Scarlett K.

I completed my BA in Communications from the University of Texas at San Antonio and am currently pursuing my MA in Organizational Management and Leadership online at The University of Arizona. I know firsthand how difficult it can be to navigate life's challenges while pursuing an education. I was drawn to The Mentoring Project because I overcame personal hardship and challenges while obtaining my undergraduate degree. After reading The Mentoring Project's vision, I thought about how much a difference this kind of support could have made for me and knew I wanted to be a part of it. I'm excited to be a mentor for this program and am looking forward to supporting others through their educational journey.

Ariel G.

“Be the change you want to see in the world" - Gandhi.

This quote is a good summarization of what I feel motivates me to be a mentor. I have been a mentee and so I know what it feels like. I know what it feels like to ask for help, what it feels like to fail and what it feels like to succeed. I owe much of my success to my mentors in my life. The themes between all my mentors were the following - Hard Work, Observation, Understanding Yourself and a little bit of luck. I earned my degree through hard work. I learned through experience to observe what I did or did not like about my career path. I used the understanding of myself to guide my growth as a person. I consider myself lucky as to what I do and where I work. I was born in Nicaragua in Central America. I am also a refugee from Nicaragua. My family left during a civil war and we emigrated to the United States. I grew up in California up until my teenage years and then moved to Washington State. I earned my citizenship in 2007. I earned my BS at Central Washington University in 2016 in Supply Chain Management. I currently work as a Program Manager for Facebook. I seek to lead myself before I hope to inspire others. I strive for mentees to be included in the process of development and not just inform of the changes needed. I am especially motivated to help those who want to help themselves.

Carrie M.

My name is Carrie, and I have a BA in Political Science from the University of Iowa and a Graduate Certificate in Technical Communication from Minnesota State University Mankato. I am currently a Benefits Analyst in the field of pension administration, but I am also pursuing a MA in Social Work with the ultimate goal of being a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I regularly volunteer as a Crisis Counselor for Crisis Text Line, and I am experienced in guiding people through crisis situations and engaging in collaborative problem solving. I am passionate about mental health, social justice, and empowering people to reach their goals. I am excited about getting involved with The Mentoring Project. As someone who has struggled with ADHD, I know how challenging it can be to navigate the educational system and stay motivated despite the roadblocks life puts up. Having someone on your side who can offer support and guidance during the difficult task of earning a degree is invaluable. I am looking forward to working together.

Diana S.

Hi, my name is Diana, and I am from Los Angeles, CA. I am Latina and the first in my family to graduate college. Coming from a childhood that was filled with socioeconomic disadvantages set me up for quite a journey of getting through college that was at times daunting. I learned that in reaching out for support, the guidance offered allowed me to find my talents and strengths to stay disciplined and understand myself more to overcome obstacles to finish college. I hold a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and obtained a master’s degree in quality assurance studies for service and healthcare programs. My career has involved being in the healthcare and social services industries with positions ranging from corporate companies to non-profit organizations. My work in providing social services for individuals in extreme need has reminded me daily how important it is to provide guidance to others just as I was guided during times when I failed or needed extra support along the way. I am looking forward to joining the Mentoring Project in being able to help with navigation of breaking down barriers on the journey to growth and overcoming struggles. While academic experiences are important to focus on, I also want to support people holistically, not neglect backgrounds and be able to share what I have learned in and outside of college. I want to remind people in college that they are a person first and a student second and to treat themselves in this manner to ensure better performance in school and enhanced success in life.

Kathleen K.

My name is Kathleen and I am a super Washingtonian! Born and raised from Seattle, WA, my educational journey started as a transfer student from getting my AS at South Seattle College (SSC) to my Bachelor's of Science in Materials Science and Engineering at UW-Seattle. This has led me towards the next step in my career path where I am currently working as a Manufacturing and Quality Engineer within the Aerospace & Electronics industry. From there, I am also continuing my education towards a Masters in Human Factors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The whole motto from SSC has always been "Start Here, Go Anywhere!" and I still repeat that mantra. I don't compromise myself to fit into the engineering world as it is today. Being a colored woman, I embrace that I am a disruption. Disruption in markets leads to innovation and growth and my hope is that I will inspire young intellectual individuals to chase their dreams. Engineers are at the core of becoming leaders within a team in problem solving and creativity, and I look to inspire the next generation of engineers to love what they do, challenge themselves, and pursue what they are passionate about in life.

Jeff K.

My goal in being a mentor is to give you the knowledge I wish I had when I was starting out and navigating my way through school and work. I’m originally from the Bronx in New York but have found permanent residence in Seattle after schooling and settling into my career. In my day job as a Data Analyst, I use data to provide insights to help inform and improve marketing efforts. My work ranges from helping partners understand the success of a campaign, to trying different techniques to predict future behaviors. I’ve been working with data for almost ten years, and it's been amazing to see how the industry has changed and the effect it’s had on marketing. Outside of work I participate in a range of activities that include a variety of exercises, mediation, reading, and traveling.

Chowdhury K.

Hello! I finished my BA in Electrical Engineering in 2008, MA in the same subject in 2012 and am currently enrolled part-time in the online MS in Management program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I worked in the telecommunication sector for a couple of years but have since transitioned to the Renewable Energy industry. Throughout my somewhat complex journey of moving between countries (I have lived in a few), schools and jobs, I have been helped and inspired by many. I would love to pay it forward by inspiring and assisting others in their educational journey as no two paths are the same.

Hugo C.

As a mentor, I hope to share my career path as a product marketing leader with nearly 20 years of experience in the consumer electronics and gaming industry. This includes Go to Market expertise, Franchise development, Budgeting and P&L management and a passion for team culture and people development. 

Currently, I work for Facebook managing the accessories business for all product lines (AR, VR and Portal). Prior to Facebook, I spent a combined 17 years between Nintendo and Microsoft in various roles from Sponsorships and Events Assistant Manager, to Games Product Marketing Manager or Licensed Merchandise Retail Category Manager.

I love coaching soccer and volunteer as an assistant coach at Seattle United. I also enjoy playing golf, exercising (hiking, biking, running), watching sports (football and soccer), reading and walking and playing with my dog. I am originally from Spain (fluent in Spanish) and have lived in Seattle for twenty years.

Ashly S.

Ashly is the first generation in her family to go to college. She started her college journey at Seattle Central College before transferring to and graduating from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Biology. She completed a master's degree in Horticulture at Iowa State University, where her research focused on the sustainability and potential implementation of perennial agriculture on Iowa farms. Currently, she works for a Seattle-based non-profit focused on global health and cancer care access and hopes that by sharing her own circuitous career path, she will help students know that a STEM degree can lead to many different paths! Besides volunteering for the Mentoring Project, she also volunteers with Minds Matter Seattle, which assists low-income youth with achieving their goals of attending and graduating from college.

Katie C.

Katie produces a morning news program for a local public radio station. She earned her B.S. in journalism from the University of Florida in 2015 and has since worked with newsrooms in Chicago, Phoenix and now Seattle. As a first-generation college graduate, Katie knows how overwhelming the college experience can be - and how rewarding it is when you are able to navigate it. Katie received UF's Florida Opportunity Scholarship, which covered all expenses for all four years of her undergraduate degree. That was, without a doubt, a life-changing award that set the trajectory of Katie's life in ways that still affect her lifestyle today. Because of the scholarship, she graduated with a savings account rather than student debt, she studied abroad and, most importantly, she was financially independent from the moment she walked onto campus. That gave her the room to budget, invest and save for the future - and allowed her to prioritize the more fun things in life that are no less important to the college experience.

Her mom taught her the value of education and information with the help of National Public Radio (NPR), which inspired Katie to pursue her career. As a public radio journalist today, she plays a key role in keeping this free community service strong, so that others may be inspired to do big things, too.

Anais M.

I received a BA in Sociology in 2020 and joined Tommy Bahama in 2021 as a Recruiting Coordinator (recently promoted to a Sourcing Recruiter). In college, I didn’t have any guidance on what I could do with my major; a majority of Sociology students were studying to become professors. I want to mentor to help those struggling to figure out their way in life because I was once there. I hope I can leverage my HR knowledge and recent graduation to help students succeed in achieving their goals.

Trevor L.

Hi! My name is Trevor, I received my BA in Biochemistry from the University of Washington in 2017, and currently work as a Software Engineer designing solutions for the Microsoft Cloud. I am very excited to partner with The Mentoring Project because I want to help students in navigating through the challenges associated with college and adult life. My focus as a mentor is to listen and help you take control of your success. 

I started my first two years of college at Bellevue College where I worked full-time to pay for my education. I then transferred to the University of Washington Seattle where I was admitted into the chemical engineering program. During my third year I fell in love with healthcare and teaching so I  mentored college students through the Pipeline program at UW. That summer, I volunteered with the American Heart Association CPR Hero to teach BLS in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Following college, I worked as a student teacher at Northgate Elementary and then proceeded to teach chemistry at Cleveland High School. After a year at Cleveland, I received two offers. One was an acceptance into medical school, and the other a lucrative software engineering job. I decided to hold off medical school in favor of the job offer. After settling down financially, I decided to go back to school to pursue my medical degree. As a mentor, I hope to use my vast experience, resources, and knowledge to help students achieve their goals, gain confidence, and define their definition of success.

Taylor N.

I write about higher education, career pathways, and student resources for a college rankings website in Kirkland. I earned my associate degree from Whatcom Community College, then transferred to Western Washington University where I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2018. It took me six years to finish my degree – as a low-income student, I juggled multiple jobs on top of my studies and wasn’t always able to enroll full-time. Today, I research degree programs and career pathways, and write about things like financial aid and mental health to help students get connected with the support they need to finish their degree. There are so many barriers to completion in higher education, and I know firsthand how overwhelming they can be when you’re struggling to navigate them on your own. I’m excited to work with the first cohort of students through The Mentoring Project to provide the support I wish I‘d had as a low-income transfer student.

Riana H.

Hi there, my name is Riana! I attended Olympia High School, took running start classes at South Puget Sound Community College down in Olympia, WA, and got my B.S. in biological engineering from MIT. I have taken two gap years in Seattle, WA and plan to enroll in a Masters of Public Health Nutrition program fall 2022. My interests include physical health, nutrition, mental health, therapy and counseling, personal development, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, advising, tutoring, coaching, and just talking to people about their obstacles, stresses, and relationships. I am very excited to be a part of The Mentoring Project, and I hope to be a resource to help you achieve your tangible goals while also continuing to grow as a person and lead a happy, fulfilling daily life. I look forward to using my personal experiences - such as taking classes at a community college, getting my degree at a demanding college, pursuing a stem field degree, and going through a career change - to give you insight and ideas, but I know that everyone is on a unique journey so whatever your interests and struggles are, I'll be there to help you navigate them, and we can learn together how I can best support you. Looking forward to virtually meeting you :)

Justen H.

Hi! My name is Justen and I am a graduate of the University of Washington where I earned my Bachelors of Science in Biology Physiology in June 2021. I was recently in many of your shoes navigating the in’s and out's of college and hope to use my experience to help guide you on a course for success. During my undergrad years, I made many mistakes and want to help others avoid those same mistakes.

During the summer after my graduation, I participated in an internship geared at providing underrepresented minorities an opportunity to get involved in research. One piece of advice that stuck with me was the importance of having a mentor who looked like you. I hope to be a resource for other black and brown students who are passionate about going into the healthcare field and provide them the support they need to succeed.

Amber H.

Amber Hoak is a first-generation college graduate with a BA in math from UW (2013) and an MS in Information and Communications Technology from the University of Denver (2017). She received an undergraduate ROTC scholarship and served in the Air Force as a software engineer prior to working as an engineer at Microsoft Research. 

Devin J.

Devin is a Product Manager in Community Programs at Amazon. He believes in mentorship and "defines success as giving back to those who want more for themselves and their future”. Devin has a BA in Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration from Western Illinois University and is currently pursuing a master's degree in the same field.