Dr. Ana Aguayo-Bryant has worked in higher education for over 30 years. She has managed different student programs such as Dream Centers that support undocumented students, foster youth programs, services for students with disabilities, and other programs that support students in achieving their academic goals. She is dedicated to promoting a collaborative culture that supports underrepresented, first-generation, and disadvantaged students. She illegally entered the United States as a child, along with her parents and her older brother from Mexico. She is the first in her family to obtain a doctorate on both sides of the border. In her personal time, she launched the Alumni Alliance as a mentorship program for former foster youth, but it has evolved into more than just a mentorship program. She holds a doctorate degree in organizational leadership from the University of La Verne, a master's degree in public administration, and a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from California State University, Long Beach.