As a Career Exploration & Discovery Program Coordinator at LEAF, Ray is passionate about bridging the gap between childhood dreams and adult realities by nurturing the growth mindset of 1st-generation professionals.

A proud continuation school graduate and 2-time community college dropout, he draws from lived experience of success through failure; often overlooked for opportunities because of a low technical skill set. Hope being his greatest strength, he pushed through social systemic barriers and found himself participating in the first and only internship that earned him a full-time extension at one of the biggest tech companies in the world.

Holding a B.A. in Latina/o Studies with a minor in Race & Resistance from San Francisco State University, Ray approaches his work through the critical lens that economic mobility is a foundational step for healthy societal development. He reimagines a professional world where people can show up authentically, with reciprocal relationships rooted in trust, relatability, and a shared responsibility for a collective impact.