Jenelle Nila was born, raised, and educated in Pomona, California. She comes from a beautiful community of hardworking immigrants and educators, and she brings that work and love into her work every day. Jenelle has worked with youth and students for over 18 years as a mentor, educator, and student affairs professional.
In her teaching roles, Jenelle has taught 8th through 12th grade students as well as undergraduate and graduate students focusing on Ethnic Studies, Women and Gender Studies, and Feminist Research Methods. As a first-generation college student, she earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees from UC Riverside and recently earned a Ph.D. in Education from Claremont Graduate University. Jenelle combines her community organizing knowledge, academic scholarship, and teaching experience to serve the youth, educators, and organizations in the Girls Leadership community.
In her spare time, Jenelle enjoys reading, traveling, dancing, and listening to live music. She is honored to live and work in the Bay Area and hopes to contribute to the legacy of collective care and community activism in Oakland through her work at Girls Leadership.
