CHCI-Motorola STEM Graduate Fellow
Hometown: Santa Rosa, California
School: Indiana University
Degree: M.P.A. Information Systems and Non-Profit Management
Placement 1: Office of Rep. Cedric Richmond
Placement 2: U.S. Small Business Administration
Amber Seira’s passions include leveraging technology policy to advance access and attainment opportunities for Hispanic and low-income communities. Amber earned her B.A. in public affairs from The Ohio State University and her M.P.A. from Indiana University, where she focused on information systems and non-profit management.
Amber began writing computer codes as a hobby at age 14 and enjoys graphic design. The daughter of a Mexican immigrant, Amber’s bicultural heritage and experiences as a first-generation college student solidified her dedication to advocacy. While at Ohio State, Amber was committed to improving the post-secondary education experience for Latino students, which led her to co-found the Latino Student Association. Her subsequent involvement in other campus groups would eventually lead to her recognition by the university as an Outstanding Senior, a select distinction for graduating seniors.
Amber has held fellowships with the Columbus Foundation and the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Division at the U.S. Department of Education. Amber has also completed Americorps service at the Bloomington Boys and Girls Club, and later worked with the Latino Economic Development Center, where she individually built a database for the Minneapolis nonprofit to efficiently measure client services and monitor program retention.
As a CHCI STEM Graduate Fellow, Amber will be eager to apply public management and data systems principles while learning more about the legislative process that influences information security. She aspires to bridge the technological policy gaps between private citizens, community nonprofits, and government agencies.