Ursulina has 20 years of experience working on behalf of young people, driven by her personal mission to dismantle generational poverty. As CEO of Summer Search, a national mentorship and experiential learning organization, she is focused on ensuring that young people thrive economically and lead joyful, purpose-filled lives.

Prior to Summer Search, Ursulina served as Chief Program Officer at XQ Institute, where she led XQ’s program implementation strategy with school systems and partners to rethink the American high school system.

She previously served as Chief Operating Officer of the New York City Department of Education, where she was instrumental in creating policies and programs that helped all NYC public school students succeed. Her key achievements include the successful expansion of Pre-K for All, the re-envisioning of the DOE’s discipline code, and increased access to social-emotional supports for young people.

Before joining the DOE, Ursulina was Deputy Executive Director for Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio’s transition team, playing a critical role in hiring and managing the mayor’s senior leadership team. She began her career in New York City government as Deputy Public Advocate and Senior Policy Advisor to Mayor de Blasio during his tenure as Public Advocate. Prior to her public service career, she was a Senior Policy Analyst at the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families (CHCF).

Ursulina was given the honor of being named an emerging leader by Latino Leader Magazine and in 2012 recognized in City and State’s “Forty under Forty.” Ursulina holds a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University and a B.A. in Sociology and Women, Culture, and Development from UC Santa Barbara. A proud first-generation college graduate and Chicana from La Puente, CA, she currently lives in the Bay Area with her family.