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Meet the Staff

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Luz Ponce, Director

Luz Ponce currently serves as Director for TRIO Upward Bound at CSU Dominguez Hills. Previously, she served as program coordinator for the Upward Bound Centinela Valley grant.Ìý As a champion for first-generation students like herself, she aims to increase the opportunities for underrepresented students at all educational levels. Mrs. Ponce received a bachelor’s degrees from the University of California, Irvine in Political Science and Chicano/Latino Studies and later a master’s degree in Higher Education and Organizational Change from the University of California, Los Angeles.Ìý

Nivardo Martinez, Assistant Director

NivardoÌýhas been part of theÌýTRIO Upward Bound atÌýCSUÌýDominguez HillsÌýsince 2008. He first began his involvement with Upward Bound as aÌýmath tutor while being aÌýfull-timeÌýstudent at CSU Dominguez Hills where later he would receive hisÌýBachelorÌýof Science in Kinesiology. After receiving his undergraduate degreeÌýNivardoÌýassumed the role of Program Coordinator serving the Upward Bound participants and building relationships with LAUSD staff. As a TRIO-ETS alumni,ÌýNivardoÌýunderstands the key role TRIO plays in the life of a low-income and first-generation potential college student.

Paola Garay, Assistant Director

Paola Garay isÌýaÌýfirst-generation, low income ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ-LAUSD UB alumni of 2011. Paola graduated from Whittier College as a Social Work and Spanish major inÌý2015,Ìýand is now a professional in the career she is passionate and cares for. Working with her students and being a witness of them not only obtaining admissions from their topÌýschool, butÌýgraduatingÌýand obtaining their degree is the best reward she can have and proofÌýof herÌýdedicationÌýto her job and students.Ìý

Bianca Silvestre, Program Coordinator - Jefferson HS

Bianca is a first-generation low-income scholar from Los Angeles, CA. The disparity in access to college mentorship in her own neighborhood has been her motivation to support scholars from underserved communities. Bianca received an AA in Psychology and in Social & Behavioral Sciences from ELAC in 2017. She then graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 2019, receiving her BA in Psychology. Her role in ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ Upward Bound began shortly after her role as a Parent Engagement Specialist at Alliance College Ready Schools. Bianca aspires to empower scholars to be catalysts of intergenerational change through their exertion of leadership, self-advocacy, and completion of post-secondary education.Ìý

Katherine Martinez, Program Coordinator - LAUSD

Katherine Martinez is a TRIO Alumna from Loyola Marymount University Upward Bound. Following her time in the program, she continued her education at ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ Channel Islands. December of 2019, she graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a double minor in Art andÌýChicanxÌýStudies. Katherine is the Program coordinator for Carson & Gardena Highschool and is passionate about educating, supporting and empowering students to continue their education at a Higher Ed. institution.ÌýÌý

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