About the Presenters

Laura Gonzalez

Laura Gonzalez has 25 years of experience working in higher education, addressing college access for youth from immigrant families. In Laura's post-faculty career, she served as the coordinator of the educational program at an ORR facility for unaccompanied minors in NC. This led to her current work co-founding an educational consulting company that equips facilities serving unaccompanied minors with meaningful educational tools. Laura holds a PhD in Counselor Education, a Master’s degree in College Student Development, and a Bachelor’s degree in Women's Studies. Laura and her husband have a bilingual and bicultural family, including three children. Laura collaborates part time with Immigrant Connections, while serving as the Research and Development Director for One Journey Together, LLC.

Dr. Robert Martinez

Dr. Martinez, a Latinx researcher and faculty member at a North Carolina university, is a passionate advocate for equitable education and cultural empowerment. Growing up in Los Angeles with immigrant and incarcerated parents, Dr. Martinez became a first-generation college graduate, inspiring a deep commitment to addressing historical, cultural, and social perspectives in education.

His research focuses on advancing equitable college and career readiness, particularly for vulnerable populations like Latinx and Black high school students. Dr. Martinez develops and evaluates programs to provide comprehensive support, emphasizing the need for additional training and resources for school counselors....and so much more!