Selene’s passion in education stems from her personal trajectory in higher education as a first-generation Mexican American student. For almost 10 years, Selene has worked in various capacities with youth in K-12 education nonprofits starting with a tutoring program in Santa Barbara County while completing her undergraduate studies. Since then, she has made it her lifelong goal to continue to uplift underserved communities in education having serviced elementary, middle school, high school, and college students in the areas of Santa Barbara, New York, and Los Angeles. She is also interested in closing opportunity gaps through educational equity and education policy. She holds an MA in Educational Policy and Social Analysis from Teachers College Columbia and a BA in Sociology with a minor in Education from UC Santa Barbara. Most recently, Selene worked in a community based nonprofit with elementary and alumni students whose STEM after school programming aspired to close gender disparities in the field of STEM for girls and gender expansive youth.
A native of the Pacoima area of the San Fernando Valley, she enjoys exploring Los Angeles and trying new places to eat. Outside of work, she also enjoys reading, gardening, being out in nature, and upcyling clothes/thrifting and learning more about sustainable fashion.
