Gisela graduated from CCRH’s successful and model Rural West Internship Program for Diversity in Nonprofit Housing and Community Development in 2003 and has a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of San Diego. She leads the two-decade nationally touted Rural West Internship Program for Diversity in Nonprofit Housing and Community Development, the three-phase racial equity process at CCRH, and the development of a new fellowship program to support mid-career BIPOC emerging leaders in rural housing and organizations evolve management to support all staff. She values the work and collaboration of her three-staff team offering support to CCRH’s leadership programs and racial equity efforts.

Before joining CCRH in 2005, she worked as a project developer for three years with Community Housing Works in San Diego County. There she successfully packaged and developed three properties with 168 units total. She is fluent in Spanish and, coming from an immigrant and underserved community has a strong cultural and social affinity for ensuring better opportunities and quality of life for under-represented communities.