I was born in Mexico and raised in Bakersfield, CA. As one of five children, family has always played a significant role in my life, shaping my values and teaching me important lessons. One of the greatest lessons I learned was from my father he showed me what it means to create my own opportunities—watching him work hard to become an instructor at a trade school inspired me to pursue my own path with confidence.

My passion for engineering comes from my curiosity about how things work. As a child, I wanted to be a mechanic because I enjoyed taking things apart and putting them back together. At the time, I didn’t know engineering was a profession, but once I discovered it, I was fascinated by how much of our daily lives are shaped by engineering. Since joining TEE, I have grown more confident in asking questions and making mistakes, which has made me more responsible and assertive in my work.

My favorite memory at TEE so far was going skiing with two designers during my first full week. It was my first time skiing, and they geared me up and took the time to teach me. We had a blast going from ‘pizza’ to ‘fries’ on the same day.

I’m excited to work on the SMF Airfield Maintenance building at TEE, as it will be my first full project from start to finish. My advice to new TEE employees is simple: don’t be afraid to ask questions and connect with others. TEE is surrounded by coworkers that are inclusive. I immediately felt that I could have a conversation with the people here about anything.