Charlise believes that at its core, education is a tool for manifesting well-being, liberation, and justice. Born and raised in Hawaii in public schools, Charlise regularly volunteered in her mother’s Head Start classroom and gained first-hand experience serving homeless, low-income, and immigrant children in educational settings. The years she spent supporting local families inspired her passion for community-based education and engagement, which caused her to pursue programs of study at the intersection of education, nonprofit and law at the University of Washington. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education, Communities and Organizations with a minor in Law, Societies and Justice from University of Washington College of Education.

Upon graduation, Charlise supported course operations for First Year Programs (FYP), the Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center and the School of Law at University of Washington. She designed and facilitated two college access courses for FYP and CELE that centered the lived experiences of marginalized student populations. Prior to joining the Alliance team, she most recently served as the Curriculum and Student Support Coordinator for CELE training undergraduate students in equitable and inclusive mentorship for public school students. In addition to curriculum development and teaching, Charlise analyzed and improved system processes within their service-learning program for partner schools across King County.

In her free time, Charlise enjoys traveling, exercising, hosting get-togethers for her loved ones and spending time in nature.