Career Roadmap
Teresa's work combines: Education, Technology, and Being Creative
See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.
Take Roadmap Quiz
Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Fairfax High School
Bachelor's Degree
English Language and Literature, General
UCLA
Graduate Degree
Human Development and Family Studies, General
Pacific Oaks College
Certification
Journalism
UCLA Extension
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Search Marketing Strategists:
Bachelor's Degree: Marketing/Marketing Management, General
Bachelor's Degree: Journalism
Bachelor's Degree: Information Technology
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
Family moved from Mexico to the U.S. in 1982 for better opportunities. I learned English at school and perfected it through books and TV. I decided I wanted to become a writer.
2.
Got admitted to UCLA in 1988 as a first-generation student. Struggled academically first two years and ended up graduating with a double-major in 1993.
3.
Moved to Chico to work full-time at CSU, Chico. Learned that Norther California is intricately different than Southern California. I was beginning my career as as student affairs professional.
4.
Began graduate school in 1999 at Pacific Oaks College. Human Development studies for me was a combination of Education and Psychology and an ongoing process to more professional opportunities.
5.
In 2000 I returned to UCLA as a Resident Director and continued my progress as a student affairs professional and took part as staff in the Semester at Sea Program in 2003.
6.
In 2004 I moved out of Residential Life and worked at the School of Nursing for 10 years as a student affairs coordinator and then as its first alumni relations director.
7.
In 2009 I began my UCLA Extension Journalism program and got more involved learning about journalism writing, blogging, newspaper, digital/information systems and social media.
8.
In 2015 I began working in the back end of social media and learned what it really takes to run social media programs and more so, how powerful social media can be.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
This may be too much for you to take on. You may not have the skills needed to do this type of work.
How I responded:
The noise I heard was usually silenced by encouraging colleagues, family, mentors and supervisors who assured me I was the person they wanted for the job and that my skills were exactly what was needed for me to be successful in my current position.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
My siblings and I were the first in our family to make it to college-thankfully we had encouraging parents who pushed us to do more and be the best in anything we did. A support system is key, for when even you don't believe in your own possibilities