March, 2022

CEO's Message

Years ago, after obtaining an AA degree by the age of 18, marrying, having a child and later divorcing, I felt the best thing I could do was to return to obtain my BS. My ultimate plan was to pursue a Law Degree once I completed my Bachelors in Political Science. I needed electives and thought I would take a class in Women’s Studies. Little did I know what an impact it would make on my life and my career. My internship at a Domestic Violence Shelter, followed later by a position as a Trainer for a women’s organization completely changed my career path, guiding me to various positions in government and academia. Ultimately, my experiences, education and work became the catalyst to realize my dream of developing a nonprofit designed to create change for young people thru a unique college preparation program. This journey has provided opportunities to work, meet and create life-long friendships with some awesome women who continue to nurture my mind, heart and soul. Truly, I am blessed, but more importantly, I have been honored to meet and to witness the transformation of young girls who have become incredible women. In honor of Women’s Herstory Month, this Special Edition of El Grito honors THESE women who are making HERstory now.

Here they are......Amazing AGUILA Women making HERstory!

Diane Delgado

Work/Title: Health Sciences Safety Specialist – National Institutes of Health

School/Major: Wartburg College - BA/Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology and German

Advice to Young women: Fight for what you want. Times get hard, you may be filled with doubt from time to time, but keep pushing through. You are stronger than you know. Focus on yourself – your dreams, your goals, your mental health – put in the work and everything else will fall into place.

Bio: I am a first-generation Latina originally from Phoenix, Arizona. My favorite part about my undergraduate career was studying abroad in Germany twice and participating in animal behavior research. After graduating from Wartburg, I relocated to the greater Washington DC area and began working for the National Institutes of Health in March 2019. While at the NIH, I have been able to grow as a Biosafety Professional and have the amazing opportunity to work with scientists performing ground-breaking research on

Alma Diaz

Work/Title: Microsoft/Product Marketing Manager

School/Major: Arizona State University - BA/Interdisciplinary Studies w/Minor in Transborder Chicano(a) Studies

Advice to Young Women: How you spend your time is incredibly important. Sometimes we go-go-go, constantly pushing hard for what we want to accomplish, that our time gets absorbed in just that. Don’t be afraid to diversify and to be purposeful with your time. Have the courage to try new things, to take chances, to recharge, to be with loved ones. One day you’ll look back and realize how impactful these moments and lessons were to who you grew to be. Trust that your big goals and aspirations will come—all in due time!

Bio: Hola! My name is Alma—I am a first-generation Mexican American born and raised in Phoenix, AZ. I attended Arizona State University and upon graduating, had careers in marketing and community outreach. I am now in product marketing and am incredibly grateful to live in Phoenix (close to family) and work in a career that I love. Although I heart my home state, I also love to travel and have had wonderful experiences traveling abroad to culturally enriching places!

Analyssa Flores

Work/Title: AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute/Program Coordinator/Academy

School/Major: Grand Canyon University BA/Mathematics/Secondary Education, December, 2022

Advice to Young Women: Carry yourself with the best attitude and confidence. The best accessory you can have begins with you and your positive attitude.

Hola a todos! I am Analyssa Flores, a proud Latina of the person I have become and where I come from. As a proud Mexican woman and being first-generation here in the United States, I love having a blend of both cultures. I am a current student at Grand Canyon University in pursuit of my Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics in Secondary Education. I am a firm believer that teaching is the most important and influential job and am proud to soon be in my own classroom. I am an AGUILA Alumni from the 2018 cohort but have actually been involved with AGUILA since 2013 when AGUILA Alumnus, Ramon Carranza, my teacher and mentor helped to develop AYAP (AGUILA Young Achievers Program) at my middle school and have been involved ever since. AYAP evolved into the current AGUILA Academy where I am privileged to follow my mentor’s lead as the Academy Program Coordinator.

Crisel Gomez

Work/Title: Vice President of Institutional Commercial Real Estate at TD Bank 

School/Major: Saint Mary’s College/Notre Dame BA/(Double Major) Economics/Political Science 

Advice to Young Women: Apply to out of state colleges as they might provide even more aid than in-state institutions and going away for college forces you out of your comfort zone which is crucial for personal growth. Secondly, I urge young people to begin applying for summer internships their sophomore year of college. It’s hard to land an entry level job with no internship experience even if you have a very high GPA. Seek out professional clubs that connect students to internship opportunities. 

Bio: Crisel Casillas Gomez is currently a Vice President at TD Bank in the Institutional Commercial Real Estate group. Formerly, Crisel was Assistant Vice President at Citi Community Capital, the community lending and investing group of Citibank. In this role, Crisel facilitated over $993 million in real estate debt financing through public-private partnerships including federal and state tax credits to finance the acquisition, new construction, and preservation of over 3,360 units of affordable and mixed-income housing across the U.S. (including Arizona) for families, seniors, veterans and the formerly homeless. Prior to Citi, Crisel was the Asset Management and Strategic Lending Senior Analyst at National Community Investment Fund, and was responsible for asset management of NCIF’s portfolio of New Market Tax Credit projects. Prior to joining NCIF, Crisel was an Associate Business Analyst at Capital One Financial Corp, where she focused on commercial credit risk management and monitored credit, financial, and qualitative performance of a $94 Billion portfolio. In 2017, Crisel was chosen as a Global Shaper as part of the World Economic Forum for exceptional young professionals. Crisel was born in Mexico, grew up Arizona, and currently resides in New York City and Massachusetts. Part of the 2009 Aguila cohort, Crisel holds a Bachelor of Arts (double major) in Economics and Political Science from Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame. 

Jaclyn Juarez

Work/Title: Pharmacy Intern in Population Health Pharmacy at Banner Health

School/Major: Arizona State University - BA/Biochemistry

University of Arizona - Doctorate of Pharmacy - expected May, 2023

Advice to Young Women: Never doubt yourself, your intellect, your abilities, or your power. Trust your craziest, most out of reach dreams and work tirelessly until they become reality.

Bio: Jaclyn Juarez was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She attended Boulder Creek High School in Anthem, Arizona and it was there where she developed a passion for science and medicine. She went on to study at Arizona State University where she received a Bachelor’s of Art in Biochemistry in 2018. She was a member of Aguila and graduated the program in 2014. It was during one of the monthly sessions where she was introduced to the career of pharmacy by a pharmacist named Christine Aguilar. Since then she realized her passion for helping others through medication and hasn’t turned back since. She is currently in her 3rd year of pharmacy school and is expected to graduate in 2023 with a Doctorate in Pharmacy. She currently works for Banner Health in their Population Health Department helping patients overcome barriers to taking their medications but also has experience in retail pharmacy at CVS. Her plans are to complete a 2-year residency after graduation and become a clinical hospital pharmacist. Jaclyn wants to thank Aguila and Mrs. H for helping her realize her true direction in life and wants to help guide others with similar passions.

Ana Licona

Work/Title: Broadband Equity Partnership/Analyst

School/Major: Arizona State University - BA/Global Studies & BS/Sociology 

Princeton University - Public Policy and International Affairs Program 

University of California/Berkeley Masters/Public Policy 

Advice to Young Women: Find your mentors! As a first-gen student and daughter of immigrants, I have always asked for help in navigating institutional systems. You are not alone and you should feel empowered to ask for help, always. I would not be here without my mentors and support systems like my Aguila Familia! And do not forget to give back!

Bio: Ana is a leader in the Broadband Equity Partnership where she supports projects working to provide effective, efficient, and equitable broadband. Before joining HR&A, she worked in the Office of Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves with the California Public Utilities Commission, analyzing broadband access and the digital divide highlighted by COVID-19. Ana began her career working with the Obama White House Office of Presidential Personnel where she led leadership and professional development programs for over 3,000 political appointees. Since then, Ana has bridged advocacy efforts with government support on local, state, and federal levels. She has supported research on various policy issues in her capacity at the Arizona State Senate, the City of Oakland, and the California State Assembly Committee on Budget.

Lisa Matthews

Work/Title: Entrepreneur/Private Business and soon to be Mamma of three. Former Arizona Cardinals team reporter/ producer 2014-2021

School/Major: Arizona State University/Walter Cronkite School of Journalism - BA/Mass Communications

Advice to Young Women: Always remember your worth and the value you have when you walk into a room or opportunity! 

Bio: Lisa Charisse (Blanco) Matthews is an Emmy-Award winning reporter formerly with the Arizona Cardinals Football Club, where she provided exclusive content across all social platforms, TV, and the official website AZCardinals.com. Outside of the NFL, she also worked for regional Fox Sports Arizona and was hired upon graduating from Arizona State’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2012. Sports has been a mainstay in Matthews’s life from an early age, as she grew up a fan of all the local professional teams as well as ASU, and learned her trade via college opportunities with ABC-15 Sports, Univision, Fox Sports Arizona and Rivals.com/Yahoo Sports’ ASU affiliate. She has always had a passion in mentoring and building up the next generation of leaders! This has now manifested in starting her own business and building a large team of women in business! During her free time Lisa enjoys dancing, and time with her growing family!

Mabel Munoz

Work/Title: Becton Dickinson (BD)/Senior Regulatory Affairs Specialist

School/Major: Gateway Community College - AA/Science

Arizona State University - BS/Biomedical Engineering

Advice to Young Women:  Looking back at my college experiences and lack of, I would say that the main advice I would give is don’t be afraid to explore. College is about exploring. Explore new clubs, don’t be afraid to change majors, take traveling opportunities, network and live your best years. Although grades are important, your employer will also value your experiences. 

Bio:  I am a at one of the top medical device companies in the world, Becton Dickinson (BD). I feel like I have the coolest job. First, let me explain a little bit about what someone in the Regulatory Affairs field does. Regulatory Affairs in the medical field is like a combination of being a lawyer and an engineer. We must understand the technical aspects of medical devices and regulations in countries to be able to help obtain a medical device approval in a specific country. I am in charge of getting medical products approved in Latin America. I work with our local engineers here in the US to learn about the products and put together reports to present to my coworkers in Latin America. I work with Latin American teams to understand the local country regulations and strategize to submit the best possible application to the country’s ministry of health to review and approve the medical devices. It is an amazing feeling every time that we get a medical device approved in any country because it is a device that will help someone’s quality of life. Another cool thing about my job is that we get to travel to other countries and conferences. I love learning about different cultures and talking to coworkers from all over the world.

Alexa Salas

Work/Title: Student/University of Pennsylvania Carey School of Law (2L)

School/Major: University of Pennsylvania - BA/Urban Studies

University of Pennsylvania - Carey School of Law - JD expected May, 2023

Advice to Young Women:  As Latinas, we are expected to show up for our families, our community, our friends, and our romantic partners. Maintaining these relationships is essential, and something that I have learned to balance along with my own educational and career aspirations. My family is my primary source of inspiration for pursuing a career in public service and public interest law. I have made many difficult decisions in pursuit of these goals—among them, leaving home to attend college in a different state and living far away from my family. While these decisions have not been easy, being transparent with my family about my needs, desires, and decision-making has allowed them to support me, unconditionally, every step of the way. My advice to young women, and particularly first-generation women of color, is that you can simultaneously work towards your goals and keep your family—and loved ones—close. The process may be difficult at times, but if you know, deep down, that your goals and dreams may not perfectly align with others’ expectations of you, know that is okay. Your family and loved ones will, eventually, understand and respect your decision to do what is best for you. In fact, the change can lead to growth for everyone involved. 

Bio:  I grew up in Glendale, Arizona, and as a Mexican-American, first-generation college student, I am a proud member of the AGUILA 2013 Cohort. Prior to law school, I worked at Puentes de Salud, an immigrant-serving organization in Philadelphia. At Puentes, I co-founded Lanzando Líderes, an after-school leadership development program for high school students in the community. Now, as a student at Penn Law, I serve as co-president of the Latin American Law Student Association, as a board member of the Penn Law Immigrant Rights Project, and as a member of the Student Advisory Board for Equity and Inclusion. In these roles, I aim to foster an inclusive community within the law school and to develop equitable partnerships and engagement with our surrounding communities. After law school, I look forward to working in a public interest role that allows me to use my legal training to further equitable legal and policy change.  

Ingrid Tay

Work/Title: Microchip Technology Inc./Technical Training Manager 

School/Major: Arizona State University - BS/Mechanical Engineering

Grand Canyon University - Master of Business Administration

Advice to Young Women:  Set clear goals for yourself and do what it takes to achieve them. Be brave and don’t get discouraged if you don’t obtain what you want on the first try. When things don’t go as planned or don’t come out as you expected, it’s ok, use that as a stepping stone that will get you closer to your end goal. Figure out what you like doing and do what it takes to become very good at it. I would also tell myself to not be afraid to ask for help when needed because of the fear of embarrassment. We should embrace mistakes as learning opportunities. Doing the work (and sometimes making mistakes) is how you start gaining experience; be willing to change your ways and learn from others. In addition, do not be shy and start talking to people you look up to. Ask about what they’ve done to get where they are so you could get an idea of what it takes to earn those positions you seek. Never stop learning; things are always changing and there is always something new you’ll have to understand so you don’t get left behind. Help others whenever possible. Be true to yourself, always

Bio: Ingrid Tay was part of the 2008 AGUILA cohort. She attended Carl Hayden High School where she was involved in numerous clubs including the National Honors Society and the Falcon Robotics Team. She was part of the team that presented in front of a panel of judges and helped win the most prestigious award in the Worldwide FIRST Robotics Competition, the Chairman’s Award. She graduated salutatorian of her class and received enough funding through scholarships to attend Arizona State University. While at ASU she continued to be involved in student organizations including Tau Beta Pi, The Engineering Honor Society, STEP Multicultural Honor Society, Society of Women Engineers, and the Society of Hispanic Engineers among others. She received her BS in Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) with Magna Cum Laude honors. In 2013 she co-founded Building Dreams, an organization that introduces children to robotics and engineering. Ingrid along with the children of the Building Dreams program were featured in the Underwater Dreams documentary that received national attention. She continues to be involved in her community and frequently volunteers at various robotics competitions throughout the state including the South Mountain Tournament Director for the FIRST Lego League in Arizona where she was in charge of putting together a one-day robotics event for about 32 robotics teams for children in grades 4 through 8. During the pandemic, she spent her free time helping develop a curriculum for an adult ESL school to transition to online learning. She now works at Microchip Technology Incorporated and is in charge of the team that helps bridge the gap between engineering and sales. 

Cristina Villa

Work/Title: US Department of the Interior, Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs/Advisor

School/Major: Arizona State University - BS/Criminal Justice and Criminology.

Advice to Young Women:  Unapologetically own your space. You're already enough and deserve the places you've worked hard to earn and be in.  

Bio: Cristina Villa is currently serving as an Advisor in the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affair at 

the Department of the Interior. Previously, she served eight years as Senior Executive Assistant to Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources in the U.S. House of Representatives. In her dual role between the Congressman’s office and the Natural Resources Committee, Cristina organized and collaborated with two distinct teams, coordinating local and national stakeholder meetings and special events. Prior to working in Congress, Cristina completed an AmeriCorps service term with over 1,000 service hours. A Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) alumni and bilingual professional originally from Nogales, Arizona.

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