David Arceo is a graduate from UCSD, with a Master of Teaching with Technology from Grand Canyon University. He has been a math teacher for the last 28 years at Imperial Unified School District and serves as the Coach of Imperial High School TigerBotics. His main goal is to provide students with the chance to develop important life skills such as problem solving, leadership, teamwork, and communication.

Erick Arceo is an Electrical Engineering student at UC San Diego. He serves as the Coach and Lead Mentor of TigerBotics, where he provides guidance and leadership across various disciplines, fostering the growth and development of team members. Erick is also an intern at Total Industries, where he is gaining hands-on experience with high-end CNC machinery, enhancing his technical expertise and industry knowledge.

Veronica Atondo, PE, PLS, is the County Surveyor and Deputy Director of Public Works-Engineering for the Imperial County Public Works Department. She holds a Professional Civil Engineer and Professional Land Surveyor license in California and has a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from San Diego State University. With over 20 years of experience, she oversees the design and construction of County transportation projects, leading a team in planning and organizing engineering operations. Veronica has worked for the Imperial County for 13 years and was previously the City Engineer for Calexico. She values education and hard work, driven by a passion for civil engineering and public service.

Glenna Barrett is a highly organized and focused professional, skilled in executing complex projects both independently and as a vital team member. She excels in client and employee communications, report preparation, program analysis, and development. Glenna is cost-conscious, safety-oriented, and empathetic, showcasing her strong communication and exceptional interpersonal skills that foster rapport with individuals at all levels. With a solid professional demeanor, a strong work ethic, and pride in her personal achievements, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, concentrating on Management, along with minors in Economics and Leadership, in December 2000 from Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA. In 2000, Glenna founded Barrett Enterprises, which later evolved into Barrett Biological Enterprises, Inc. (BBE) in 2018.

Marie Barrett has operated Barrett’s Biological Surveys since 1995 and holds a B.S. in Agricultural Biology and an M.S. from the University of Arizona. With over 30 years in agriculture and biology, she specializes in surveys for various species and environmental assessments. Barrett has worked with agencies like the USFWS and CDFW and has volunteered for local owl surveys. She co-developed a manual for artificial burrowing owl installations and coordinated the Salton Sea International Bird Festival for seven years. In June 2023, she was featured in an episode of Extraordinary Birder on NatGeo Wild.

Giovanna, inspired by her volunteer service and family contributions, aimed to join the Army to help others. She graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 2013 with a degree in Engineering Psychology and became the first female organic to an infantry unit, leading medical operations. Her military experience taught her about resource allocation and medical training in challenging environments. She served as a medical officer and competed in the 2016 Olympic Trials, demonstrating the resilience of Army athletes.

Graduating in 2022 from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University with a focus on Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, she is now pursuing a PhD in Systems Engineering. Giovanna aims to enhance equipment and processes to improve human capabilities and prevent injuries, currently developing a vibrotactile navigation system for the blind, divers, and astronauts. She is also a Pathways Intern at NASA Armstrong Research Center, gaining experience in Systems Engineering, Aerostructures, and Operations Engineering.

Dr. Jeffrey Chan is a Doctor of Nursing Practice, with a masters in both biology and nursing. He is also a nurse practitioner, professor and businessman. He is the owner and president of the first and only private nursing school in the valley- Honor Health Sciences and founder of the only local home health agency­Healthpeak Home Health. Jeffrey Chan's passion is to teach and mentor students that are interested to be in the nursing and medical fields. His vision and mission is to educate future health care professionals by teaching the importance of medical knowledge skills while providing high- quality care. 

Natalie Erickson graduated from Imperial High School in 1985 and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1991 with a Bachelor's in Business (Finance and Real Estate). She holds California Real Estate Broker and Contractor licenses. Starting her career in 1991 at Castillo Construction Company, Inc., she served as Vice President until 2022, expanding operations to include real estate development.

Her specializations included:

• Owner projects: securing financing, negotiating leases, overseeing construction, and working with real estate brokers.

• Customer projects: negotiating contracts, managing materials, maintaining customer relations, and overseeing construction.

• Corporate affairs: managing finances, accounting, and marketing.

Now retired, she manages a portfolio of residential and commercial properties part-time.

Rose Fiorenza is an Imperial Valley native, and grew up in Calipatria. She studied marine biology at UC San Diego, where she got both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. During her undergrad, she worked for the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla where she educated guests on the San Diego tidepools and the creatures that live there. Her master’s research was in the cellular development of sea slugs, but she also studied a variety of different marine animals and plants in San Diego, Baja California, and Washington. During her master’s, she became interested in molecular biology and understanding how nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) form the basis of life. She now works as a researcher for Roche, designing diagnostics tests for the rapid detection of pathogens.

Gabriela Frank is an architectural designer working in Higher Education, with interests in Sustainability and DEI in the design space. She is an Associate and Project Designer at DLR Group, a fully integrated design firm with offices across the United States and is the current Office Design Lead for the Riverside California office. Gabriela believes that design and the built environment can create spaces that benefit both the end users, society and the environment.   

Ms. Annette Leon is the co-owner of Dubose Design Group, Inc. in El Centro, CA, specializing in planning, project management, and design. With extensive experience in the development industry, she excels in design research, land use planning, and environmental planning. Ms. Leon holds a Master's in Urban and Regional Planning focused on Housing and Community Development and a Bachelor's in Landscape Architecture. Her expertise lies in Imperial County and the California-Mexico border, with numerous successful projects in the region. She has conducted notable academic research and is recognized as a National Award Winner and 2013 Fellowship Fund Scholar from Cal Poly.

Julie Nasser grew up in a suburb of San Diego, California. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Northern Arizona University, an Archaeological Field Technician Certificate from Palomar College, and a Master of Arts in Anthropology (specializing in Archaeology) from New Mexico State University. Julie has done archaeological work at a Roman town in Austria, a 19th century rancho in California, and a 14th century pueblo in New Mexico. She previously worked as an archaeology research assistant in a partnership with White Sands National Park in New Mexico, and currently she works as the Archaeologist for the Bureau of Land Management’s El Centro field office. 

Blanca Ramirez is a graduate of Imperial High School, where she excelled as the Lead Programmer and Electrical Specialist for TigerBotics. She is currently pursuing dual degrees in Electronic Cybernetics Engineering at CETYS Mexicali and a Bachelor of Arts in Management at City University of Seattle. Blanca is passionate about electrical design and driving innovation in the tech industry.

Carmen Rene is the CFO of EnergySource Minerals, bringing over 30 years of diverse experience. Her background includes roles at KPMG, Life Technologies, SOLVD Health, and Bose Corporation, where she focused on compliance and financial management. At NRG Energy Inc., she oversaw the renewable energy division's accounting. Currently, she aims to build financial systems for the Direct Lithium Extraction market. Carmen is dedicated to mentoring and developing the financial skills of executives and team members, fostering collaboration across departments.

Brittany Saiza is a dedicated community leader and peace officer focused on positive change. As a Trustee on the Calipatria Unified School Board, she advocates for local students and serves as President of the Calipatria Chamber of Commerce, while also holding secretarial roles in local youth sports organizations. Brittany is known for her active involvement in community events, striving for a brighter future for those in need. Additionally, she owns two businesses: 8th & Main Market Place and Soy Candle & Company in Calipatira, CA, where she handcrafts soy candles that promote mental health awareness. Her candle-making began as art

Dr. Silvia J. Santos is a Professor of Psychology and the Co-Director of the Psychology Master’s Program at CSU, Dominguez Hills. She earned a Ph.D. in Social and Personality Psychology from the University of California, Riverside.  Her research interests and publications have centered on ethnic minority and Latino immigrant mental health, ethnic health disparities,  and the role of faculty mentoring and ethnic identity processes on the academic and college adjustment of students.  Dr. Santos has served as a faculty mentor on various undergraduate research programs. Her most rewarding accomplishment as a university professor has been the opportunity to mentor underrepresented ethnic minority students in research and facilitate their entry into doctoral programs. 

Tammy has extensive experience in molecular diagnostics and medical devices, specializing in DNA amplification for infectious diseases. She worked as a Research Associate at Nanogen, Inc. on a project for the National Institute of Justice, extracting DNA for biomarker creation. At Gen-Probe, Inc. (now Hologic), she transitioned from research to operations, focusing on product investigations for various diseases. At The Binding Site, she advanced to Supervisor of Technical Support within 8 months.

Her last role was at Cue Health, where she contributed to the development of the first at-home PCR test for COVID-19 and Monkeypox, eventually becoming Customer Service Manager for a large team. Leveraging her science expertise, Tammy now owns Leadership Learners, helping organizations train managers in communication and leadership skills.

Sheyla Valencia is an illustrator and advocate for sustainability and animal conservation. She co-created, Illustrated and translated Chiquita the Vaquita, a bilingual children's book about the critically endangered Vaquita porpoise. She collaborates with the National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF) by designing fun educational activity sheets that teach kids and teens about marine life through art. 

David is a Special Agent with NASA's Office of Inspector General at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA. He has co-authored and contributed to numerous astrophysics publications detailing exoplanet discoveries. David is a "profiler" certified by the FBI.