Catalina was born and raised in Fresno, CA and graduated from UC Merced in Spring 2025 with her B.A. in Critical Race Theory and Ethnic Studies. She plans on pursuing her Masters in Public Administration at Fresno State in Spring of 2026.
Catalina has been involved in non-profit organizations since she turned 18 and has always advocated for Youth in her community. Both on a professional and personal level Catalina has always believed that youth should be empowered to pursue their dreams and have the same resources and opportunities as others to achieve them.
At yli, Catalina is a Program Assistant for Redefining Equity and Access Program (REP 559). In this role, she works on the leadership development of 15-25 Fresno County youth and supports them in developing long lasting community and policy change. She assists in developing their communication and policy knowledge skills while connecting them with partners and events where they can advocate for youth and community issues.