Ayala is originally from Brooklyn, NY, has lived all around the U.S., and now calls Portland, OR home! They earned their B.A. in International Studies and Social Science from Stetson University and their M.A. in Social and Applied Philosophy from Marquette University. As a Trinity Fellow at Marquette University, Ayala worked for a few nonprofits in Milwaukee, WI that focused on social and economic justice, while taking courses centered on social entrepreneurship and social justice in the nonprofit sector.
Ayala is passionate about education and service. As a first-generation college graduate and first-generation American, Ayala understands the power an education can grant an individual and their respective communities. They served as a City Year AmeriCorps member in the Bronx, NY from August 2017 to June 2018. In addition, Ayala has worked as an au pair in Spain, a tutor, and Kindergarten teacher, among other roles. Ayala enjoys learning enough about a topic/subject, to then teach it to other eager and engaged minds, regardless of age.
In their spare time, Ayala enjoys listening to music, yoga, learning languages on Duolingo, chatting with friends over tea, and dreaming about a better world. More importantly, Ayala is excited to continue exploring all that Portland has to offer!
