As CREEED’s Parent and Community Engagement Coordinator, Mariana Gutierrez Vega is responsible for identifying and inspiring community members, civic leaders, and, most of all, parents who care about El Paso’s education ecosystem. She is also responsible for developing and providing them with the tools they need to become powerful advocates for great schools.

Mariana was born in Ciudad Juarez, and at the age of 11, she and her family moved to El Paso. Mariana holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in Political Science from The University of Texas at San Antonio. She also has a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Public Policy and Management from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Mariana has been committed to the El Paso community through various roles. Before joining CREEED, Mariana served as a Partnership Specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau. She established partnerships with federal, state, and local governments, community leaders, non-profits, and faith-based organizations to develop strategies to ensure a complete count in El Paso County. She also supported operations in Arizona, New Mexico, and West Texas.

Before working with the U.S. Census Bureau, Mariana worked at the United Way of El Paso County as their Fundraising Assistant and later as the Community Engagement Coordinator. In her roles, Mariana managed and led United Way Donor Networks and oversaw the implementation of the Community Impact Agenda.

Mariana’s volunteer efforts have ranged from assisting with fundraising efforts for Teleton USA, volunteering at church by distributing food and donations, and volunteering with different non-profit organizations in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez. She believes that if everyone works together towards a common goal, they can achieve great things.

In her new role at CREEED, Mariana is excited to empower and engage parents by giving them a voice in the decisions affecting all El Paso students and providing them with the tools to become advocates for their children.