About Us
We are curious lifelong learners that are convinced that everyone needs opportunities to explore interests and also get a better understanding of career paths in the current circumstances and job market. For us, career means a world of possibilities outside and inside college and university degrees.
Founder and Executive Director
Mariana Herring
Mariana is passionate about education as a multidimensional experience that allows us to make sense of the world. She holds a PhD in Spanish and Portuguese and is a current master’s student in Educational Psychology at the University of New Mexico.
Mariana was born and raised in Colombia to parents that always encouraged curiosity and the love of learning. That curiosity and flexibility guided her through the academic and the world-of-work in unexpected ways. Besides teaching Spanish literature at the high school and university levels in Colombia and Brazil, Mariana worked in clinical research in the areas of Epidemiology and Cancer and held administrative roles in international intergovernmental organizations and in the non-profit sector.
Through her latest experience as a Senior Program Manager at Project ECHO, a non-profit closely affiliated with the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mariana was able to participate in the daily operations of this type of organization and lead a tight-knit team that oversaw exponential growth of the partner network in Latin American countries. With this understanding and perspective on non-profits, she is committed to ensuring that students in middle-school receive the guidance, knowledge and opportunities that will allow them to thrive in their future. Her guiding philosophy is that everyone at this phase should be able to access resources, mentoring and hands-on experiences that further a positive, confident and fulfilling career choice.
Member of the Board of Directors and Director of Operations
Mark Cisneros
Mark Cisneros received his PhD in Hispanic Linguistics from the University of New Mexico in 2022. He has worked as a research assistant and Spanish instructor in the Spanish and Portuguese Department at UNM and in the Department of Writing and Language Studies at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He has experience working at the post-secondary level teaching beginning, intermediate and advanced-level Spanish language courses, including courses in Hispanic linguistics and Spanish in the U.S.
Member of the Board of Directors and Program Director
Joely Teasdale
Joely is enthusiastic about education and committed to improve the students’ experience in order to be successful with their academics. As a former Spanish Teacher in New Mexico, she is still involved with the educational system as a Substitute for Richmond County in Georgia.
Joely was born and raised in Tamaulipas, Mexico; then moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, during High School. She went to the University of New Mexico, where she earned a B.A. Degree with a double major in Psychology and Spanish, and eventually two M.A. Degrees in Spanish Literature and Latin American Studies, with components of linguistics and teaching. After completing her studies, she worked for two years as a 4th grade Spanish/Bilingual teacher at New Mexico International School. She also worked as Long-Term Spanish Teacher Substitute for 4 months at Amy Biehl Charter High School in New Mexico before moving to Augusta, Georgia. Currently, she is working as a Substitute Teacher for Richmond County (Georgia), where she has had the opportunity to interact with students of different schools and grade levels in the area. These interactions with different school systems motivated Joely to commit to the philosophy that all students should have an educational experience that fits their needs and helps them be successful in their academic paths or their future work goals.