Swearer Center for Public Service

• M.S. Law and Public Policy 2014, Northeastern University
• A.B. Commerce, Organization and Entrepreneurship 2011, Brown University

Elena serves as the Assistant Director for the Community Partnership Team. In this role, she leads matchmaking efforts between local community organizations and Brown University resources, including staff, faculty, initiatives, and fellowships to support collaborative, equitable partnerships across Providence and Rhode Island. Elena joined the Swearer Center in 2016 and has remained deeply committed to building connections between higher education and the broader community.

Previously, Elena managed the College Advising Corps (CAC) at Brown University, a national college access program focused on increasing the number of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented high school and community college students who enter and complete higher education.

A proud Rhode Island native and graduate of Charles E. Shea High School in Pawtucket, Elena earned her Bachelor of Arts from Brown University. She later received a Master of Science in Law and Public Policy from Northeastern University, fueled by her passion for education and systemic change.

Her professional journey has been rooted in equity and access. She served as College Access Program Manager for Let’s Get Ready, a New England-based nonprofit; worked with the Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children and BrightStars in Warwick, RI; and advised countless students and families as an Educational Counselor at the College Planning Center of Rhode Island. Elena began her career as a College Adviser for the College Advising Corps in Woonsocket, RI, where she supported students on their paths to higher education.

Elena’s commitment to her community extends beyond her professional roles. She served as an elected member of the Pawtucket City Council and previously on the Pawtucket School Committee, where she advocated for inclusive policies and equitable education funding. She was also an advisory committee member of Rhode Island’s Latino College Access Coalition and is an alumna of New Leaders Council Rhode Island.

Through every chapter of her career, Elena has remained dedicated to advancing opportunity, amplifying community voice, and strengthening systems in service of a more just Rhode Island.