From Army Medic to Public Health Research Expert
Championing Everyone to Their Own Greatness

My Mission Is To Guide Graduate Students Through Research Advisor Selection and Authentic Mentorship Development.

From Streets to Researcher:

Growing up in Oxnard during the gang violence and poverty, I never imagined becoming a health policy researcher / consultant. My journey from challenging streets to serving as a United States Army medic for almost a decade, then pursuing my doctorate in Public Health, demonstrates how having kind people in this world can transforms lives through authentic mentorship and friendship. These experiences shaped my understanding of how faculty members can guide graduate students through complex research processes while building meaningful research groups and lifelong friendships.

As a first-generation Hispanic Doctoral student, I understand guiding other graduate students toward success. My research advisor, Professor Deborah Freund, exemplifies how faculty members can recognize lived experiences as research strengths rather than obstacles to overcome. Through our faculty advisor relationship, I learned how potential advisors should evaluate graduate students not just on traditional metrics, but on unique perspectives that strengthen research programs and enhance doctoral programs diversity within Graduate School environments.

My Purpose Is Breaking Poverty Cycles Through Evidence-Based Research Programs and Graduate School Mentorship.

Current Research Focus:

My doctoral research program centers on civic engagement within marginalized California communities, particularly Hispanic/Latino and African-American populations. Through my research group, I explore dynamics producing generalizable results for breaking poverty cycles nationwide using rigorous research processes. My research interests align with my faculty advisor's expertise in health policy, creating a powerful mentor relationship that demonstrates effective research advisor selection. This collaboration shows how graduate students and faculty members can work together as principal investigators on research questions addressing health disparities through community-based research programs and innovative methodologies.

1. • DrPH Program: Public Health doctoral research at Claremont Graduate University, focusing on community engagement research
2. • Fellowship Leadership: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholar, mentoring undergraduate research students
3. • Research Experience: Nearly ten years military medical field experience informing current research interests and research process development
4. • Community Engagement: Board member focusing on health equity initiatives, connecting research questions with community needs
5. • Mentorship Role: Guiding graduate students through application process challenges and research advisor selection strategies

My philosophy champions vulnerability: 'always be yourself, unless you can be a unicorn—then always be a unicorn.' This means embracing unique perspectives within your research community and doctoral program application process. Current students often struggle finding faculty advisors who appreciate diverse backgrounds, but potential advisors benefit enormously from graduate students bringing authentic lived experiences to research programs. My website demonstrates how research groups thrive when faculty members embrace this vulnerability-based mentorship approach.

My Vision Creates Health Cultures Where Research Advisors and Graduate Students Address Health Disparities Together.

Building Future Health Policy Leaders:

Through Health Policy Research Scholars, I learned finding the right research advisor requires more than research interests alignment. Potential advisors must see diverse backgrounds as assets. My faculty advisor experience with Professor Freund demonstrates powerful mentor relationships built on mutual respect and equity commitment. This research advisor selection process taught me how Graduate School success depends on faculty members who champion undergraduate research experiences and guide doctoral students through complex research processes. Our research group exemplifies how principal investigators can create inclusive environments where current students from all backgrounds contribute meaningfully to research programs.

My research questions focus on enabling factors helping individuals overcome obstacles while improving civic engagement in underrepresented communities. This research experience translates into policy development, nonprofit coalitions, grant management, and educational curriculum serving marginalized populations effectively. Through careful application process navigation and strategic research advisor mentorship, I help other graduate students identify faculty advisors who share their research interests while supporting their unique perspectives and community connections.

Through translational research with grassroots foundations, I serve communities remembering each data point represents transformable lives. Whether developing physical therapy clinics for 500+ service members or creating California community health programs, my military medical and research experiences informs everything. My website showcases how authentic research advisor relationships enable marginalized students to bridge academic research with real-world community impact, demonstrating the power of vulnerable leadership in Graduate School environments.