I moved to San Leandro in November of 2018 when my spouse, Greg Griffin, got a new job in San Francisco. After 25 years in the Denver area, Greg and I settled in San Leandro, and shortly after, I joined the local Rotary Club.
I was born and raised in Spain, the sixth of seven children. Five of my siblings live in Spain, while my youngest brother lives 13 hours ahead of me in Abu Dhabi. After college, I came to the US and spent a year in the Denver area, where Greg and I met at a French class. After that first year in the US, I returned to Madrid and started a career in journalism. In 1995, I moved to Denver permanently and became a technical translator.
Our family grew with the birth of our daughters Ana and Elisa, now young adults living in New York City and Lafayette, California, respectively. While our children were young, I became active in our local community, volunteering with their school PTA from the year Ana started kindergarten to Elisa’s high school graduation. I became familiar with Rotary when my father-in-law joined his local Rotary Club after retiring back to his hometown. When we moved to California, I realized Rotary would be a great way to contribute to my new hometown's community and meet community and service-oriented people here.
Our move to California also catalyzes another transition in my life. During my last 13 years in Denver, I was a Spanish document translator for the senior administration of two large school districts. With this move, I took the opportunity to change the Spanish language services I provide and became a Spanish teacher. Currently, I teach Spanish at JCHS in San Francisco. When not working, Greg and I enjoy hiking, traveling, and spending time with our families. Greg is also an avid cyclist, while I prefer pretending that I can garden. Since we moved to California, we also have been exploring the vast supply of camping and hiking opportunities in Northern California.