About Me

Marina G. Viteri

            I am a first generation Cuban-American, born and raised in Union County, New Jersey. I fluently speak both English and Spanish. My father and his family immigrated to the U.S. right after the Cuban Revolution where they settled and began their new life with very little resources. With his life experiences and schooling, my father is a successful businessman who is dedicated to his family.  My mother, born in Newark, NJ is also of Cuban descent. She also faced many hurdles in life (growing up in an urban area and coming from a single parent home) but turned these experiences into lessons and became a successful executive. My family’s culture has instilled a set of values in me that has helped me to become the person who I am today. I am proud to have them as my parents and have witnessed them to be very hard working individuals who highly value education and have always supported my academic progress. It is with their support, values, and love that I have been able to come this far.

           Additionally, I am an older sister, wife, and mother to two beautiful children. As an older sister and mother, I have made it my responsibility to set an example for my family. Education and higher education are important pursuits in life that provide a foundation for future success which are beliefs that my family also shares. For instance my younger brother is in his final stages of pursuing his law degree and my husband is currently pursuing a Master’s.  I too plan on furthering my education by pursuing my Master’s Degree in the near future.

           Although I am just beginning my career in the field of education, I have highly valued education my entire life. During my elementary school years, I have always put my best foot forward when it came to my academics. I hold a place near and dear in my heart for those teachers who were able to grow my motivation and continued engagement with my studies. Until this day I remember the names of those teachers who inspired my passion in what are now my favorite subjects of Math and Science. Those teachers stood out for me because they showed an interest in me as an individual and cared about my character and academic success.

            Prior to this new chapter in my life, I worked in the field of Banking and Finance. Helping families and individuals plan for their financial future and helping my team members grow within their respective roles was one of the most rewarding experiences in my financial career. It is during this time where I learned so much about life and people in general. It was an eye opening experience that sparked the motivation for my career change. I learned that I wanted to continue doing this, inspiring those around me, but with the younger audience. It was then that I decided to pursue a degree in Elementary Education in order to combine my passions and move towards a life fulfilling career. I am excited and look forward to continuing my journey in a role where I can help shape and mold young minds, build character, and inspire and instill passion through education. I understand that as an educator I have a responsibility to nurture these future adults, leaders, and contributors of society. Becoming a teacher is one goal in life that I am certain of where I can put both my passion and expertise into practice and make my mark on the world.