WHERE I COME FROM.
Growing up in a mixed family in South Texas, I have witnessed the disparities in opportunities given to Hispanic and White working class-families like my own. I watched my family work hard but still struggle living paycheck to paycheck. With the help of student loans, scholarships, and Pell grants, I earned two degrees from the University of Texas at Austin in 2007. While in college, I discovered my passion for biology – even though I had never known a scientist growing up.
After graduating from college, I joined Teach For America to help address the educational inequities in our country that I personally experienced based on my zip code. I spent three years serving our country as a middle school science teacher in an underserved community in NYC before attending graduate school.
A THRIVING CAREER.
In 2016, I earned my PhD in Animal Behavior from Cornell University and moved to DC to deepen my expertise in reproductive biology as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Maryland. I watched in despair as the Trump administration attacked science, women, marginalized communities, and democracy. I wore my lab coat by day but became a grassroots organizer for women scientists by night to push back against the Trump agenda. When the pandemic hit, I left my lab notebook behind to become a public servant in our federal government.
As a science and tech expert, I worked on a wide variety of federal policy issues while serving in the U.S. Senate (Office of Elizabeth Warren), National Institutes of Health, and the Government Accountability Office. While at the GAO, I helped make sure our taxpayer dollars are used wisely and effectively and educated Congress on emerging science and tech issues.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives write and vote on federal laws, including the federal budget. Each represents one district and serves a two-year term. Tax bills must start in the House, only the House can impeach federal officials, and members oversee federal agencies through their committees.