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Esperanza Magallanes 

Ms. Esperanza is a fourth-year teacher at Lazear Charter Academy in Oakland, California, where she currently teaches 7th and 8th grade science. Prior to teaching science, she spent two years teaching mathematics.

Born and raised in East Oakland, Ms. Esperanza graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Biology. Her parents are from Zacoalco de Torres, Jalisco, Mexico, and she is a native Spanish speaker in addition to English.

A few fun facts about Ms. Esperanza: she is left-handed, previously worked at the California Academy of Sciences, and has a mixed Chihuahua named Mona Mia.

Samantha Lopez 

Sam is a Hayward native who has completed most of her education in the Bay Area. She attended Chabot College, San Diego State University, and Alder Graduate School of Education, where she earned her master's degree and teaching credentials in Special Education. 

Outside of work, Sam is a proud dog mom to her three-year-old French Bulldog, Yhago. A fun fact about her is that she enjoys collecting Pokémon cards and can often be found exploring local card shops and card shows in search of new additions to her collection. 

Dennis Escobar 

Dennis Escobar is a fourth-year Computer Science major with a strong interest in pursuing a career in the tech industry, particularly in areas connected to health and technology. He is passionate about learning how technology can improve people’s lives and hopes to work for a company where he can combine his technical skills with his interest in health-related innovation. In the future, Dennis is considering continuing his education by pursuing either an MBA or even a second degree to expand his knowledge and career opportunities. Outside of academics, he enjoys working out, staying active, and playing video games in his free time. 

Julian Uribe 

Julian Uribe is a student at Cal State East Bay studying Political Science and has recently completed his third year. After graduating from Tennyson High School, he looked for ways to continue serving his community while attending CSUEB and found that opportunity through Hayward Promise Neighborhood as a Promise Intern. 

Julian has been a Promise Intern for nearly three years. During that time, he has worked directly with students in a variety of roles, including supporting summer programs, serving as an in-class tutor for a high school math intervention program, and assisting high school seniors with financial aid and college applications. 

In his free time, Julian enjoys playing video games, watching anime and other shows, going on runs, and caring for his pets. A fun fact about him is that he played the violin for six years throughout middle and high school. 

Misha Sen 

Misha is a sophomore majoring in Psychology and is expected to graduate in Spring 2029. She is involved with College Corps and enjoys working with her host site, MESA, a program geared towards supporting student who are into STEM through its College Prep program and the MESA University program which caters towards students who are majoring in STEM. She enjoys getting involved on campus and exploring what college has to offer. Her favorite experiences involve attending events, learning about resources, and making the best out of her time. She is interested in exploring different fields such as Business and inquiring about topics that peak her curiosity. She hopes to step into a role which empowers her to help others. 

Ahmad Price 

Ahmad is a senior majoring in Public Health and is expected to graduate in May 2027. He is passionate about community wellness and hopes to pursue a master’s degree after completing his undergraduate studies. In addition to his academic interests, he enjoys filming and creating short documentaries as passion projects, especially those that highlight community stories and experiences. Outside of school, he enjoys watching scary movies, or walking his dogs at Lake Marina. 

Junia Kim

Junia Kim was born and raised in various areas of California. After teaching abroad in Taipei, she returned to the Bay Area and was a public school educator for the rest of the decade. In the wake of the pandemic, she founded and continues to lead Seen52, a local nonprofit focused on supporting older youth impacted by foster care and housing security.  Currently, she is the Programs and Evaluation Director at Hayward Promise Neighborhoods, a federal grant project led by CSU East Bay where she leads strategies within the Cradle to Career pipeline.  In her free time, Junia enjoys listening to audiobooks, aerial silks, and backpacking. She holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley (Go Bears!), an Ed.M. in Language and Literature from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and an M.Ed in Educational Leadership from High Tech High Graduate School of Education.

Meghan Smith

Meghan moved to the Bay Area from East Tennessee (Go Vols!) in 2013 to pursue her master’s degree at San Francisco State University. She spent nearly a decade leading job readiness and career awareness programs at Enterprise for Youth. In addition to her extensive experience in youth workforce development, Meghan brings expertise in program design, social-emotional learning, and coaching peer mentorship.

Both personally and professionally, she centers the agency of young people, advocating for access to resources, intergenerational mentorship, and deep respect for lived experience.

Outside of work, Meghan enjoys baking, exploring new foods, and discovering the Bay Area alongside her son and two beloved pups.

Madeline Michael

Madeline grew up in the Sacramento area before completing her bachelor's degree at UC Santa Cruz, earning degrees in Linguistics and Intensive Psychology. She has worked in campus advocacy, has supported Medi-Cal members in accessing services, and is passionate about mental health. As the Community Counseling Program Coordinator, she looks forward to getting to know and serving the Hayward community through her work at the Community Counseling Clinic and with HPN. In her free time, she enjoys cooking (and eating!), spending time outdoors, and seeing her family.