I am a Miami native with over 10 years of experience in education, primarily as a middle school English teacher. Witnessing the significant impact that reading gaps had on student learning outcomes, I was driven to found Uplift Literacy. Throughout my career, I developed an English credit-recovery curriculum, served as a Tier II School Liaison with the Middle School Matters Institute, and contributed as a grant reviewer for the Texas Education Agency Public Charter School Start-Up Program. Additionally, I served on the board of Lone Star Scholars, a foundation dedicated to providing quality education in underserved Dallas neighborhoods and on the board of The STARS Foundation, a nonprofit supporting private schools that offer education to low-income families and specialized instruction for children with autism. I am dedicated to maximizing lifelong success for children by improving their reading proficiency—whether in the classroom, at home, or within their communities—because I believe that literacy is the key to unlocking a brighter future for every child.