Zaira Aguilera

Zaira Aguilera is the Education Program Legal Assistant at the Alliance, helping children of all ages and their families advocate for their educational rights through early intervention and special education.

Specializing in education advocacy, Zaira provides critical support to youth and families navigating the complexities of the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. She conducts client interviews, maintains detailed case files, and gathers essential documentation to ensure effective legal representation. By facilitating communication between caregivers and attorneys, Zaira helps to keep clients informed and engaged in their educational journeys, all while championing equity and access for marginalized communities.

Before joining the Alliance in July 2024, she held several impactful roles that underscore her commitment to advocacy and support for marginalized communities, laying a strong foundation for her current position. During college, she interned with the Berkeley Underground Scholars, where she assessed the needs of incarcerated individuals and guided them through educational pathways. Additionally, she progressed from a Work-Study student to a full-time Employer Relations Specialist at Berkeley Career Engagement, facilitating career exploration for students and alumni by nurturing relationships with employers. Most recently, she served as a Family Relationship Coordinator at SOFESA, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting homeless and low-income families. In this role, she connected with families to understand their unique challenges, conducted comprehensive assessments, and coordinated resources to support their journey toward stability and self-sufficiency.

In December 2023, Zaira earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley. She lives with her family in Cypress.