Born in the Dominican Republic, Dariela, also known as Dari, came to the U.S. when she was 10 years old. She graduated from City College with a degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in Spanish. 

Prior to arriving at StreetSquash, Dari worked as a Spanish and College/Career readiness counselor and then as an interventionist helping English Language Learners gain the skills necessary to close the language barrier. 

She says StreetSquash aligns with her long-term goals of working in an after-school program that supports students in all aspects of their academic journey, especially those from marginalized communities.

In her free time, Dari enjoys cooking, trying new restaurants, watching documentaries, and spending time with her family. She also spends time with her Maltese-pomeranian mix pup. 

Dari comes from a baseball-loving family and often played with her brothers growing up. Her cousin, Ernny Ordonez, is currently in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system.