As a first-generation student, Jackie was encumbered by her lack of knowledge of postsecondary systems. This experience led her to become an agent for change within education. Initially, Jackie used her counseling skills on an individual level to change the trajectory of young people through mental health counseling. After over a decade of providing intensive counseling to students, she recognized that a better way to create change was to be an active agent in the reconstruction of systems that educate and impact the future of California. Now approaching her twentieth anniversary as a school counselor, Jackie has enjoyed connecting her “boots on the ground” experiences from the 5th (EGUSD) and 11th (SCUSD) largest school districts in the state, to county and state-level organizations, such as CaliforniaColleges.edu and the California Student Aid Commission. Jackie’s goal continues to be improving the ways in which educators support the development of sustainable mindsets, initiatives, and data continuity. In this way, she hopes to capture and retain the passion of California’s students and provide them with a future that is worthy of their generation and beyond.