Jennifer is a first-generation Latina from Santa Maria, California. She is ambitious, caring, and loves spending time with her loved ones. Jennifer is honored to be part of a great community and is planning to give back to her community by becoming an educator. 

She started her educational journey at Allan Hancock College in 2018. She then graduated and transferred to Chico State University where she completed her bachelor's degree in liberal studies. She will be completing her credential in multiple subject with a Spanish bilingual authorization along with a M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from Cal Poly School of Education as a TIER resident.

She first had the opportunity of working with students when she worked with Mini-Corps in 2020 and later became an instructional aide for the Santa Maria Bonita School District. 

Jennifer will be a TK teacher at Ontiveros Elementary in Santa Maria Bonita School District this fall.

Master's Degree Advisor: Dr. Briana Ronan

Alejandra is a first-generation Mexican-immigrant born in Michoacan, Mexico and raised in Santa Maria, California. She is resilient, empathetic, and a lifelong learner who enjoys spending time with her loved ones.

She graduated from Allan Hancock College with an A.S. in Liberal Arts: Mathematics and Science. She transferred to Fresno State where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Physical Education in May 2020 and a Master’s degree in Multilingual Multicultural Education in May 2022. While being a student, Alejandra has worked for Santa Maria-Bonita School District, Clovis Unified School District, and Santa Maria Joint Union High School District as a Bilingual Instructional Assistant working with emergent bilingual students in Title 1 schools. She has also worked for Fresno State, Sullivan Tutoring Company, California Teaching Fellow Foundation, and Fresno County Superintendent of Schools as a paraeducator with students of diverse backgrounds and age groups. 

Alejandra is passionate about working with students of diverse backgrounds and helping people become better global citizens. As a member of the TIER program at Cal Poly, SLO, Alejandra will be completing her multiple subject credential with a bilingual authorization in Spanish and a M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction. She aspires to continue empowering her students and working towards inclusivity, equity and social justice.

Alejandra is currently kinder teacher at Ida Redmond Taylor Elementary School in Santa Maria Bonita School District (2023-2024). She will be a first grade teacher at Adam Elementary in 2024-2025.

Master's Degree Advisor: Dr. Tina Cheuk

Denise is a first generation Latina, born and raised in Santa Maria, CA. She graduated from Cal Poly SLO, with a bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies and a minor in Spanish. Denise has spent her summers in the classroom, working as a Teachers Aid for Allan Hancock's Cal-SOAP program. Denise has always known she wanted to be an educator however, these experiences solidified her passion for teaching. She has enjoyed working within the Santa Maria Bonita School District and giving back to her community.

Denise will continue her education through Cal Poly's School of Education where she will receive her multiple subject credential. As a TIER resident she will also receive Bilingual Authorization and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Denise's dream is to be able to educate future generations within her community. Her goals are to create an inclusive and equitable learning environment for her students.

Denise is a kinder teacher at Ida Redmond Taylor Elementary School in Santa Maria Bonita School District this fall (2023-2024). She will be a kinder teacher at Adam Elementary this fall (2024).

Master's Degree Advisor: Dr. Tina Cheuk

Daniela is born and raised in Clovis, California and moved to the Central Coast in the year of 2018. She is a wife to a wonderful, devoted husband. 

She started her education with her Bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fresno and majored in Speech Language Pathology while working as a Registered Behavior Technician for a private company, who serves children with disabilities using the science of Applied Behavior Analysis for 6 years. After she graduated in 2014, she applied to the University of West Florida ABA program and obtained her first Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis in the year of 2017. After she graduated, she passed the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst exam in May of 2019 and worked as a Behavior Analyst for a private company in a clinic setting for 2 years serving children with disabilities.  She is a TIER resident in the Special Education program where she will earn her education specialist credential along with second Master's degree in Special Education. 

Since becoming a Behavior Analyst, she knew she wanted to be a teacher and not only serve children in the clinical setting, but also in the classroom. For the past year, she has continued to gain experience working as a Special Education Paraprofessional at Lucia Mar School District and student teaching at Santa Maria Bonita School District. 

Daniela is an education specialist in Santa Maria Joint Unified School District.

Angela is a first-generation college student and former English Learner from Santa Maria, California. She was born and raised in Mexico and migrated to the U.S. in 2010. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from Cal Poly SLO, and is currently enrolled in the SPED M.S. and Education Specialist Mild/Moderate Credential Program with a Bilingual Authorization. 

Angela decided to pursue a career in teaching due to the joy she finds in making a difference in students’ lives, especially students with special needs. Her career goal is to be a Bilingual Special Education Teacher in the Santa Maria area. She is committed to help and give back to her community in the best way she knows, which is teaching and using her bilingual skills. As a TIER resident, Angela’s goal is to create an inclusive, safe and equitable learning environment for all her students.

Angela is an education specialist at Jiménez Elementary in Santa Maria Bonita School District this fall.

Alondra is a first-generation Mexican-American student from Guadalupe, CA. She has been married to her high school sweetheart for five years. Alondra started her college journey back in 2016 at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria and earned her Associates degree. Then in 2020, she transferred to Cal Poly, SLO where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Child Development this June 2022. Alongside being a student, she worked as a Bilingual California Mini Corps Tutor for Allan Hancock College from 2018-2022, working with migrant students during school hours in the Guadalupe and Santa Maria Bonita District. Alondra loves working with children and helping others in many ways. Alondra plans to continue to give back to her community and stay to teach the next generations. She is very happy to be working with her former third grade teacher during her journey as a student teacher at Guadalupe Union School District. She is excited to be a TIER resident and earn her teaching credential, bilingual authorization, and Master's degree through the TIER program at Cal Poly! She hopes to inspire others to follow their dreams as she is following hers. 

Alondra is teaching at Jiménez Elementary in Santa Maria Bonita School District.

Master's Degree Advisor: Dr. Briana Ronan

Eddy was born and raised on the East Side of Salinas, California by a hard-working single mother and currently lives in San Luis Obispo with his younger brother. Eddie has been interested in teaching since middle school, inspired by many of his excellent teachers. He graduated from Cal Poly SLO where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences. During his time at Cal Poly he enjoyed learning about psychology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, and physics. He was also involved in Microbiology and Conservation Biology research and was a WOW leader (Orientation volunteer). 

He loves fitness and sports, and has a passion for wrestling. He hopes to coach a high/middle school wrestling team and possibly help with other sports or extracurricular activities. During his free time he likes to: work on improving his cooking skills and financial literacy, and visit friends or family. Eddie has recently worked in ABA services as a Registered Behavioral Technician and SPED para-educator. Currently Eddie is a student teacher at Nipomo High School and is working on completing the Single Subject Teaching Credential to be a science teacher. He is excited to be a part of the Cal Poly TIER and  hopes to use his teaching credential and bilingual authorization to practice and promote equity and inclusivity both in his classroom and in his community.

Eddy is a science teacher at Santa Maria High School.

Master's Degree Advisor: Dr. Tina Cheuk

Erin originally started her educational journey in Ohio where she was born and raised. There, she went to a small college and played soccer and lacrosse and majored in psychology. In 2011, she moved to Arizona and completed her Bachelor's Degree at the University of Phoenix. Soon after, she got married and had two wonderful boys and moved to San Luis Obispo where her husband grew up. Her youngest son was diagnosed with autism and she has been a fierce advocate for him and his needs. Over time, she saw the amazing educational professionals who were providing her son services and ways they gave him the opportunity to grow. It was then she knew that this field was where she wanted to be for her career. 

Once her son was in school full time, she decided to become a Special Education para-professional at Shell Beach Elementary School where she worked with the TLC students and loved it. Being in the classroom with students as a paraprofessional made her realize that she wanted to do more. Erin is excited to be part of the TIER residency program and cannot wait to earn her Preliminary Education Specialist Credential in mild/moderate disabilities from Cal Poly School of Education.

Erin is an education specialist in Santa Maria Joint Unified School District.

Yonic is a first-generation college student from a family of six. He was born in Santa Maria, but at the age of three his parents returned to Oaxaca, Mexico, and migrated back to the US seven years later. Yonic is a proud son of agricultural workers. He graduated from Santa Maria High School and received his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) in 2015. After leaving UCSB, he worked for a company called Passport to Adaptive Learning (PAL), which offered behavioral intervention for children with autism. After two years with PAL, he started work with the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District as a Bilingual Instructional Aide engaging with English Learners (ELs) and their families. This is where he began to resonate with the students in his community. As a former designated English Learner himself, he wanted to engage students who are in the same situation as he was when he arrived to this country. Yonic is excited to teach his favorite subject, mathematics, and teach students both in English and Spanish in his classes. 

During his spare time, he enjoys reading, playing disc golf with his friends and taking his dog on walks at Waller Park. It is his dream to teach at Santa Maria High School after he finishes his teaching credential at Cal Poly.

Yonic is a math teacher at Santa Maria High School.

Master's Degree Advisor: Dr. Briana Ronan

Frank was born and raised in Santa Maria, CA. He graduated from Allan Hancock College in 2016 and transferred to Cal Poly where he completed his undergraduate degree in 2018. Since then, he has been working as a substitute teacher and exploring different career fields that work with local communities. He is a first-generation college student who has worked in the strawberry fields in his youth in order to save up for the cost of schooling. 

Frank shares a passion for the sport of boxing. He has worked alongside youth so that they can experience the physical and mental benefits of this type of training and sport. His hobbies include urban and landscape photography and working out.

He will be part of the Single Subject Teaching Education Program, earning a bilingual Spanish Authorization, along with a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction.

Frank is a social studies teacher at Righetti High School.

Master's Degree Advisor: Dr. Briana Ronan

Miranda is from Santa Maria, CA. She earned her Bachelors degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Spanish. Miranda has known she wanted to be a teacher ever since she was little, as she comes from a family of teachers. Her career interests in education span from being a bilingual educator to eventually being a principal of an elementary school. Miranda also has a goal of teaching in a Spanish-speaking country in the future as well. Being a TIER resident, equity and inclusion are also things she strives to include in the classroom. When she is not in the classroom, she enjoys spending time with friends, going to the lake, and traveling. She plans to stay on the central coast to teach in her home community. Miranda is very excited to be earning her teaching credential, bilingual authorization, and Masters degree through the TIER program at Cal Poly!

Miranda is a 6th grade teacher at Alvin Elementary School in Santa Maria Bonita School District.

Master's Degree Advisor: Dr. Tina Cheuk