I was the first person in my working-class Mexican-American family to go to college.

In my high school, I was the first person to graduate in 3 years, and the first Stanford University attendee.

I was Stanford’s first Hispanic petroleum engineering graduate.

I was also the first Hispanic woman to take a directorial position in a renowned venture capital company.

My life has been a series of interesting first steps. I get the challenges of being at the forefront of change.

I am Yaqui – Native American on my father’s side. My lived experiences as a woman of colour lend me the lens to navigate cultures and systems, and notice hidden yet pressing problem spaces in organizations.

As a social entrepreneur, I’ve seen why companies with big ideas fail: It boils down to not understanding how capital and systems work.

Policy-makers and leaders need to understand the role of entrepreneurial change and the opportunities available to them through macro and micro-level system change.