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Originally from Spain, Natalia came to the United States from her hometown, Elche, to complete a masters program in Hispanic Literature at the University of Rhode Island, where she started her career as a teaching assistant. She continued her graduate work at Penn State University, completing a doctoral degree with a focus on postcolonial and cultural studies as applied to contemporary Hispanic Literature. In her scholarly research, Natalia tackled identity in twenty-first century writers who migrated from their country of origin, an interest that reflected her own vital experience of reshaping and revisioning her identity after a number of years away from Spain.
Natalia worked at Tulane University as Language Program Director in the Spanish & Portuguese Department while continuing her research and teaching. She also worked at Bucknell University as Visiting Professor in the Spanish Department before moving to Madison, where she taught at the University of Wisconsin for three years. Her scholarly work started to tackle diversity and equity in academia, stating the need to create interdisciplinary programs of study within the humanities as a necessary step to promote true cultural understanding in siloed academic departments. This research resulted in an international publication on the subject in 2006.
Her transition to the K-12 environment in Madison took her to teaching positions at the Metropolitan School District and also to Madison Country Day School, where her work in diversity and equity continued as she focused on innovative curricular design and in providing students with agency in their learning path. Natalia's work in culturally responsive practices and identity safe classrooms was presented at The International Conference on Thinking (ICOT 2018). While working at Madison Country Day, Natalia also created and led a Study Abroad Program that took students to Spain in exchange experiences for trimester, semester and summer long periods.
Joining One City in August of 2021, Natalia brings a vast professional trajectory which converges strategically in her position as instructional leader. Her scholarly work and pedagogical practices of the last 25 years come to play in her efforts to bridge secondary and post-secondary education. She and her team focus on creating learning opportunities that reflect scholars' passions, interests and cultures. Based on her own research, Natalia emphasizes creating interdisciplinary programs that prepare our youth for the challenges that the twenty-first century society generates. In her leadership role at One City, Natalia continues her learning path while at the same time infusing the love for life long learning in her team members and most importantly, in our scholars.