As LEAF's Senior Director of Programs, Veronica leads and supports the programs that help scholars and families reach their educational goals. She earned her bachelor's degree in Spanish and Sociology from Loyola Marymount University and her Master of Social Work from Fordham University, with a focus on leadership and macro practice. With 15 years of nonprofit leadership, she is passionate about educational equity and expanding access for first-generation students from low-income backgrounds who have the talent but not always the resources to succeed.

At LEAF, Veronica draws on deep experience in team leadership, program scaling, and cross-sector partnership, built most recently at a college persistence organization where she led advising, career readiness, and curriculum teams through significant growth. She is equally committed to developing emerging leaders and managers, building inclusive and supportive spaces where teams can thrive while doing challenging, purpose-driven work.