Valerie Gomez, M.S.

Valerie Gomez is the granddaughter and daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, a first-generation college graduate, and a PhD candidate in education studies at the University of California, San Diego. Her research examines how race, ethnicity, gender, and immigration status shape the academic trajectories and experiences of Latina/o/x students in higher education. She is a CSU Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program (CDIP) Fellow, Strategic Enhancement of Excellence through Diversity (SEED) Fellow, UC President’s Pre-Professoriate Fellow, and she is one of the Cheetos Deja Tu Huella Ambassadors.

Valerie is also the visionary behind Latina Grad Guide, a pioneering social impact venture fostering a supportive community for Latinas in higher education. Valerie began her academic trajectory at Cerritos College and earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from UCLA and a master’s degree in counseling with an option in student development in higher education from CSULB. She believes that education has the power to transform individual lives and communities