and Incarcerated Students (ISP) Programs, helping to expand access to higher education to students that have been marginally underrepresented as successful scholars. I also teach part-time as an adjunct faculty member in business administration for students enrolled in the (ISP) program. I have a passion for education and use my role as an instructor to motivate and inspire students to realize the benefits of higher education, where anyone can hold the label of college material.