Federal judges congratulate Ayleem at her U.S. citizenship ceremony in 2019.
I'm a former teacher with two master's degrees and 14 years of experience in education, including classroom teaching and corporate training. I’m from a St. Jude family and I’m a proud mom to a young boy. I’m a wife, a member of a union household and a relentless advocate for addressing injustices.
I am 35 years old and I grew up in the Dominican Republic. My father was a political activist and researcher for the country's national Congress.
I graduated from college in the Dominican Republic with a B.A. in advertising. While I was still in college, I began working for our national Ministry of Education. In 2015, I earned a School Leadership master's degree from EOI, a university in Spain.
A turning point in my life came when my brother was diagnosed with cancer in 2010. My entire family moved to Memphis so my brother could receive treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. My parents and siblings came first, and I moved here in 2014.
In Memphis, I led a Boy Scout troop and worked nearly 10 years as a public school Spanish teacher, first at Oakhaven High, then Trezevant High, and finally East High, where I was World Language Department Chair. I also trained teachers in educational technology in Memphis as well as through national and international webcasts.
I met my husband at a church retreat in Memphis and we married in 2018. I became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2019.
In 2020, I earned my second master's degree: a Master's in Secondary Education from Freed-Hardeman University in the middle of the pandemic.
In 2023, I went to work in corporate training for a Fortune 500 company. I focus my work on supply chain and technology.
I am a passionate advocate for education, and I’m actively involved with nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, and volunteer efforts, including Vecindarios901, SOCM, TIRRC, EMERGE, and Indivisible. I am unafraid to speak truth to power.
I believe in labor unions. When my husband went on strike with his company's union in 2024, I fully supported him, and the strikers ended up winning a great contract.
Over the past year, I have been training to participate in politics, inspired by the courage of so many women across Tennessee who step up to lead. I joined Take Office Tennessee and Emerge Tennessee to learn everything I could about how representative democracy works and how everyday people can make a difference.
My plan for 2026 was to support someone else’s campaign as a super volunteer — until I learned that a leader I deeply admire, Amber Huett-Garcia, would be vacating her school board seat to run for County Commission. In that moment, I realized it was time to accelerate my own plans and step forward as a candidate.
Education has been central to my life’s success, driven by my parents’ constant encouragement to pursue my studies. I carry a deep sense of gratitude for the government support and scholarships that enabled my own education, and I am committed to paying that forward. I believe every child deserves the same opportunities—regardless of their ZIP code.
Federal judges congratulate Ayleem at her U.S. citizenship ceremony in 2019.