Meet the Ambassadors
It is the mission of the Outreach Program to be the ‘face’ of Cañada College and support its’ mission by encouraging high school students and community members, especially those from underserved populations, to pursue a college education via the excellent Cañada College programs and services, as an avenue to reach their career and life goals.
Olivia Cortez-Figueroa
College Recruiter
Olivia has over 24 years of experience in higher education and has worked in the San Mateo Community College District since 2012. She enjoys connecting with and serving students, underserved populations and the community at large. She has a BA in Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley. Having been the first in her family to go to college, she understands the challenges first generation students face - often times you don't even know what to ask. This is why she is so passionate about sharing information about the various opportunities at Cañada College, with students, their parents, their schools and anyone who is interested in changing their lives. Olivia oversees the Outreach Program and the Student Ambassador Program at Cañada College. Family is very important to her so she is often found with her husband and two children. She can also be found knitting or crocheting, when time permits (she jokingly shares that she is addicted to yarn). She loves to hike and, lately, has been getting into gardening succulents too. Olivia can be reached at cortezfigueroao@smccd.edu or 650-306-3209.
Rocio Vega
Ambassador
Rocio is from Bolivia. She is studying English as a second language at Cañada College. After completing ESL, she plans to continue her career as an accountant because she like numbers. Rocio really like dogs. She loves being an ambassador because she is a very patient person and she likes to help everyone.
Jules Thomas
Ambassador
Jules is a Middle College graduate living in the wonderful city of East Palo Alto. He studies Business at Cañada College. Jules is the co-Founder & CEO of Onyxx Village Connection, a mobile outreach non-profit organization that connects people in East Palo Alto and surrounding cities with resources and free hot meals. His favorite hobbies are reading, traveling, photography, and playing the tenor saxophone. He is very excited about being a Student Ambassador so he can get a chance to create new friendships and help his peers move towards their journey through education.
