Marlene is a first-generation high school and college graduate committed to building programs of access for young professionals because of the programs she benefitted from as a student and as a first-generation professional, she was able to start her career in education program development. First, as a K-12 classroom teacher in Oakland, CA with Teach for America, then into start-up and nonprofit management, and most recently at Meta to build programs at the intersection of technology and learning.

She has driven local community initiatives and global program solutions that create pathways of access to funding, training & development, and resources, positively impacting key social issues like digital literacy rates and entrepreneurship development for BIPOC & historically underrepresented communities.

Marlene received her Bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley in Political Science and Rhetoric, and a teaching credential and Masters in Urban Education Policy and Public Administration from Loyola Marymount University.She is also a TPA Legacy Alumna from the 2011 Cohort.