In her role as the Puksta Scholar Program coordinator, Ana mentors students immersed in community engagement work aimed at addressing the root causes of social injustices. In addition to her role as Puksta Coordinator, Ana is an instructor for the Leadership and Community Engagement program in the School of Education. Her research includes a 3 year ethnographic and participatory study of parent and community engagement in a diverse high school seeking to heal from fragmentation from racialized divisions, gentrification, and school closures in an urban neighborhood. Prior to these current roles, Ana worked as an elementary school teacher and community liaison where she developed school-community partnerships and a curriculum based on community engagement. She was also a community engagement specialist and instructor for teachers obtaining CLD and Special Education licensures. Ana holds a PhD in Educational Foundations, Policy, and Practice from CU Boulder’s School of Education and a B.A. in Anthropology and Sociology from Hendrix College.