Dr. Kizzy Lopez is an assistant professor of social work at Fresno Pacific University. Dr. Lopez maintains an active agenda regionally and across the state advocating for the educational equity of students who experienced foster care or unaccompanied homeless youth. Prior to becoming an assistant professor, Dr. Lopez was instrumental in establishing a foster youth support program at California State University, Fresno called the Renaissance Scholars Program. She was the program director for 10 years creating innovative services and practices that significantly improved the retention and graduation rates of the former foster youth attending the institution. Her passion and commitment to serve this population, through her research and practice, stems from her own experiences with the foster care system as a child and experiences with homelessness while in college.