California 94.28%
Illinois 1.75%
District of Columbia 1.50%
Tennessee 0.41%
Other 2.06%
Luz Rivas has dedicated her professional career fighting to ensure that every Californian has the
opportunity to learn, prosper, and succeed.
With a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT and a Masters Degree in Education from
Harvard, Luz has focused on encouraging young girls to pursue training and careers in science,
engineering and technology. As the founder of DIY Girls, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping
girls become interested in math and science, Luz has helped set thousands of young women on the path
towards economic empowerment, independence, and self-confidence.
Even as a child, Luz had a love of technology and science, and she has seen firsthand how these fields
can allow girls and boys to become successful professionals. She succeeded in part because adults
repeatedly encouraged her to develop an interest in technology. That’s why she has chosen to help other
young people find the same opportunity.
Luz was raised in the San Fernando Valley by a single mother who she cleaned bathrooms at a hospital
in Lakeview Terrace. Initially, the family rented a room in a house, and later lived in a converted garage
and back houses throughout the Valley. Her mother took night classes to learn English and office skills,
and ultimately got a new job.
As 5th grader at Telfair Elementary in Pacoima, Luz became interested in technology and engineering
when her teacher taught her class how to program an aging Apple IIe computer. That’s when she knew
that she loved technology. At Pacoima Middle School, she continued learning about computer science,
and at San Fernando High School, she enrolled in a state program that helped students excel in math and
science and go on to college in these fields.
While Luz was in high school, her mom was laid off, so Luz worked two jobs to save money for college.
Her math teacher encouraged her to apply to MIT and she was admitted. Initially, Luz was nervous about
leaving her family and friends in the San Fernando Valley, but a family friend loaned her $300 for a plane
ticket so she could visit the campus. She fell in love with the school and four years later, Luz graduated
from MIT with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
After working as an electrical engineer at Motorola, Luz’s passion to get kids interested in science and
technology led her to earn a Masters of Education from Harvard University. After graduating, she returned
to the Valley, and in 2012, Luz founded DIY Girls, a nonprofit based in the Valley that encourages girls to
become interested in science and technology. Since 2012, the program has served over 2000 girls in
grades 4-12, helping them develop skills and capabilities as engineers and designers. DIY Girls also
works with partner schools throughout the Valley to create new science and technology programs.
Most recently, Luz served as a City of Los Angeles Public Works Commissioner, where she continued her
gender equity work. In that capacity, she developed events to help women-owned businesses compete
for city contracts. And, she led a recruitment initiative for women engineers in Public Works by reaching
out to groups like the Society of Women Engineers to increase the number of women applicants.
