Myra comes from the Salinas Valley—often called John Steinbeck country and the “Salad Bowl of the Nation”—though her family roots are in the Philippines. She has lived in the Bay Area for the past two decades. Myra earned her BA in Geography from UC Berkeley and an MA in Theology from the Graduate Theological Union.

She teaches because she genuinely enjoys the work—from the subject matter itself to the process of designing lessons and engaging with students and colleagues. At O’Dowd, Myra especially values the Living Lab and the opportunity it provides students to learn in an outdoor environment that connects them more deeply with the natural world.