Why I: Danielle Quiñones-Ortega

The NASPA Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community is showcasing the LKC leadership team and members in this series that we call, "Why I." We want to share with our Latinx/a/o community who members of the LKC leadership team are, our roles, and what inspired us to follow our career paths. Our goal is to increase the visibility of not just th eLKC, but to the leaders who make the LKC what is to us all. For questions regarding the "Why I" series, please contact the Communication Co-Chairs, Leonel Diaz ([email protected]) and Rosa Hanco ([email protected]).

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Danielle Quiñones-Ortega is the Associate Director for Student Life at the University of California, Santa Barbara and has previously served as the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Liaison and on the NUFP Board.

Why did you join the LKC?

I joined the LKC over a decade ago in order to connect more closely con mi gente and to find my familia within NASPA. The LKC has been an integral part of my growth and development on a regional and national level within NASPA and in the profession.

Why did you choose your higher ed career path?

I chose a higher ed career path because I love working with students in a university setting. There are moments where, as a practitioner, you are able to get a glimpse into their lives and learn what's important to them. As I teach, train, or share knowledge, I love the moment when that light bulb sparks and ignites. It's a beautiful thing to see how we impact their lives and in turn, how they impact ours.

Share with us a fun fact. It can be silly, funny, random, or anything you want to make it.

Instead of a fun fact, I want to share a quote. (I'm a huge Harry Potter NERD maybe that's my fact.) “Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”- Albus Dumbledore