Leslie Portillo Perez, Project Facilitator

Passionate about helping communities through projects that enhance education, quality
of life, and social well-being, Leslie Portillo Perez is dedicated to making a meaningful
impact in the world.

Leslie discovered her love and calling for public service at an early age, which led her to
begin her professional journey in Mexico, her country of birth, as a public servant. She
graduated with a degree in International Relations from a university in Mexico and later
earned a Master’s degree from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain. She is also
the co-founder of Tree of Life International Childcare in Colorado.

With more than ten years of experience in binational relations, Leslie has held key
positions at the Consulates General of Mexico in Denver, Colorado; Houston, Texas; the
Embassy of Mexico in Spain; and most recently, the Consulate of Mexico in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. In Albuquerque, she led the Educational Affairs Window
(Ventanilla de Orientación Educativa), where she discovered the unique challenges,
needs, and strengths of New Mexico’s students and migrant families.

This curiosity and commitment led her to work as a Family Liaison at Albuquerque
Public Schools (APS), a role that gave her valuable insight into the public education
system. Building on that passion and experience, Leslie now proudly contributes to the
Hacia: Toward the University Project, continuing her mission to support and uplift
families and students across New Mexico.

Leslie is the daughter of a teacher and school principal in Mexico. As her mother always
told her: