I am a descendent of the Purepecha Indigenous people of Michoacan, Mexico and raised in Salinas Valley, CA. I moved to Davis, CA, to escape the hardships of gang culture, and to attend D-Q University. I furthered my academic career at U.C. Davis where I began to focus my work in the environmental field, conducting air and wastewater quality research, environmental degradation, and respiratory illnesses. Started my career in 2001, at the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, and since, have gained a wide breadth of experience working in multiple divisions in various capacities. I was appointed Division Manager of the Transportation and Climate Change Division in September 2019, and now lead the District in promoting alternative transportation technologies in the region to mitigate climate impact and improve regional air quality.