Chicano Latino Alumni

Director, Chicano Student Programs

Estella Acuña ’99

Estella Acuña is a proud UC Riverside alumna and lifelong advocate for educational equity, cultural empowerment, and community transformation. A dedicated member of the Highlander familia for over 25 years, she currently serves as Director of Chicano Student Programs and as a founding board member of the re-establishment of UCR Chicano Latino Alumni.

Estella’s impact extends across numerous organizations in the community, including the Inland Empire Latino Lawyers Association (IELLA), UNIDOS supporting the Riverside Art Museum, and Radio Aztlán KUCR 88.3FM’s annual music festival. Recognized as Woman of the Year by Senator Richard Roth, Woman of Distinction by Assemblymember Jose Medina, and Latinas of Influence by Hispanic Lifestyle, Estella embodies transformational leadership through service, resilience, and corazón.

Chair

Natalie Ayala ’10

Natalie Ayala is a proud UC Riverside alumna and current chair of UCR Chicano Latino Alumni, as well as a member of the UCR Alumni Association Board of Directors. She earned her B.S. in Biology and is dedicated to advancing educational equity and expanding opportunities for underrepresented communities.

A published clinical researcher recognized in multiple peer-reviewed journals, Natalie has contributed to studies across leading Southern California healthcare institutions, including Cedars-Sinai. She also serves as an interviewer for the UCR School of Medicine, helping to select future physicians committed to health equity in the Inland Empire. Previously, Natalie served as CEO of MiMentor, a national nonprofit that empowers first-generation and underrepresented students to become healthcare leaders.

Treasurer

Edward Coronado '19

Edward Coronado has served as a Chicano Latino Alumni Board member since 2023 and is passionate about building a community that advocates and creates opportunities for the academic excellence, professional growth, mentorship, and advancement of Chicano Latino students, alumni, staff, faculty, and our community at large. He currently works as a Government Affairs Manager for IEHP, and has held roles as a Legislative Assistant for Riverside County Supervisor Karen Spiegel, serving Riverside County's Second District, and as an Advisor to the City of Riverside Mayor, focusing on policy development, advocacy, and international relations.

Edward holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside, and a master's degree in Organizational Leadership from California Baptist University. He leverages his experience in local government as an adjunct professor with the Department of History and Government at CBU. 

Advisor

Alejandro Cortez '02, M.S. '09

Alejandro was born in Mexico and moved to Riverside in eighth grade. His educational background and training is in cell and molecular biology and he is a double alumnus of UCR (BS Biology, MS Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology). Being a first-generation, low-income, and Latino helps him relate to students of similar background who are still largely underrepresented in STEM. He has been an undergraduate researcher, a laboratory technician, a mentor, a scientist, an educator, and a community leader.

Alex has been a faculty member for over 13 years, first at UCR and now at Riverside City College. He is particularly passionate about scientific teaching, student success, and community engagement.  Cortez is a previous Chair of Chicano Latino Alumni at UCR and serves on the UCR Alumni Association Board. Alex is also involved in local nonprofit organizations including UNIDOS for la Causa and the Riverside Latino Network. Alex is a girl dad, an avid hiker, and an amateur poet.

Vice-Chair

Nathaly Martinez '16

Nathaly Martinez (she/her/ella) is the current Vice-Chair of UCR Chicano Latino Alumni. A doctoral student in the School of Education at UCR, she is a first-generation scholar of Mexican descent, born in Los Angeles and raised in South Gate, CA. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies from UC Riverside, and a MEd in Higher Education from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. Her higher education administration and policy research explores how Chicanas and Latinas in graduate programs experience traditional and non-traditional mentorship, aiming to transform spaces of exclusion into communities of inclusion, resistance and restoration.

Nathaly has worked with multiple organizations in the City of Riverside. She previously served as a board member of UNIDOS and Las Comadres IE. During her free time she enjoys volunteering, traveling, keeping an active lifestyle, and spending time with her loved ones. 

Graduate Student Representative, Social Media, and Outreach Coordinator

Andrea Romero '22

Andrea Romero (she/her) is the Graduate Student Representative for UCR Chicano Latino Alumni  and has been on the board 2 years. She is currently a 4th-year Ph.D. student in the Plant Biology Department at the UCR. Andrea Romero’s research focuses on plant–herbivore interactions and chemical ecology, specifically how native Californian wildflowers produce toxins to defend against insect and nematode herbivores and how these defenses influence ecological communities.

Andrea is passionate about science communication, mentorship, and expanding opportunities for first-generation and historically underrepresented students in STEM.

At UCR, Andrea has mentored undergraduate students through SACNAS and other campus organizations, led workshops on graduate school access, and organized science outreach events at local Riverside elementary schools. She is also active in campus service, helping organize symposia, cultural programming, and departmental engagement events.

Board Member

Wendy Sanchez '17

Wendy Sanchez was raised in Huntington Park, California, and is a proud first-generation Latina graduate. She earned her B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside in 2017 and completed a Paralegal Certificate from UCLA Extension in 2019. Wendy has been serving with UCR Chicano Latino Alumni since 2021.

Before entering the legal field, Wendy served with AmeriCorps as a College Ambassador, where she supported low-income communities in their journey toward higher education and promoted the message that college is possible for everyone. She is now a Paralegal at Lyfe Law, where she assists clients in personal injury and lemon law cases.

Wendy has been recognized for her dedication to giving back to the community. She serves as a scholarship reader for the UC Education Abroad Program, and volunteers with Altadena Girls, an organization founded by a 14-year-old following the Altadena fires to empower and uplift the community. In her free time, Wendy enjoys relaxing by the beach, watching the Dodgers, exploring Dapper Day events, and finding new ways to connect with her culture and creativity.