Ray Hernandez is passionate about helping others navigate educational and career pathways and effectively overcome the barriers that shape their access to opportunity. At Southeast Children's Fund, Ray supports the DC LEAD program by assisting early childhood educators as they pursue higher education and advance in their careers. He approaches his work with empathy and a strengths-based perspective, listening closely to people and drawing on their experiences and perspectives to better inform our collective work to empower children and families in the DC area.

Ray holds a Master of Arts in International Development Studies from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Brigham Young University, where he studied how systems shape people's access to opportunity and how programs and institutions can respond to address inequality. Before joining Southeast Children's Fund, he worked in several student success and academic support roles at Brigham Young University, where he supported incoming students, helping them navigate academic standing and university policies, facilitating major and career exploration, and contributing to new student orientation and staff training and development efforts.

Outside of work, Ray has volunteered with organizations that provide pro-bono legal support for undocumented immigrants in the U.S., support foster children in Mexico, and engage in community development efforts in Bolivia. These experiences continue to inform Ray's commitment to expanding access to opportunity for people throughout the DC area and beyond.