I am a former special educator, civil rights advocate, and political strategist with deep experience in education policy, political communications, and community engagement. After graduating from GWU with a Bachelor's in Psychology, I taught elementary, middle, and high school students in underserved communities in DC and Hawai'i through Teach for America. I obtained my Master's in Education from JHU's School of Education in 2016 and will be taking my talents to law school this fall. I am a first-generation college graduate with over 7 years of experience in education and public policy. In 2018, I was the first Pacific Islander Commissioner appointed by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser to the Commission on Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs, where I lead the Racial Equity and Pacific Islander Task Forces and serve on the National Pacific Islander COVID-19 Response Team. As a DC Commissioner, I serve as an advocate for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and advise local elected officials on the needs of AAPIS in DC. From teaching special education U.S. History & Government on a tiny island in the Pacific to serving as a Legislative Fellow in the U.S. Senate, my experiences in education and public policy have honed my advocacy skills, and they have empowered me to be relentless in the pursuit of equity. Accordingly, my law school education will prepare me to fight for equitable systems-change by working on behalf of vulnerable communities often overlooked in the justice system. I rise to fight for equal justice under the law.

• Team Leader

  Education · Jumpstart (AmeriCorps)

  Jan 2011 – Jan 2013

• Paraprofessional Counselor

  Medicine · Florida International University/Center for Children & Families

  Jan 2012 – Jan 2012

• Corps Member

  Education · City Year DC (AmeriCorps)

  Jan 2013 – Jan 2014

• After-school Teacher

  Education · Hawai’i Department of Education

  Jan 2016 – Jan 2016

• Policy & Advocacy Summer Fellow

  Education · Hui for Excellence in Education Coalition

  Jan 2015 – Jan 2015

• Special Education Teacher - U.S. History & Government

  Education · Hawai’i Department of Education

  Jan 2014 – Jan 2016

• Policy Advisor Fellow

  Education · Hawai’i Board of Education

  Jan 2015 – Jan 2016

• Summer Campaign Fellow

  Political Organization · Friends of Takashi Ohno

  Jan 2016 – Jan 2016

• National Finance Assistant

  Political Organization · Leadership for Educational Equity

  Jan 2016 – Jan 2016

• Campaign Finance Director

  Political Organization · Citizens for Bill Ferguson

  Jan 2016 – Jan 2017

• Legislative Aide

  Government Administration · Maryland General Assembly

  Jan 2016 – Jan 2017

• Tribal Education Specialist

  Education · National Indian Education Association

  Jan 2017 – Jan 2017

• Legislative Fellow

  Government Relations · United States Senate

  Jan 2017 – Jan 2018

• Campaign Manager

  Political Organization · Friends for Christopher Suarez

  Jan 2018 – Jan 2018

• Contractor

  Government Relations · Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

  Jan 2020 – Jan 2020

• English Language Teacher

  Education · EF Education First

  Jan 2019 – Jan 2021

• Advocacy
• Politics
• Volunteering
• Philanthropy
• Entrepreneurship

• Track & Field

  Varsity

  2007 – 2009

• Mixed Martial Arts

  Club

  2009 – 2011

• Policy Advisor Fellow

  Kappa Delta Pi Record/Hawai’i Board of Education (Dr. Halagao) · Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education, Other

  2015 – 2016

  Research topic:

  Equity in Learning: Meeting the Needs of Multilingual Students in Hawai'i

• Spoken Word Artist/Slam Poet

  Split this Rock DC · Performance Art

  2009 – 2012

• Advisory Council Member

  Volunteering · Teach for America Native Alliance Initiative

  2015 – 2019

  Mission:

  To support and promote TFA’s partnerships with native communities through member recruitment and cultural programming

• Board Member

  Volunteering · Teach for America DC Collective

  2019 – Present

  Mission:

  Support and promote alumni relations for Teach for America alumni of color in the DC Region

• Board member

  Volunteering · Teach for America National Alumni Board

  2020 – Present

  Mission:

  Support organizational efforts to promote alumni relations and support recruitment of diverse teachers of color

• Development Officer

  Advocacy · Learn Together Live Together

  2019 – Present

  Mission:

  Support organizational efforts to promote school diversity in the District

• Commissioner

  Public Service (Politics) · DC Commission on Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs

  2018 – Present

  Mission:

  To advocate for the needs of the District’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities