About Us

Our MISSION

Students from underrepresented and marginalized communities disproportionately face hardships in their journey with higher education. PODER workshops, facilitated by upperclass students with shared experiences and backgrounds, most being former PODER cohort members, empower first-year students to feel confident in their identities and capabilities as they navigate their academic, professional, and personal success at Northeastern and beyond.  

 

Our sTORY

The PODER Program was founded by six Latinx students in 2018 to address the information and networking gaps they experienced as first-generation, Latinx, and undocumented/DACA students. Our inaugural cohort began in the summer of 2019. Since then, PODER has grown exponentially each year.

 

Our Leads

  Anahi Cruz

  LinkedIn | Email

  24′ 25′ Lead Program Manager
  23‘ Program Manager
  2022 PODER Cohort

 Tombis Perez

  LinkedIn | Email

  25′ Lead Program Manager
  2024 PODER Cohort

  Diego Tellez Vargas

  LinkedIn | Email

  24′ 25′ Lead Program Manager
  2023 PODER Cohort

 Lillianis Rodriguez

 

  LinkedIn | Email

  25′ Lead Program Manager
  2024 PODER Cohort

Our Designers

 Nancy Farias

  LinkedIn | Email

  25′ Web Designer
  24′ Program Manager
  2023 PODER Cohort

  Matthew Montoya-   Figueroa

  LinkedIn | Email

  25′ Web Designer
  2024 PODER Cohort

Our PROgram Managers

 Joella Orozco

  LinkedIn | Email

  24′ 25′ Program Manager
  2023 PODER Cohort

 Eduardo Mitzi

  LinkedIn | Email

  25′ Program Manager
  2024 PODER Cohort

 Xochilt Solorio

  LinkedIn | Email

  24′ 25′ Program Manager
  2023 PODER Cohort

 Jaslyn Ortiz 

  LinkedIn | Email

  25′ Program Manager
  2024 PODER Cohort

 Sophia Ortiz-Vargas

  LinkedIn | Email

  25′ Program Manager
  2024 PODER Cohort

 Carolina Vanegas

  LinkedIn | Email

  25′ Program Manager
  2024 PODER Cohort

  Johan Almanzar

  LinkedIn | Email

  23′ 24′ 25′ Program Manager
  2022 PODER Cohort

 Behnjamin Dessources

  LinkedIn | Email

  25′ Program Manager
  2024 PODER Cohort

 Alec Tellez

  LinkedIn | Email

  23′ 24′ 25′ Program Manager
  2022 PODER Cohort

  Alondra Delgado-Aguilar
  LinkedIn | Email

  24′ 25′ Program Manager

 

Our Staff

 Sara Rivera

  LinkedIn | Email

  LSCC Director

Rodrigo Mendoza Lee

  LinkedIn | Email

  LSCC Associate Director

 Rosa Torres

  LinkedIn | Email

  LSCC Administrative Coordinator

 Claudio Conception

  LinkedIn | Email

  LSCC Assistant Director

LSCC Director

Sara Rivera:

s.rivera@northeastern.edu