Herlinda was born in Tejutla San Marcos, Guatemala, and moved to San Francisco, CA, when she was eight years old. As a college student, she volunteered at the Rape Trauma Services in San Mateo County in California. From that experience she decided to pursue her Master’s in Counseling Psychology and went on to complete her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from William James College in Boston, MA, with a concentration in Latino Mental Health.
Herlinda believes that children-in particular children of low-income households and first-generation immigrant students–face unique challenges such as limited exposure to science experiments, absence of scientist role models, and lack of educational resources. As a mother of two (a one-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son) she passionately strives to empower children with self-belief and grit, as well as a fascination with the natural sciences.
Herlinda’s goal is to make science available for all children and support parents and teachers in these endeavors, whether at home or in the classroom. Herlinda would like to encourage a child’s natural curiosity and adventurous spirit towards fulfilling scientific exploration and discovery.