Hello there, nice to meet you!

Jennifer (she/her) forms the heart of RISE Healing Arts Lab. Born and raised in New York by Salvadoran immigrants, from a young age she understood the importance of cultural belonging and the magic of storytelling through image and sound. RISE seeks to shed light on the imaginative aspects of healing, and the power of play and creative resourcefulness to deepen community ties.

Across both the U.S. and Canada, Jennifer has worked with various non-profits, festivals, and screen-based programs, passionately fostering community connections, wellness and healing through arts engagement. Jennifer holds an M.A. in Film and Media Studies from Concordia University and an Arts in Medicine Certificate from the University of Florida. Her research and producing work in community-wellbeing, narrative change and the storytelling industries have focused on how film and the media arts can nurture communities and serve as an outlet to unearth solutions about culturally responsive mental, emotional, social healing & well-being. In her downtime, you can find Jennifer spending time in nature, meditating, being a goofball with friends, or watching a comedy.