Since joining the board in 2022, it has been my absolute privilege to serve on this board. I am deeply honored to be considered for the Board of Directors position for Vantage West Credit Union for another term. Being here has given me the opportunity to really make a difference at the organization level, but more importantly, for my community. I love contributing to the overall direction and strategy of Vantage West, building continuity, and creating maximum value for our community and members.

Joining IBM in 2006 has been a rewarding journey. In my current role as Adoption & Change Management Leader, I have the exciting job of helping teams implement and embrace Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) systems. This means I get to see firsthand how our products make a difference and work directly with our engineering team to advocate for the needs of our users. 

This role is essential in any organization because it ensures that new technologies are successfully integrated, making operations smoother and more efficient. With the knowledge gained from working at the forefront of emerging technologies, we can provide valuable insights and improvements that benefit the entire company. 

I hold a BS in Computer Science and an Executive MBA from the University of Arizona–Eller College of Management, which has equipped me with the skills to excel in this field and contribute to the overall success of our company. 

I am also the Community Service and Foundation Chair for the local chapter of Jack and Jill of America. Jack and Jill is a National leadership organization for mothers and their children that instills the importance of service to others in our children.  

While I see work as personally fun and an endurance sport, I am also an avid Peloton rider. I also love traveling, visiting the beach, and spending time with my husband, two boys, family, and close friends. My husband Marlon and I moved to Tucson 15 years ago to start his Endocrine surgery medical practice, and we can’t imagine living anywhere else. We have two beautiful sons, Elias and Cristian, ages 15 and 13, who attend Salpointe Catholic High School and Orange Grove Middle School. 

I have been a Vantage West member for more than eighteen years and have had the honor of serving on the Vantage West Board of Directors since 2018. I am seeking re-election to continue to serve the Vantage West membership.  

I am an attorney with over twenty years’ experience working in both public and private sectors. Currently, I am employed as the Director of Labor Relations in the public sector where I serve as the Chief Negotiator, EEO/Title IX Compliance Officer and Administrative Hearing Officer. 

As a current board member, I have been afforded the opportunity to witness the commitments Vantage West has made to ensure the membership is provided with the utmost financial care, stability and innovation, with a particular focus of investing in people today to achieve a more prosperous future. My prior experience has provided me the opportunity to understand what collective decisions need to be made to move an organization forward.  

I previously served on the Arizona Supreme Court Committee on Character & Fitness and volunteered as both a mediator and arbitrator while in private practice. Here, I was tasked with weighing ethical considerations to ensure the public was not at risk and decisions were made in the public’s best interests. If re-elected, I would take the same care in making decisions which affect the Vantage West membership.  

In addition to my involvement with Vantage West, I serve as President of the University of Arizona Law College Association and am a Director on the Education Enrichment Foundation Board. My previous community involvement includes Child & Family Resources, UA Hispanic Alumni, Pima County Bar Association and various others. I commend Vantage West for the commitments made to the community through service, outreach and education. 

When not working, you can find me watching college basketball and teaching at Academia de Baile, a local non-profit dance school. It would be a privilege to continue to serve and I thank you for your consideration. 

Since 2023, I have served as an Associate Board Member at Vantage West Credit Union. My extensive experience in public service and my unwavering passion for community engagement make me well-suited to continue contributing to Vantage West’s mission as a Board member. I bring over two decades of dedicated public service in K-12 education and nonprofit leadership across Southern Arizona. I currently serve as the Chief Financial Officer for Tucson Unified School District, overseeing financial operations for one of the largest school districts in the state.

As a native of Nogales, Arizona, I have spent my entire life in Southern Arizona. I am a proud graduate of the University of Arizona, where I earned a double major in Political Science and Spanish with a Literature Concentration. Later, I earned a Master’s degree in Public Management from Northern Arizona University, graduating with distinction. My professional credentials include certification as a Certified Administrator of School Finance and Operations from the Association of School Business Officials International and recognition as a Certified Public Manager from Arizona State University’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions. 

Prior to my current role, I served as Assistant Vice President at the University of Arizona Foundation and Chief Operating Officer of the University of Arizona Alumni Association. There, I played a key role in successfully merging the two organizations, demonstrating my expertise in strategic leadership and financial management. Earlier in my career, I spent nearly a decade serving Pima County students as Deputy County School Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer for the Pima County School Superintendent’s Office, where I managed over $1 billion in assets across 15 school districts. 

Beyond my professional work, I have been an active leader in the Tucson and Pima County communities. I was appointed by the City of Tucson as a parent representative on the Metropolitan Education Commission and have served with grassroots organizations such as Ben’s Bells, the Educational Enrichment Foundation, St. Michael’s and All Angels School, and the University of Arizona Hispanic Alumni Club. I am a past president of the Arizona Association of School Business Officials and a Flinn-Brown Fellow with the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership.  

I live in Sahuarita with my wife, our two sons, and our two dogs. 

I’ve been a member of Vantage West Credit Union for 14 years, and during that time, I’ve consistently seen how this organization goes beyond traditional banking to invest in our local families and businesses. Unlike big banks focused on maximizing shareholder value, Vantage West channels its resources right back into southern Arizona, helping small businesses thrive and ensuring our neighbors have the financial support they need. I’m running for a seat on the Board of Directors because I believe in this local-first model—and I’m eager to contribute my leadership and financial experience to keep our credit union growing. 

I’ve served on the Boards of Visit Tucson, the Downtown Tucson Partnership, the Tucson Waldorf School, and the Arizona Craft Brewer’s Guild, often with roles focused on finance. Currently, I’m the Treasurer for the City of Tucson’s Industrial Development Authority, an economic development agency that provides strategic financing and partnerships to advance affordable housing in southern Arizona.  

My two biggest priorities as a Director are small-business lending and furthering financial literacy, both of which Vantage West already excels at! As Managing Partner of Ten 55 Brewing Company and now Chief Operations Officer at Pueblo Vida Brewing Company, I’ve experienced firsthand the challenges many local entrepreneurs face—supply chain issues, labor shortages, and limited access to capital. Through my work with Startup Tucson, I’ve also mentored small businesses in the food and beverage sector who confront these same hurdles. Because of its deep community ties, Vantage West can see the value our small businesses create, recognizing potential where big banks see only uncertainty, the role credit unions play in small business lending has never been more important! During my time in the Marine Corps, I saw how little financial education was available to junior Marines, so I appreciate Vantage West’s emphasis on financial wellness programs that empower members to make informed decisions. 

I would be honored to earn your vote!