Michael Griffith has 20 years of experience as an educator and nonprofit leader. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas and a Master of Education degree from Texas State University, Michael started his career as a classroom teacher, honing his skills in teaching, learning, curriculum development, and student assessment. He earned distinctions for his teaching and took on leadership roles as a mentor teacher and team leader. He supported students in and out of the classroom to fulfill their potential.

Michael joined Breakthrough as the Director of Programs in 2008. During his six-year tenure as Director of Programs, Michael managed a three-fold increase in students served, the organization’s expansions in Manor ISD and Austin ISD, the buildout of its college completion programs, and the creation of a customized Salesforce database to monitor the progress of students on their path to college graduation. In 2011, Michael was honored by Bank of America with the distinction of Emerging Leader.

In 2014, Michael took on the role of Executive Director at Breakthrough. Since that time, he has supported Breakthrough as it has expanded extensively to serve more students in multiple school districts in Central Texas and at colleges and universities across the country. Michael has expertise in educational best practices, partnership development, research and reporting, project planning, strategy formation, organizational leadership, and nonprofit governance. Michael is a founding member of the Austin College Access Network and is widely respected in the Central Texas nonprofit community.

Kendra believes all students have the potential to succeed and she has made it her mission to ensure students have access to the support and resources necessary to maximize their potential. With over 15 years of experience in college access space, Kendra is a first-generation student with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology/Criminology from Kansas State University. Kendra has experience with federal trio programs, college admissions and served as the inaugural College-Bound Advisor for Young Women’s Leadership Academy at Fort Worth ISD. Kendra built the college-bound program and helped students amass more than $60 Million in scholarships and she can also boast 100% college acceptance for every graduating senior since 2016. Kendra supported young women in grades 6 -12 and continued to walk with them through college completion and into their careers. Kendra is dedicated to improving systems to support students and believes that given the right resources, support, and environment ALL students have the potential to achieve post-secondary success.

Zakiyyah has dedicated her professional career to empowering young people to make a positive impact on their communities through education and service. Prior to joining Breakthrough Austin, Zakiyyah spent ten years supporting and facilitating professional development in service-learning for K-12 teachers and students in Texas. She has led programs and policy initiatives at the Region XIV Education Service Center and the Texas Education Agency. In 2006, Zakiyyah directed IT Girl, a nationally recognized informal STEM education program for high school girls that integrated technology and community service. Zakiyyah joined Breakthrough in 2011. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and is completing her Masters in Counseling at St. Edward’s University.

Donnie has over 20 years of nonprofit experience focused on administration and financial and operational management. Donnie’s other specialties include contract/grant management, financial forecasting, and financial reporting. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Donnie most recently served as Chief Financial Officer at Any Baby Can of Austin.

Leslie Tucker is a proud graduate of Huston-Tillotson College with a bachelor’s degree in Education. She has been a child advocate and teacher in the East Austin and Manor communities for over 15 years. Leslie is honored to be a catalyst in making “firsts and lasts” – Breakthrough’s work consists of making first-generation college students that will be the last in their families to navigate the higher education system alone. Her commitment to the community exemplifies her belief that our children’s education is the most valuable investment we can make.

Andrea holds her Master’s Degree in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she was honored to be selected as an Urban Scholars Fellow. Andrea has been a middle school and high school classroom teacher, both in U.S. public schools as well as in Mexico City. She brings with her experience in curriculum design and evaluation, data collection and analysis, and family engagement. Andrea first joined the Breakthrough team in 2009 and feels lucky every day to work alongside incredible Breakthrough students.

Michelle is a Houston native, an Iowa State University alum, and a firm believer in the generational impact of post-secondary education. Her early career included roles in the education space both in the classroom and alongside schools through programming partnerships. More recently, Michelle served as the Interim Executive Director at Amaanah Refugee Services and Executive Director at the Abundant Life Foundation, where she was responsible for fundraising. During that time, she also obtained a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from the Center for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership at Rice University. Breakthrough’s programmatic approach and core beliefs drew Michelle to this role, and she is grateful to work toward educational equity alongside our community and stakeholders.

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Kate Garrett joined Breakthrough in 2016, bringing more than a decade of event management and development experience to her role. She currently serves as Director of Corporate Partnerships and the Breakthrough Internship Network, where she leads efforts to build strategic, long-term relationships with corporate partners. In addition to securing philanthropic investments, Kate designs employee engagement opportunities that connect corporate teams with Breakthrough’s mission and develops internship partnerships that provide meaningful professional experiences for Breakthrough college students, preparing the next generation of diverse talent.

Prior to Breakthrough, Kate served as Director of Corporate Engagement and Events at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas. She is deeply passionate about educational equity and committed to expanding opportunities for underserved youth in Central Texas. Kate holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of Texas at Austin.

Meredith Ware Morrow, Ph.D. has more than twelve years of experience in grant writing and fundraising in Central Texas. Prior to joining the team at Breakthrough Central Texas, Meredith served as the Foundation and Corporate Relations Manager for Meals on Wheels Central Texas (MOWCTX), where she worked on their fundraising team for more than eight years to raise support for homebound seniors. Before joining the fundraising team at MOWCTX in 2014, she served the Institutional Gifts Manager at Austin Opera for more than three years. Meredith graduated from Texas Tech University with a Doctorate of Philosophy in Fine Arts Administration and a Master of Music degree. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Houston. Meredith is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Austin Chapter, and the Austin-Central Texas Chapter of the Grant Professionals Association (GPA).

As Director of Philanthropy, Kimberly leads Major Gifts and Campaign strategy, drawing on a dynamic background across both nonprofit and corporate sectors. Her work in education spans from serving as Chief of Growth and Impact at an ed-tech startup tackling literacy disparities to leading partnership development at a social justice organization focused on dismantling racism in schools. Previously, she discovered her passion for engagement fundraising as a Major Gifts Officer at a national disability nonprofit. Earlier in her career, she was a PR executive at Williams Sonoma and Nordstrom.

A University of Washington graduate and former West Coaster, she now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, three daughters and two Dachshunds. Outside of work, she’s a competitive runner, avid hiker, and prolific reader.

Kelly is a Texas State alum with a degree in Geography & History. Her background has been youth-centered since her early career as an afterschool program director and later a program manager for a mentoring program. She’s also worked as a child advocate for children in foster care and directed charitable giving for a media group. Most recently, she supported volunteers and planned fundraising campaigns as the Communications and Engagement Manager at Partnerships for Children. Kelly is passionate about education equity and excited to be working alongside the Breakthrough community.

Matt has a B.A. in English from Florida A&M University and brings a wealth of REDI experience from developing a curriculum within his Ethnic Studies classroom at Austin Achieve High School, founding community support groups like Black Professionals of Austin Achieve (BPAA), to creating adult professional development sessions rooted in REDI in the form of literary series surrounding antiracist texts.

In his role as People Strategies Manager, Matt combines his background and experience in REDI with his background as a Google Certified Project Manager and Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Master to lead projects and initiatives rooted in REDI, framed in Agile principles, and implemented with a people-centric approach. All of this is in service to change the organization’s psychology around how we work with and for people. 

When Matt isn’t working on REDI initiatives, you can find him hiking trails on the Greenbelt or rock climbing at a local bouldering gym.   

Rebecca’s journey started at Georgia State University and it has allowed her to gain insights into student support from various lenses – as a student assistant, teaching assistant, interim career counselor, employer relations specialist, and recruiter. Additionally, she honed her talent sourcing skills with Meta, an opportunity that brought her to Austin. With experience across talent sourcing, career services, academic departments, and working directly with students, Rebecca brings valuable insight to our recruiting efforts

Riena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Asian American students from the University of Texas at Austin. She has dedicated her professional interest towards service work and helping provide resources to underserved communities, empowering individuals to advocate for themselves and their communities. Prior to joining Breakthrough, Riena served with AmeriCorps Keep Austin Housed, and went on to manage the largest food pantry in the Austin areas, Micah 6 of Austin, for several years.

LaToya is an educator and enthusiast of all matters of policy and government. She is a graduate of Spelman College, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Political Science and Tulane University Law School.  LaToya mixes her love for educational equity and students with teaching and changing policy through different fellowships and working within the community.  Her passion is empowering others through teaching, volunteering and philanthropy.  LaToya wants her philanthropic endeavors to grow each year, ultimately establishing a private family foundation, concentrating on issues affecting women and girls.

Will is responsible for the execution of Breakthrough’s research and advocacy activities focused on improving postsecondary access and success for young Texans across the institutional and local, state, and federal policymaking domains and leads the collection, management, and analysis of data to evaluate and improve outcomes and strategy. Originally from Boston, Will earned a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from Boston University then spent the next four years teaching English as a foreign language in South America. After returning from abroad, he worked five years as a (Spanish/English) bilingual elementary classroom teacher and three as a campus literacy specialist in Central Texas public schools while earning a M. Ed. in Education Policy and Planning from the University of Texas at Austin where he is currently a doctoral student. Will’s academic research has often focused on the sociopolitical context of bilingual education, especially the rapid discursive shift around and expansion of dual language education and its implications for the access and experience of minoritized students and families. He is also a research analyst and program evaluator for Building a Green Texas: Activating a New Generation of Sustainability Leaders, an initiative that partners the University of Texas system, Texas school districts, sustainability professionals, municipal governments, and community-based organizations to strengthen climate resiliency through the development of green building pipelines and active environmental education opportunities for high school-aged youth from the communities most impacted by climate change and least represented in green careers. Will loves to spend as much of his free time as possible outdoors hanging out, hiking, cooking, biking, swimming, camping, or playing sports with family and friends.

Ric Almeda is the son of 2 immigrant parents and a 1st Generation American Citizen and College Graduate. Ric went to the University of Texas for his undergraduate degree and has a teaching certificate from his time as an educator in Manor from 2013 until joining Breakthrough full-time in 2019. Outside of Breakthrough, Ric is a DJ who has toured over 42 countries and even has his own Day in Austin.

Erin brings more than a decade of experience in non-profit youth work and program design, project management, teaching at the college level, and management for small non-profits. A first-generation college graduate, Erin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from St. Edward’s University, in Austin, TX, and a master’s degree in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. A native Mexican raised in the United States, Erin is thrilled to be working with bilingual and Spanish-speaking families and students. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, rowing on Lady Bird Lake, co-running a non-profit art space, and listening to music.

Amely holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Science from Texas A&M University with a minor in Spanish. As a first-generation college graduate, Amely is a proud Breakthrough Alumna and former 9th grade Breakthrough Summer Teaching Fellow. After graduation, Amely returned to Austin and became a nutrition educator for Travis County. In 2017, Amely decided to give back to the community that paved her path to college, and is currently serving her second year as a full-time AmeriCorps Member at Breakthrough, helping Del Valle students on their path to college.

Jennifer is a first-generation college graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Sociology from Texas State University-San Marcos and a Master’s in Education in Out of School Time from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Jennifer has spent over a decade as an educator in Austin. Prior to joining the Breakthrough community, Jennifer was an Americorp member with Citizen Schools at Kealing Middle School from 2008-2011 and then taught for 7 years in AISD as a special education teacher. She believes in the transformative power of education and also recognizes the inequity and barriers in place for many learners. She’s excited to work in an organization that supports young people on a very personal and challenging journey, while also collectively working to transform educational systems. When she’s not advising students or managing projects, Jennifer likes to spend time outdoors, give snuggles to her dog and support arts, cultural and LGBTQ+ events here in Austin.

Sierra (she/they) is a first-generation college graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Southwestern University, a Master of Science degree in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin, and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Studies from The University of Texas at Austin. She brings more than 15 years of data, evaluation, research and management experience in the nonprofit and education sectors, having worked with organizations like College Forward, College Possible, Communities In Schools, and The Contemporary Austin. She is also a three-time AmeriCorps alum.

As a native Austinite and student alumna of another college access and persistence program, they know first-hand the barriers that students and families encounter on the path towards achieving their educational goals. Her goal is to bring this knowledge and perspective to data, with her “north star” being a database that is awesome, actionable, and inclusive! When not actively dreaming of becoming the Steve Kornacki of education data, you can find Sierra spending time with her partner and their dogs Mokha and Bernie, knitting, rocking out on bass with Femme Rock, or volunteering with dogs at Austin Humane Society.

Ja’Near is a first-generation college graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Huston-Tillotson University and a Master’s in Education in Advanced Literacy from the University of Concordia. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree, Ja’Near spent a year working as a Case Manager for Child Protective Services and then went on to teach middle school English for nearly a decade. While in the classroom, Ja’Near focused on developing the teaching skills that would improve learning for ALL students. This focus led her to spending three summers as an Instructional Coach where she was able to assist Breakthrough Teaching Fellows to develop their own teaching skills. Ja’Near has always enjoyed working with students and is excited to continue that work with Breakthrough Central Texas.

Brittney holds a Bachelor’s in English Literature and a minor in Spanish from the University of North Texas. She’s passionate about youth education and development and has served in various educational positions in Texas, as an after-school tutor and summer mentor in Texas. Brittney has served as an AmeriCorps Member at Breakthrough Central Texas, after having served two summers as an ELA Middle School Summer Teacher at Breakthrough. Brittney is a part of our Northeast Austin middle school team, which works directly with our Breakthrough students in various middle schools throughout the northeast areas of Austin.

Odyessey Francis is a graduate of Huston-Tillotson University with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University. She has been in the education field for 11 years working on curriculum and student development. Odyessey is honored to be a member of the Breakthrough team in continuing passion to assist students of all ages towards academic, and career success. Her commitment to the community and students aligns with the belief that with a village our students’ education is limitless.

We will post soon!

We will post soon!

Samuel was born and raised in Washington, DC, and has lived in Brazil, Canada, and Japan. He moved to Austin in 2009 and served as a public educator for Manor ISD schools, where he worked as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He believes that relationship building is the key to facilitating learning and loves working directly with students. He enjoys cooking, reading, watching soccer, and spending time with his family.

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Josh is a first-generation college graduate with over fifteen years of experience working to close the opportunity gap for all students through best practices in teaching, learning, and leadership.  Prior to joining Breakthrough he served as a middle school teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, and principal.  During that time Josh was selected as Teacher of the Year as he supported Decker Middle School in Manor ISD to earn the distinctions of AVID National Demonstration School and Texas School to Watch.   Josh has a passion for designing and developing research-based professional learning and practices that meet the needs of higher education and K-12 students, systems, institutions, districts, and schools.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Texas State University.

Brandon Páez, a first-generation American on a lifelong mission to inspire his community to pursue education. He recently earned his Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Boston College and taught for two years, specializing in middle school education in Lawrence, MA, affectionately known as “the city of immigrants.” What he’s most proud of is his hardworking family heritage, and he has ambitious plans to elevate their name. If he could teach the world one thing, it would be his favorite quote: “los buenos somos mas,” serving as a constant reminder that there will always be people in this world to stand alongside you in the good fight.

Tiffany holds a Bachelor’s in Business Honors and Plan II Honors from the University of Texas at Austin. An Austin Native, she served as a Breakthrough Teaching Fellow, where she discovered her passion for working directly with teachers. Before coming to Breakthrough, Tiffany served as an educator in the San Antonio area teaching math and coaching tennis to high school students for three years, through Teach For America. She is passionate about our mission and is excited to continue her work with students at Breakthrough Central Texas.

Grecia holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology from Texas Tech University. Having served two summers as a Teaching Fellow in 2016-2017 and being a Breakthrough alumna has led Grecia to return to Breakthrough as a full-time AmeriCorps member. Grecia is excited to build relationships and share her experiences with Breakthrough students to help motivate them during their path to college.

Robert, an Austinite and a member of the Breakthrough alumni network, served as a Breakthrough teaching fellow during the summer of 2019 and as an AmeriCorps leader for the 2022-2023 school year. He earned his B.A. in Psychology from UTSA in 2021 and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Applied Psychology as a student at Texas A&M-Central. Robert’s hobbies include attending live music concerts, practicing yoga, playing chess, and engaging in various sports. He is deeply committed to the cause of equal opportunity and remains dedicated to supporting the Breakthrough student and family communities.

Garrett, a New Orleans native, holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science and Spanish from the University of Alabama. He discovered his passion for working in education when he served as an ESL translator leading him to a full-time ESL teaching position at Escuela Politécnica Nacional in Quito, Ecuador for two years. With a continued joy for teaching, Garrett joined the Teach For America San Antonio 2020 cohort where he served as a 7th Grade English Language Arts teacher. Being a first-generation college graduate himself, Garrett is excited to join the Breakthrough team and advise high school students. Outside of work, Garrett enjoys going to the gym and trying new restaurants. His goals this year include hiking more often and taking dance classes.

Dorothy Vasquez has a history of working with at-risk youth in and around, the Austin area. She was born and raised in East Austin and lucky enough to participate in the Young Scientist program at Zavala Elementary, which later led to magnet feeder schools until college. Dorothy holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Texas Lutheran University and a Master’s in Organizational and HR Development from Abilene Christian University. Before coming to Breakthrough, Dorothy initiated her career at AISD and later held multiple positions at the Boys & Girls Club of Austin. She is a strong supporter of Youth Program Quality (YPQ) and has experience as a Quality Coach.

Brevin Fields first served with Breakthrough as an AmeriCorps Summer Teacher Fellow serving rising high school freshmen at the Manor Site. Brevin is a proud first-generation college graduate and graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor’s in History and a 7th-12th grade teaching certificate. Brevin is honored to now be serving as a Post-Secondary Advisor at Manor New Technology High School where he graduated in 2016. Brevin is grateful to give back to the community and support future scholars in the Manor community! When not working Brevin loves to spend time with his wife, Hannah, family, and friends, and eat good food around Austin!

Tomas is a first-generation college graduate from The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a dual minor in Sociology and Spanish, along with a Master of Education in Student Services in Higher Education from the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW). A native of Edcouch, Texas, he is a native Spanish speaker, a former Dell Scholar, and was raised in a migrant family. His education career began at UTSA part-time as a Captionist/Transcriptionist in Student Disability Services, providing real-time transcription services for deaf/hard of hearing students in the classroom, which he later pursued full-time for 2 ½ years. He also worked as a Graduate Assistant at UIW in his first semester of Graduate School, supporting high school students in the San Antonio region with their goal of attending college. Tomas also has prior experience in financial aid from The University of Texas at Austin as a Financial Aid Officer and academic success/student retention from St. Edward’s University as a Success Coach. He is excited to serve as a valuable resource for Breakthrough students and families.

Bio coming soon..

Joining the BreakThrough CTX Del Valle High School team as the Associate Director from Chicago, IL, Chanelle holds a Bachelor’s in Sports Administration from Southern Illinois University, class of 2013. With an 8-year background in non-profit youth development work, she takes pleasure in being part of the growth journey with communities and students. Her ability to foster relationships and build trust with students and families through active listening, compassion, challenging, and being her authentic self greatly contributes to making the BreakThrough mission achievable. When she’s not working closely with students to help them reach the next level, Chanelle indulges in her love for sports, music, and plants.

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Angel is joining Breakthrough after 5 years of being an educator and coach at Del Valle High School and Cedar Creek High School. He has taught physics, biology, forensic science, and chemistry. Additionally, Angel has coached football, basketball, and track. He is originally from Center Point, Texas and graduated with a class of 48 classmates and then from The University of Texas at Austin as a first generation student. There he met his wife Kristin and they live in East Austin with their dog Jimothy and sweet baby boy Luciano “Luca” who is five months old. He enjoys playing video games, reading, and playing basketball and golf.

First-Gen UT Austin Grad 2022 BA Sociology Minor Education Psychology.

Christina Hillard is a dedicated advocate and catalyst for positive change in the realm of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). With a deep passion for creating meaningful connections within communities, Christina’s journey is driven by her unwavering belief in the power of inclusivity to transform lives. As a community connector, Christina’s innate ability to forge bonds has led to the creation of bridges between individuals of diverse backgrounds. Her empathetic approach and open-hearted attitude have made her an approachable figure for those seeking to engage in conversations about social issues. Christina’s commitment to fostering a sense of belonging has helped diverse groups come together, transcending barriers and creating environments where everyone’s voice is valued. In her free time, Christina indulges in her passions for reading, writing, and the arts, finding inspiration in the world around her. She believes that personal growth is a lifelong journey, and she consistently seeks out new ways to expand her horizons.

EJ is bringing to the role nearly 10 years of experience in College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR). Her journey includes serving as an admissions counselor, junior and seminar teacher, college counselor, and CCMR coordinator. Ernestine is known for her expertise in presentation, relationship building, event planning, and data tracking skills. She has shared her insights at statewide conferences like TACAC.

EJ is a proud graduate of The University of Texas at San Antonio, where she earned a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies. She furthered her education at Our Lady of the Lake University, obtaining an M.S. in Organizational Leadership. Beyond her professional achievements, EJ finds joy in solo traveling, collecting and trying different hot sauces, supporting the Dallas Cowboys, and cherishing moments with friends and family. Originally from Austin, Ernestine brings a wealth of experience and a vibrant personality to her role as Associate Director of Advising at Manor New Tech High School.

Bernice Soto is a program coordinator and community builder who has over 8 years of experience mentoring and coaching Latinx college students to impact their campuses and communities. This last year she was also a part of building a Fellowship Program for young adults leading social justice work and also was a research assistant for a focus group on Latinx millennial mental health practices. She just moved to Austin from San Diego, California a little over a month ago and is pursuing a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling. She likes walks, puppies, lattes, plants, thrifting and Bad Bunny and is really excited to get to support college students in the CTX area alongside the broader BT staff!

more to come!

Eniitan “Eni” Coker, a proud Nigerian-American, began her academic journey in the vibrant state of Georgia, where she was raised. However, for the past few years, Texas has been her cherished home. Eni’s educational path led her from the University of Georgia to the University of Tennessee, where she is pursuing a Master of Science in Social Work. With nearly a decade of experience in youth and community development, Eni’s work is deeply rooted in her belief in investing in young adults and building stronger communities. Her diverse background and experiences bring a unique perspective to her current role as an advisor with the College and Career Success Team.

David M. Porter IV is a native Austinite who was raised in education. With his mother having worked in AISD as a teacher and counselor for 30 years and his father being very active in the Austin community through various organizations that work with youth in low-income communities, it only made sense for David to follow the path of education. He started his post-secondary career at the University of Houston to study biomedical engineering but found his love for the field of education and transferred to The University of Texas at Austin where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Applied Learning and Development with a specialization in Youth and Social Services and a minor in English. David’s career with Breakthrough started immediately after his college graduation as an AmeriCorps Summer Teaching Fellow, where he found his love to support students to find and achieve their post-secondary goals.

Carly Boal, a native New Englander, joins us after 6 years of serving Austin Community College students as an ACC staff member in multiple positions, such as enrollment advising and most recently, academic advising. Prior to working with Austin Community College, Carly served as an AmeriCorps member at 2 different educational non-profits, City Year Miami and College Forward, which brought her to Austin. Carly holds a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and English from the University of Maine and is excited to begin working with Breakthrough’s ACC students!

Lorena is a licensed master social worker and first-generation college graduate who earned her degrees from St. Edward’s University and The University of Texas at Austin. She has extensive experience supporting individuals and families through counseling, psychoeducational groups, and her work in college access and persistence. Passionate about helping others navigate complex challenges, Lorena brings a compassionate and dedicated approach to her work.

A Dallas native, Lorena has called the Austin area home for the past 10 years. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, supporting the local music scene, and spending quality time with her friends and family.

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon