Staff: Norman Lucero-Hellebuyck

Norman was born in Tarzana, CA, as the youngest of three children of two Salvadoran immigrant parents. At the age of two, his family moved to the Coachella Valley. The desert is all he has ever known, and it will always be home. As a child, Norman struggled in school with behavior and class engagement. But when faced with the experience of losing a parent to kidney cancer, education became the most important aspect of his life. He is proud to say that he graduated in the top of his class in high school and earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from UC Davis with honors, the first in his family to do so.

Norman has spent his career working with youth ranging in age from 2 to 13, serving as a student teacher intern in middle school, a behavioral technician at a health center, a paraeducator in transitional kindergarten, and a nanny. His passion stems from wanting to be the support system he did not have growing up and to give back to the community he calls home.

In his free time, Norman enjoys playing video games, learning about technology, watching movies, and spending time with friends, family, and his significant other.