UndocuStartup™ is redefining what’s possible for undocumented entrepreneurs. Through Bootcamps, Incubators, and pitch competitions, we’ve helped over 200 undocumented students launch more than 60 business ideas and provided $6,000 in seed funding. Our programs turn barriers into opportunities by giving students the tools, frameworks, and community to start their own ventures. We don’t just prepare undocumented students for the future of work—we empower them to build it.

Nancy is a highly skilled educational leader, statewide policy advocate, researcher, and facilitator with unique expertise in professional development, resource creation, & higher education policy. She has a demonstrated track record in helping colleges, universities, governmental agencies, high schools and CBOs develop institutional practices that increase the entry and success of undocumented students in higher education. Since 2008, Nancy has trained thousands of personnel & administrators in financial aid, admissions, undocusupport services, and college access. She has conducted research to uplift promising practices and develop tools that increase the enrollment and graduation rates of undocumented students in California. Nancy also created the vast majority of Immigrants Rising's resources and guides for colleges & university personnel, as well as undocumented students. Prior to founding Institutional Solutions, Nancy served as the Director of Higher Education at Immigrants Rising for eight years. She also worked for more than a decade as a financial aid counselor, an undocumented student advocate, and pre-dmissions/ transfer advisor at SF State.

My name is Rafael Sario Perez. I was born in a small town in Oaxaca, Mexico and raised in the Salinas Valley after moving to the United States at age six. I earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from San Jose State University in 2018, followed by an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2022. My professional experience includes roles at Genentech as a technician and mechanical engineer, and at Johnson and Johnson as a systems integration engineering. I am currently based in Las Vegas, working as an Applications Engineer at Innovative Sensor Technology. Having navigated higher education and the early stages of my career while undocumented, I understand the unique challenges many students face. My goal is to share practical insights and strategies that can support you in your academic and professional journey.

Valeria Avila is a robotics engineer, entrepreneur, and advocate for undocumented students pursuing higher education. Originally from Mexico, she came to the U.S. at 16 and quickly faced the barriers of being undocumented—learning English, discovering she did not qualify for federal financial aid, and navigating college without DACA protections. Through perseverance, countless scholarship applications, and the support of professors who believed in her, Valeria graduated debt-free. She went on to found Aprumo Design LLC, a design and prototyping firm that helps startups bring ideas to life. Her journey is a testament to resilience and the power of reimagining opportunities when traditional paths are closed. Today, Valeria shares her story to inspire students to pursue education against the odds and to see entrepreneurship as a path to hope, financial independence, and impact.

Maribel, is founder of @OurWealthMatters AKA Your Favorite Immigrant-Money Coach. She is the first-gen daughter of Mexican, Purepecha indigenous, immigrants, born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She leverages her first-hand life experience, bilingual capabilities, & knowledge in taxes and corporate finance, to serve USA-based immigrants – because she believes more immigrants need to know they can legally earn, save, and invest their money while in the USA - irrelevant of their immigration status. She has been featured in The New York Times, Univision, & NerdWallet.

Yasmin is currently the CA Senior Lead Organizer with United We Dream. An Immigrant rights and community organizer with 8 year of experience, she values the resilience of the immigrant community, their allies and the struggle for justice. She continues to advocate, teach and welcome new movement leaders to find their voice and join the efforts of creating the world we want for the future. From memberships training and mobilizations to connecting our roots, she creates a space for one to find their community and remember we are in this together.

Britney Ortiz is the Founder of Monarca Marketing, a bilingual digital strategy agency specializing in providing small business owners and freelancers with the practical marketing blueprints needed to establish credible, independent income streams. Born in Mexico and raised in Orlando, Florida, Britney Ortiz is a first-generation Latina whose journey began with a passion for storytelling and community empowerment. She recognized a gap in how multicultural entrepreneurs were being represented online, leading her to launch Monarca Marketing in 2025. Fully bilingual and community-driven, Britney Ortiz believes powerful marketing is about trust, identity, and real connection. This workshop is focused on providing attendees with the tangible, actionable skills to build a professional, self-sufficient brand.

Azalia (she/her) was born in Guerrero, Mexico and later raised in Chicago, IL. After attending community college, she transferred to Northeastern Illinois University, earning a BS in Biology, BA in Psychology, and a minor in Math Modeling. Currently, Azalia is a PhD candidate at Stanford University's Department of Developmental Biology where she investigates how arteries in the heart develop with the goal of building and maturing new arteries after a heart attack. Azalia dreams of one day having her own lab where she train the next generation of scientists. Outside the lab, she enjoys walks with her dog, Lola, and engages in community building and advocacy of Latin Americans in science and undocumented students in higher education.

Victoria Viksne is a Financial Aid Training Specialist at the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). Before joining CSAC in 2020, she worked in the Financial Aid Office at Sacramento State. She is passionate about connecting students to the financial resources necessary to pursue higher education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and a master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership from Sacramento State.

As the Division Chief of Program Administration and Services, Tae Kang oversees the administration of the California Student Aid Commission’s financial aid programs including the Cal Grant, Middle Class and Chafee grant. Additionally, his division provides service and training to students, parents, high schools and universities throughout California. Mr. Kang started his financial aid career with the University of California at Davis and Irvine campuses before moving to the California Student Aid Commission in 2006 as an analyst. He rose through the management ranks before promoting to the Division Chief role in December of 2020. He has nearly twenty years of experience in the Higher Education and Financial Aid industry. During his career at the California Student Aid Commission, Mr. Kang has been responsible for expanding the state financial assistance programs through technical enhancements, program improvements and student advocacy. He has successfully led the implementation of historic programs and applications such as the Middle Class Scholarship, Race to Submit Dashboard and the California Dream Act Application.

Dr. Gonzales a student-centered leader whose life-long commitment to social justice, equity and inclusion is guided by the empowerment of communities and partnerships that enable economic mobility. With over two decades of experience in higher education and statewide fiscal policy, she began her career in the classroom and served as the second highest administrator for California’s Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. As Interim Chancellor, she supported colleges to innovate during the COVID-19 pandemic by leading efforts to secure historic levels of state and federal funding and redesigning policies to remove barriers to equitable success. She is a first-generation college student and a proud alumna of California’s Community Colleges. She holds a B.A. in Public policy, and M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology.

Deyci Carrillo López, as she says it herself, is a proud daughter of Guanajuato, México and Deep East Oakland, California. She is an author, entrepreneur, and immigrant rights advocate. Deyci started writing poetry when she was around 13 years old, shortly after finding out her immigration status. Words helped her define who she is and who she wants to become in this world that is constantly screaming to define her worth and her power. She is also a small business owner who hopes to inspire little and big humans to discover and own their magic through poetry and art. You can see more of her work on instagram as @puravida510