Evelyn Gómez, an engineer and educator from the northeast San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, grew up with parents who immigrated from Mexico for better opportunities. Despite limited education in her parents' hometown, they prioritized ensuring Evelyn had access to quality education. Experiencing the challenges of the Los Angeles Unified School District firsthand, including overcrowded classes and low standards, Evelyn's perspective shifted when encouraged by her math teacher, Ms. Mardirosian, to aim for prestigious institutions like MIT. Attending MIT sparked her passion for educational equity, leading her to advocate for it, including serving on a school committee in Belmont, MA during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Career

Evelyn Gómez has a decade of experience in education, initially as a K-12 math and science teacher and later as an engineering adjunct professor at Pasadena City College. Recognizing disparities in educational support, she transitioned to the nonprofit sector, joining DIY Girls to provide STEM education and mentorship in Pacoima, CA. Combining her engineering and education background, Evelyn mentored a team that invented a solar-powered tent for the unhoused in Los Angeles.

In 2019, she became an Invention Education Administrator at the Lemelson-MIT Program, supporting K-12 programs to integrate invention education. Her focus is on addressing historical inequities in invention development, intellectual property protection, and wealth creation, particularly for women and marginalized communities. In 2021, Evelyn founded Gomez Research & Evaluation LL, specializing in developing evaluation tools to assess the impact of nonprofits and their programs.

Education