MariaEsther Izquierdo-Hemmen,

• MSW

Born in Puerto Rico, MariaEsther grew up in South America where she spent her childhood and adolescence continually readjusting to new environments as she bounced around different homes, schools, and living situations. In August of 2002, at the age of 20, MariaEsther left South America and moved to San Diego, California where she earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of California San Diego. Driven by a passion for helping others as a result of her experiences, post-graduation MariaEsther focused on working with adolescents and children placed in the foster system. In 2012, MariaEsther earned her Master of Social Work with an emphasis in clinical mental health from San Diego State University after which she began her professional career in pursuit of opportunities that allowed her to work with youth and families.

In 2014, fueled by her knowledge and passion for social services, MariaEsther honored her lifelong dream and launched an organization called Mending Matters.