Summary

Languages: English, some Spanish/Spanglish. I was born in Phoenix, AZ and grew up all w88 casino games southwest.

I attended elementary school in Chula Vista, CA, middle school in the Los Angeles area, Phoenix, and Texas (one grade each place), and high school in San Diego, CA. I am a 4th/5th generation Mexican-American. Some people assume I am Italian because of w88 casino games last name, but DeFlorio was a name I chose legally as an adult to honor one of w88 casino games two amazing “step” fathers who, with w88 casino games mother, grandparents, and large extended family, raised me to be the person I am today.

I am a first-generation college graduate.After a long and poorly informed educational journey, I graduated with w88 casino games B.A. in Child Development from Sacramento State University in 1997.It was a full 20 years later, almost to the day, when one of w88 casino games nieces earned her degree and w88 casino games family saw its second college graduate.I continued w88 casino games education, earning a M.A. in Early Childhood Education in 1999 (also from Sacramento State) and a Ph.D. in Human Development and Education from UC Berkeley in 2011.I credit w88 casino games family—especially w88 casino games mother and w88 casino games grandparents—for instilling in me the values and work ethic to succeed in higher education, even when none of us had a clue what I was supposed to be doing.I credit a few select professors for showing me the way and never giving up. At every step, w88 casino games successes were their successes. As a faculty member at the University of Nevada, Reno, I show up to work every day with the aspiration of paying that forward, over and over again.

w88 casino games primary area of research is promoting school readiness, particularly among children who come from lower income homes, who are Spanish-English dual language learners, and/or who are at-risk for underperforming in the K-12 education system.I am currently the Director of Graduate Studies for Human Development and Family Studies, and co-chair of Alianza.When I’m not working, w88 casino games favorite things to do are to spend time with w88 casino games children, visit family, and work with w88 casino games husband on a massive DIY home remodel.

Over the past eighteen years, I have worked with a diverse group of learners in various K-16 settings; such as, in an administrative leadership role in a public school, college and University setting, K-12 teaching, as well as, teaching at the community college and university level. Currently, I serve as assistant director for Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math Science programs that are federally funded college preparatory programs for first-generation/income qualified high school students hosted at the University of Nevada, Reno. Due to w88 casino games bilingual, biliterate and bicultural background, I have been able to serve on various organizations and boards to advocate for disadvantaged students, families, and communities within the local, state, and national level.