About the Team

Marquinta Obomanu is a Seattle native who has come to ODI through her recent work within the Center for Community Engagement. In her previous role as High School Success Coordinator, she worked to strengthen the tie between campus and community, while cultivating an atmosphere of inclusion for students living within the University’s Youth Initiative zone. Marquinta received her bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State University and her Master’s in Public Administration from Kaplan University in 2017. She is passionate about advocacy and intentionality to support marginalized communities.  

Mayra Santoyo has focused her career on supporting young students of color through the college application process because values social justice and equality in education. For the past two years she has been a UC Berkeley College Adviser at her alma mater high school, supporting students in her community to matriculate into higher education institutions to fulfill their post-secondary goals. Most recently, she has joined the SMASH Admit team as a College Coach. Mayra finds her passion for her work in spaces where she can work directly with students and support them in achieving their educational goals. She studied Sociology at UC Riverside while also working at the School of Medicine, and participating in research. Mayra will be continuing her education by attending Seattle University to obtain her Masters of Education in Student Development Administration this upcoming fall.