Ms. Monica grew up locally and attended schools in both Compton and Long Beach. She has worked with kids for over 30 years, with 29 of those years within LBUSD. You can often find her hanging with her 3 sons and 10 grandkids. When she's with her friends, she enjoys playing cards and dominoes. 

Monica found out about IVA through her grandson, who is a proud IVA Alumni (Class of 2022). When her grandson started at IVA, she saw how kind and caring the staff was. Monica saw how IVA cared for the well-being of all students and brought everyone together as a community. She regrets not seeking a position at IVA sooner!