Q: Can you share a bit about your family’s journey to the U.S. and growing up in Providence?

My family, like many immigrant families, came to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic in stages, with my mother arriving first. We settled in Providence’s West End, where I grew up. It was challenging at first, all I knew was the country where I grew up, where I had my family and cousins. It was hard finding that footing in a new country without that immediate connection to the people I left behind. But Providence became this safe haven for us. It had the economic and educational opportunities my family sought, especially my mother, who always prioritized education. 

Q: What led you to study at Brown?

Education was always my mother's number one priority, and it felt like my duty to make the most of every opportunity. I entered the Providence Public School system in seventh grade and later attended Central High School. Having only been here about a year, I initially struggled, but I found incredible support in the ESL and bilingual programs. 

In high school, I also joined the Upward Bound program at Rhode Island College, studying there every summer and even Saturdays, which exposed me to different colleges. That’s where I first learned about Brown — it was my dream school. I was also exposed to Brown by a group of students who used to volunteer at Central High School when I was a student there. 

Before I went to Brown, I took a year off to become an AmeriCorps member where I was placed in Pawtucket and Central Falls to create homework help clubs in their public libraries, serving mostly students who spoke Spanish. After that, I started at Brown, initially as an engineering student, but quickly realized that wasn’t for me. I then explored different fields and ultimately graduated with a degree in Latin American studies.

Q: How did you end up launching your career at Brown after you graduated?

I actually joined Brown in August 1999, shortly after graduating that May. I saw a two-year position at the Swearer Center — the title was elementary and secondary schools coordinator — and thought I’d do that for a few years before going to graduate school. 

My initial role was to connect Brown students with programming for local elementary and middle schools. When I started, our programs were spread out, but early on, we began to concentrate our efforts. That’s how our partnership with William D'Abate Elementary School began in 2000. We started bringing all our Swearer programming — from tutors and science lessons to after-school clubs and adult English classes — directly into that community to maximize our impact, and the relationship just grew from there. 

Q: What has been the most impactful part of Brown’s partnership with D’Abate? 

I always tell people I have a dream: to follow the students in our programs and ensure they have continuous opportunities throughout their schooling. My dream is that if I work with a student at D'Abate for five or six years, I’ll know that when they move on to middle school, there will be continued programming from Brown available for them to access. That sustained support for their entire K-12 journey has always been my vision.

So what I’m most proud of are the deep relationships we’ve built over the years. It was incredibly fulfilling this year participating in College Day at Brown and seeing about 10 former D'Abate students there, now high school juniors from a mix of the city’s high schools — they remembered me, and I remembered them.

Q: What is the best part of working at Brown? 

I think the opportunity to work with Brown students is a true gift. You know, I tell people I may not become president of the United States but one of my students might one day — and to know that I had even a little influence in who they become is all I need. I’ve gotten to work with the most amazing students throughout the years. And I’ve gotten to work in Providence’s Olneyville neighborhood and the D’Abate school community, really getting to know those families there, which is something Brown has allowed me to do, and it's been an incredible and rewarding part of my job.

Q: What are Brown’s greatest assets to the local community?

Having worked with Brown students for so long, and being an alumna myself, I can tell you they’re just a different breed. It’s hard to explain, but they are incredibly invested and committed to working with the Providence community. Their passion and creativity are truly Brown’s biggest assets to the city.

Many of them stay after graduation, turning what they started as students into their life’s work. Think of people like Sebastian Ruth, who founded Community MusicWorks, or Tyler Denmead, who started New Urban Arts. These are just two among dozens of Brown students who have built organizations that are now part of the fabric of our city. That lasting commitment and creativity from our students is really what makes a lasting impact.